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Traditional Culture As a Space for Identity (A Case Study of Village Bumburet Kalash Valley)

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Traditional Culture As a Space for Identity (A Case Study of Village Bumburet Kalash Valley) Traditional Culture as a Space for Identity (A case study of village Bumburet Kalash Valley) By Irum Sheikh Department of Anthropology Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad 2013 Traditional Culture as a Space for Identity (A case study of village Bumburet Kalash Valley) A thesis written in the partial fulfillment for the award of Doctor of Philosophy degree in Anthropology By Irum Sheikh Supervised by Prof. Dr. Hafeez ur Rehman Department of Anthropology Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad 2013 Declaration I hereby declare that this thesis is the result of my individual research and that it has not been submitted concurrently to any other university or any other degree. Irum Sheikh Dedication This dissertation is lovingly dedicated to my father Dr. Muhammad Zaman Sheikh H.I, S.I. His support, encouragement, and constant love have sustained me throughout my life. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to bring on record my sincere Gratitude to all those who helped to make this study possible. I am indeed indebted to my research Supervisor Professor Dr. Hafeez-ur-Rehman, without whose help and encouragement this work would not have been possible. He took keen interest in the study right from the selection of the topic, to the field data collection to the analysis of findings and the write-up. I am grateful that he even visited the locale of research to help me in collecting more relevant data to fill in the gaps and to make my work more comprehensive. He spared his valuable time to discuss the various aspects of the thesis, formulating theoretical framework, devising research methodology, correlating and correcting the manuscript. I must acknowledge the fact that he initiated the PhD programme in the Department of Anthropology, Quaid-I-Azam University and remained steadfast even in the face of adverse criticism and made it so successful that a large number of students enlisted for this programme who have either completed it successfully or are in the process of completion. Throughout my stay in the department, I found him very kind, helpful and sincere. He is truly an anthropologist of International repute and his approach to his work has been a guiding star. I would be failing in my duties if I don’t mention my thanks to Miss Kaiser Baig, Faculty Incharge of College of Home Economics and Management Sciences, Miss Samar Zafar, Head of Textiles and Clothing Department, and the authorities of Federal Directorate of Education, who permitted me to undertake this course of study and allowed time and space to complete this work. Last but not the least, the support I have enjoyed and savored from my colleagues, present and former students is hereby appreciated. I must express my deep appreciation for the people living in Kalash for their hospitality and cooperation during field data collection. Special thanks are for Mr. Luke Rehmat, Mr. Zafar, Miss Zarkima, Miss Shameem, Miss Gulsheen, Mrs. Koi Begum and Miss Zaib-un-nisa for providing relevant data, translation of Kalash songs, interpretation of various rituals, accommodating me in “bashalini” and above all arranging meetings with important members of Kalash society and introducing me to Kalash household so that I was not treated as an outsider. Moreover I thank Mr. Attanassi (Greek Volunteer) and his team who took time to explain the Greek interest in the region. I am also grateful to the support I received from the office of DCO Chitral Mr. Ajmal Bhatti, and Chitral Scouts Subadar Haider, and the staff of Pakistan Tourism Development Cooperation for their assistance during data collection regarding the locale. In the end I would like to thank my husband Muhammad Tayyab Naveed and my brother in-law Mr. Athar Hameed for their critical appreciation, valuable suggestions, editing and correcting the manuscript. I would love to express my tremendous appreciation to my father, my brother Yasir who accompanied me to the research locale and help me in the process of data collection, my sisters, and friends for their encouragement, tolerance and moral support in times of distress and disappointments. Their unconditional love and encouragement provided me strength and motivation to complete this work. Irum Sheikh ABSTRACT This study was conducted in the Bumburet valley of Kalash, District Chitral Pakistan. The study attempts to explain the traditional identity and religious philosophy of non Muslim Kalash. The data for this study was collected by adopting anthropological techniques particularly participant observation. The fieldwork was conducted in the year 2007-08. The thesis addresses the impact of space in formulating distinct cultural patterns; for determining the identity of Kalash people. Culture is a protective and flexible space, in which a group of people can coexist and perpetuate their way of life. In any geographical setting, eventuality of displacement; or movement on mass scale due to environmental disaster to another area will not diminish or change their identity, as long as their culture remains intact. The Kalash culture is an example which has provided a space for the small groups of people who have survived and perpetuated. This interactive and inquisitive study scrutinizes the various aspects of the traditional culture, and effect forceful and mediated influence of the external and internal forces combined with rapidly changing environment. The basic objective of the study was to prove that perpetuation, preservation and practice of tradition strengthen the identity of a group, or people, and culture provides the space for small communities to exist, survive and propagate their way of life without being unnecessarily threatened by the majority group’s culture, tradition and religion. The role of government is to provide freedom of expression and security to all irrespective of their religion, culture and tradition. The Government of Pakistan does not treat them as an exotic object of tourism but as a group of people worthy of survival. Kalash a distinct community of Hindukush is an example; where culture is encapsulating the identity. The fundamental building blocks of their religious ideology and believe is based on the concept of onjesta and paragata i.e. purity and impurity. This phenomenon is evident in every sphere of their life. They regard high mountains, lakes, green pastures; cooking area, gods deities, fairies, Holy sanctuaries and jestik~han (worship places) are onjesta i.e. pure. The females, their menstruation and maternity homes bashalini, graveyard, and evil spirits bhut are considered paragata i.e. impure. The people of Kalash are trying to preserve their centuries old tradition and customs in spite of the constant invasion of modernization and globalization. Modernization is a process which consciously or subconsciously corrupts the fundamentals of organizational set up. The set up is responsible for the smooth running of various institutions by following a specified code of conduct. The process of social change manipulates the passive environment to an active environment where the nature and longevity of tradition and group`s identity attached to it can be threatened. But people of Kalash are aware of the negative consequences of this modernization therefore are negotiating a space where modernization and tradition can survive and coexist. TABLE OF CONTENTS Contents Page No CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1 Statement of the Problem 10 Research Methodology 12 Problems Encountered During Data Collection 13 Locale of the Study 14 Significance of the Study 15 CHAPTER 2 THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK 16 CHAPTER 3 AREA PROFILE 29 The Valley of Kalash 29 Historical Background of Kalash 32 Sunni 34 Ismaili 35 The Bumburet Valley 36 Topography 37 Flora and Fauna 38 Irrigation 38 Administrative Structure of Kalash 39 Land Holdings 41 Medical Facilities 41 Education 42 Transportation 45 Socio Economic Facet of Bumburet, Kalash 45 Occupation 47 Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation 49 Vocational Center 50 Media 51 Mechanized Farming 54 Religious Institutions 56 CHAPTER 4 RELIGION AS A SPACE FOR IDENTITY 57 Kalasha Dastur (The Kalash Tradition) 61 Rituals and Sacrifices as a Space for Kalash Identity 69 Concept of Purity and Impurity 69 Concept of Soul in Kalash 72 The Funeral and Burial 73 The Economic disparity and Funeral Ritual 75 Kalash Traditional Songs and Dance 80 Festivals and feasts in Kalash 84 Religious Cultural Sensitivities 90 CHAPTER 5 PERSONAL ADORNMENT AS A SPACE FOR IDENTITY 94 Adornment on Kalash Dress 106 The Paran (Dress) 108 Pati (Belt) 109 Susit (Minor Head dress) 110 Kupas (The Major Head Dress) 111 Night Dress 113 Jewelry 113 Shoes 114 Men’s Dress 114 CHAPTER 6 SOCIAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CONSTRUCTION OF GENDER IDENTITY 118 Menstruation Home “Bashalini” 122 Right of Inheritance 128 Political Voice 129 Gender Issues and Role of Shamans 130 Raising Children 131 CHAPTER 7 IDENTITY AND SELF IMAGE IN ADOLESCENCE 135 Educational Environment 140 Art and Music 145 Self-Understanding and Self Image 147 Emotional and Romantic Behavior 150 CHAPTER 8 MARRIAGE TRADITION OF KALASH 154 Types of Marriages 154 Rules of Marriages 156 Marriage Tradition and Economic Exchange 157 The Wedding Tradition of Chitral 160 The Wedding Tradition of Kalash 164 CHAPTER 9 ART AND ARCHITECTURE AS A SPACE OF IDENTITY 174 Defining Art 174 Symbolism and Goat Art 178 Sculptures and Effigies in Kalash 180 Buildings and Architecture 182 The Dwelling “dur” 184 Floor Plan of Bumburet Valley Kalash 184 Interior Decoration 186 Hotels and Commercial Areas 187 CONCLUSION 190 BIBLIOGRAPHY 196 USE FULL PHRASES 214 CULTURAL HERITAGE 215 GLOSSARY 216 Kal`as`a Alibe Appendix I Map of South Asia Map of Pakistan The Air Route Map of Northern Area Pakistan Map of Chitral Hand Made Map of Bumburet Valley Map of Village Karakal, Anish, Brun Appendix II Government High School Brun Bumburet Government Kalash Primary School Karakal, Bumburet Kalash Primary School Anish Kalash a Dur School Brun Rehbar Public School Anish Appendix III The Kalash Seasonal Calendar.
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