By Jan Khaskheli
9/20/2008
Karachi
The Brahvi tribe, settled on the Sindh-Balochistan border represents both the regions politically and socially. The Brahvi-speaking people living in Karachi have adopted typically Balochi culture. A great number this tribe is bilingual, speaking Brahvi with their close relatives and Balochi or Sindhi with others.
“We have been living close to Baloch-dominant areas in the city. Therefore, we have the same traditions of celebrating weddings and other customs. There might have been differences long ago but since we have grown here together, there is almost no distinction within the Brahvis and Balochis now,” said Mir Mubarak, a councillor representing the Brahvi communities of Keamari Town.
Recalling the past, he said that their forefathers migrated to the Karachi suburbs from Balochistan long ago. They were traditionally affiliated with cultivation and holding livestock. Thanks to the heavy downpours then, the pastures were greener and provided sufficient food to the people and their animals. But now, said Mubarak, there is no more rain and water, forcing traditional livestock holders and farmers to find better alternatives.
Thus many people have started fishing for their families’ survival and others have initiated different professions and business activities.
Some activists divide the tribe in four major branches: Somalani, Qalandrani, Girganani and Gulamani, settled in Balochistan. There are three major dialects of Brahvi: Sarawan, spoken in Mastung, Kalat, Bolan and Quetta; Jhalavan, spoken in Khuzdar, Zari, Vad, Mula and Jahu; and Chaghi, spoken in Kharan and Besma. Sarawan is considered the standard dialect. Balochi, Sindhi and Pushto have influenced the Brahvi language, but the core vocabulary and grammatical structure of the language have not changed over time.
The Brahvis settled in Karachi are one of the first tribes to have migrated to Karachi. The community living here speaks Brahvi, Balochi and Sindhi fluently. But those living in Quetta speak Pushto with Balochi and Brahvi. Activists say that their localities in Quetta were originally established by the Brahvis.
Wedding songs and folklores are a great literary creation of the Baloch women who reside in a purely male-dominated tribal society which does not even allow women to step out of their homes. But in Karachi the situation is not the same as witnessed in such areas.
However, the majority of Brahvis are proud to recognise themselves as Balochis in Karachi. They have adopted the culture and speak Balochi in many neighbourhoods. That is why when almost all the communities living in the city have formed welfare organisations to mobilise the people and raise their issues, hardly one or two organisations representing the Brahvis are functioning.
Those that recognise themselves as Brahvi are still critical towards the government. They say that they are ignored at the government level despite being one of the first settlers of the city. The Brahvi elders have contributed sufficiently in the building of this metropolitan city but the localities of their successors are facing many problems. However, despite raising enough hue and cry, the concerned authorities are seen reluctant to resolve them.
The Brahvi activists claim that the majority of the community has been affiliated with the ruling Pakistan People’s Party (PPP). However, several Brahvi speaking people are also associated with other political and civil society forums, playing their role.
According to them, the community has produced some highly intelligent people, who have played a praiseworthy role in strengthening democracy.
Brahvi, the second most-spoken language of Balochistan, is also rich in literature, poetry, folk songs, and spiritual quotes of their respective saints and has contributed greatly to the culture. It is said to be one of the Dravidian family of languages. It has borrowed heavily from Sindhi, Persian, Arabic and English. It remains in an unexplained isolation among the Indo-Iran dialects.
Gul Hassan Kalmati, a folklore writer, contributing in Sindhi, Urdu and the Balochi languages, says that the Brahvis living in Karachi use more than 50 per cent Balochi vocabulary, which shows just how influenced they are by the Balochi people and their culture.
However, community activists do not feel threatened for the future of their generations who may lose the language, culture and traditions introduced by their forefathers. Activists say that the few Brahvi writers are working but their contributions do not get to come to the surface, unlike other languages.
The community, whose literature has been rich in the past, is now facing problems in urban society and their survival is seen to be difficult. Now the Brahvis, influenced by the Balochi and Sindhi, are contributing to the literature in these two languages.
jan.khaskheli@thenews.com.pk
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=136864 |
