GLOSSARY

bolani – A kind of dumpling.

burqa – A long, tent-like garment worn by women. It covers the entire body and has a narrow mesh screen over the eyes.

chador – A piece of cloth worn by women and girls to cover their hair and shoulders.

Dari – One of the two main languages in Afghanistan.

jenazah – A Muslim prayer for the dead.

land mine – A bomb planted in the ground, which explodes if it is stepped on.

mullah – A religious expert and teacher of Islam.

nan – Afghan bread. It can be flat, long or round.

Pashtu – One of the two main languages in Afghanistan.

pilaf – A rice dish that usually contains vegetables, meat and spices.

Ramadan – A month of fasting in the Muslim calendar.

Red Crescent – The Muslim equivalent of the Red Cross, an international organization that provides aid to the sick and wounded in times of disaster and war.

shalwar kameez – Long, loose shirt and trousers, worn by both men and women. A man’s shalwar kameez is one color, with pockets in the side and on the chest. A woman’s shalwar kameez has different colors and patterns and is sometimes elaborately embroidered or beaded.

Soviets – The Soviet Union before its break-up, including Russia and other Communist countries.

Taliban – A militant group that took control of Kabul, Afghanistan, in 1996 and was forced from power in 2001.

toshak – A narrow mattress used in many Afghan homes instead of chairs or beds.