Menstrual huts and liminality in oral societies: the Bashali of Kalasha Culture (Pakistan)

Abstract

There is a pervasive male-centered bias in archaeological research and social discourses about history, which have been passed on through the institutions responsible for cultural heritage (mainly museums). It has often led to the construction and dissemination of a homogeneous representation of women and their institutions. Consequently, menstrual huts have been treated uniformly, despite existing in dramatically different cultural contexts. Previously, research has focused exclusively on the symbolic relevance of menstrual blood and/or its impurity, rather than on the women that inhabit these spaces. Aiming to deepen our knowledge of such institutions, I analyze the kalasha menstrual houses (Pakistan) and conclude that they are liminal spaces. They exist to bridge the divide between the known and the unknown and to set the social dynamic in motion. I do so from a cross-cultural perspective, illustrating the complexity of menstrual isolation. This work emphasizes the often overlooked cultural contribution of hidden figures and places, and is also relevant to Western menstrual assumptions. Additionally, I highlight the importance of recognizing kalasha feminine heritage, particularly in the context of their ongoing fight for preserving kalasha oral traditions and culture.