تلخیص
Folklore has an impact on national values. It helps in understanding
the ethnic and national identity. Individual and collective values of
people are found in their folklore. Pashtuns have their own culture and
history. Their folklore contributes to their national identity. They have
rich folkloric background. Pashtunwali is their folkloric and unwritten
constitution. They are proud of their folkloric code of life. Pashto
folklore and Pashtun folk culture is an expression of individual, ethnic
and national identity of Pashtuns. Folklore has further influenced
political, economic and socio-cultural structure of Pashtuns. A major
part of the national history of Pashtuns is seen in their folklore. It also
shows that folklore plays a pivotal role in establishing the national
history and national identity. One must look into these separate
folkloric and ethnic identities and subsequent narratives and ideas
before, during and after nation building. As we see that Pashtuns are
living on both sides of Durand Line and have historical, ethnic and
cultural ties with people across the border. Therefore in an
heterogeneous post-colonial states like Pakistan, where we see a
multitude of cultural practices and different folklores, Pashtuns’
integration in nation building process needs a special attention and
dialogue.
In our part of the world, a regional cultures are sidelined and silenced
through different mechanisms. This policy of marginalization creates
problems in the process of building a nation state and nation building.
One should give space to all of the cultures in a multicultural society. If
space is not given to all ethnic groups on the basis of their folkloric
identity, then discontent follows which may cause troubles for state. In
a multicultural society, everyone struggles for the visibility of their
folklore. So ignoring divergent folklores in the process of building of
nation state, may lead to the vanishing of indigenous wisdom. In this
regard stakeholders must include voice and feeling of more social
* Research Associate/Lecturer, at Area Study Centre (Russia, China & Central
Asia) University of Peshawar, Pakistan.
** Professor and Director at Pakistan Study Centre, University of Peshawar,
Pakistan.
PAKISTAN - Annual Research Journal Vol. No 55, 2019
62
sectors. Folkloric similarities and common motifs can help in the
integration and nation building.
Multicultural States are facing problems in the process of nationbuilding due to ethnic and cultural diversity. Broadly-shared language,
religion and international language are the tools used generally for
nation-building. In developing countries, sometimes, these tools fail
either due to movements of marginalized ethnic groups for maintaining
their identity or politicizing the issue of ethnic and cultural identity.
Economic, historical and cultural dimensions can greatly contribute to
the idea of nation-building. To understand earnestly the economic,
historical, linguistic, religious and cultural dimensions of nationbuilding in a multicultural society, one ought to study all these
dimensions at grass-root level. Understanding and looking into these
dimensions from the lay man’s point of view is the part of folklore. As
we know that folklore contributes to social, cultural and political
narratives, therefore for complete understanding of the issues, ideas,
and questions of nation-building, folkloristic study of ethnic and
linguistic groups, within a state, is essential. This paper has taken into
account different aspects of Pashto folklore which can contribute to the
process of nation-building in Pakistan .The paper also discusses that
possible role of the State for promotion of Pashtun ethnic identity. In
this regard, enabling role of the state may promote pluralism, which
may encompass all sub cultures and folklores at provincial and
national levels. This support from the State, in terms of effort and
resources for different linguistic and ethnic groups, may lead to
effective nation-building.
Muhammad Ali Dinakhel, Fakhr-ul-Islam. (2019) A Study Of Pashto Folklore: Its Aspects And Nation-building In Pakistan, Pakistan , Volume 55, Issue 1.
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