The full document can be found at this link.
Given below is the text of the document.
Acknowledgements
Aga Khan Cultural Service-Pakistan thanks the Royal Norwegian Embassy for supporting numerous initiatives in the field of heritage conservation in Gilgit-Baltistan over the past two decades as well as for making this publication possible. We are thankful to the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan and especially the Department of Tourism, Youth Affairs, Sports, Culture and Archaeology for their help and collaboration. We would also like to thank all the individuals who devoted their time and resources towards the research and field studies that have gone into this publication. Our sincere gratitude goes to the authors who contributed their time and expertise to this book—Mr. Habib Ullah Jan (Daudi/Domaki), Dr. Afzal Siraj (Gojri), Mr. Nazir Ahmed Bulbul (Wakhi), Mr. Safir Hayat (Khowar), Mr. Javid Iqbal (Burushaski), Mr. Muhammad Hassan Hasrat (Balti) and Mr. Shakeel Ahmed Shakeel (Shina). We would like to gratefully acknowledge the people of Gilgit-Baltistan who have been disseminating their unique oral traditions over time from one generation to the next, helping to keep alive the unique linguistic heritage of the region and the knowledge and wisdom that its languages carry.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
PREFACE
METHODOLOGY
PART 1: DAUDI / DOMAKI
Introduction
List of Twenty Daudi/Domaki Proverbs
Daudi/Domaki Proverbs with Interpretation
PART 2: GOJRI
Introduction
List of Twenty Gojri Proverbs
Gojri proverbs with Interpretation
PART 3: WAKHI
Introduction
List of Twenty Wakhi Proverbs
Wakhi Proverbs with Interpretation
PART 4: KHOWAR
Introduction
List of Twenty Khowar Proverbs
Khowar Proverbs with Interpretation
PART 5: BURUSHASKI
Introduction
List of Twenty Burushaski Proverbs
Burushaski Proverbs with Interpretations
PART 6: BALTI
Introduction
List of Twenty Balti Proverbs
Balti Proverbs with Interpretations
PART 7: SHINA
Introduction
List of Twenty Shina Proverbs
Shina Proverbs with Interpretation
CREDITS
Preface
The impulse for this publication came from the realization that this mountainous region, home to the mightiest mountain ranges of the world is in danger of losing its age-old wisdom contained in its proverbs.
While work on monumental and built heritage had over the years seen substantial advancement in Gilgit-Baltistan, little worthwhile effort had been made in the field of living heritage embodied in its traditions, music, poetry and languages.
Gilgit-Baltistan, home to the mightiest mountain ranges in the world has a plurality of languages and is known as a land of ethno-linguistic diversity - the result of centuries of human activities across this crossroad of South and Central Asia. Each language provides a unique template of worldview and beliefs.
Drawing on the seminal work of Dr. A. H. Dani, the vast variety of languages in Gilgit-Baltistan include: in Yasin mainly Burushaski but also Khowar; in Ishkoman, Shina, Khowar and in some places Burushaski; in Gilgit mainly Shina and in some places Burushashki; in central Hunza predominantly Burushaski, but also Shina in the lower part, Domaki in a pocket in the centre and Wakhi in the upper part (Gojal) of the valley; in Naltar and other such places where Gujar herdsmen travel and live Gojri (also Gujari); in Baltistan, predominantly Balti; in Chilas, Shina; in the Indus valley below Chilas, Shina. The languages are with very different origins. Domaki is an Indo-Aryan language heavily overlaid with Dardic and Burushaski elements. Gojri also belongs to Indo-Aryan group of languages. Wakhi has been classified as a Northwestern Iranian language. Balti is a Tibeto Burman language and Burushaski is a language isolated. Khowar, Kalasha, and Shina form the Dardic branch of Indo-Aryan languages.*
*Dr. A.H. Dani, History of Northern Areas of Pakistan (Sang-e-Meel Publications, 2001), Chapter II, Languages as a Source of History by Professor Gerard Fussman.
With the endangerment of a language, the oral traditions such as songs, myths, proverbs and poetry related to that language also become vulnerable. Similarly, in mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan, with rapid change and transformation happening, proverbs are a vanishing heritage associated mostly with the rural world and older generations.
Proverbs and popular sayings are capsules that contain highly condensed bits of a culture’s values and beliefs. They are passed on from generation to generation as a legacy of folk wisdom. People tend to accept them, in an uncritical way, as “truths” learned by their elders. They have great influence on the assumptions, attitudes, motivations and behaviors of the members of a culture precisely because these are absorbed and internalized at a very early age and then are taken for granted. An excellent way to gain insight into a culture or a worldview of a community is to analyze its unique sayings and proverbs.
Enormous mountain ranges surrounding the area confined people and their languages to this region for centuries which served, some experts say, in preserving linguistic diversity of the region. Up to the end of the 19th century the region didn’t go through many political and physical changes. But migrations, assimilations, conquests, monopoly of major languages and direct access to the region resulted in many linguistic changes even leading to the vulnerability of a number of languages.
With a rapidly changing context that is continuing to accelerate, locally spoken languages are increasingly under threat. Since the languages spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan are in the main ‘oral’ the danger is that these sayings, which capture in a few words, profound principles that bespeak wisdom are being lost. Aga Khan Cultural Service - Pakistan (AKCS-P), the country affiliate of Aga Khan Trust for Culture (AKTC), embarked on this initiative in collaboration with the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan, to have a publication which presents a careful selection of proverbs collected and interpreted by local (native) experts of the respective languages for the seven mostly oral languages of Gilgit-Baltistan.
This book has been organized in order of the least spoken language to the most spoken, i.e. Domaki/Daudi1, Gojri, Wakhi, Khowar, Burushaski, Balti and Shina.
The selection of the 20 proverbs and then picking 5 from these for interpretation for each of the seven languages has involved detailed and intense efforts by the experts at being as ‘objective’ as possible. We willingly accept any shortcomings in what is reflected in the selection of these 140 proverbs.
Our hope is that this publication may lead to further interest and research in the languages of Gilgit-Baltistan. This initiative is thus expected to promote within the society of Gilgit-Baltistan, appreciation for cultural diversity and enhance understanding among diverse cultural communities. This publication also expects to inspire future efforts for the preservation and promotion of local and indigenous cultures and languages.
*Domaki ethno-linguistic community of Hunza prefer the term ‘Daudi’ to refer to them and their language. Detailed explanation is provided for in the Methodology chapter.
METHODOLOGY
How was this research done?
Fieldwork was initiated with Burushaski language to test the concept and to try the best method to acquire data for remaining languages. A two-member team conducted the study. The data collection process took a period of over 6 weeks and interviews were primarily taken in Altit, Baltit, Ganish and Gilgit.
For the presentation, all the data was transcribed to English from the audio recordings. Javid Iqbal served as Burushaski language expert. He primarily built up on already given interpretations of the proverbs and also added his own understanding to it. He sequenced all the collected proverbs and excluded those that had questionable vocabulary or concepts. The results and review of the prototype followed for Burushaski confirmed the approach of relying on local native language experts and field review to ensure authenticity.
Selection of local native language experts was thus a very crucial step in the entire process. It was a role that required keen knowledge of the language spoken and understanding of the writing process as well. Keeping in view the previous work in writing and literature and references made by native speakers, a list was composed, containing two or three names of scholars of each of these languages. Literary societies were also contacted or their views and also requested to suggest names of scholars and experts. Only native speakers of each language were considered in this selection process.
The prime criterion in the final selection of language experts was their understanding and knowledge of oral traditions of the region. For this purpose face-to-face meetings were arranged. These meetings offered a valuable opportunity to properly communicate with the scholars and discuss their viewpoint on the significance of oral traditions of their native language. During these meetings language experts also suggested names of experts for other languages.
The selected language experts had the ability to communicate clearly and concisely with the written word and provide a clear sketch of ideas and beliefs embedded in the proverb by using their command of their native languages. Along with superior writing skills, it was also their responsibility to do exhaustive research therefore; research skill was a core component in the selection process. Each language expert was recommended to maintain the standard format that had already been created. The proverbs contained in this book are interpreted according to the personal approach of each language expert, cultural context and milieu. For instance, Nazir Ahmed Bulbul (Wakhi expert) highlighted folkloristic properties of proverbs, whereas, Shakeel Ahmed Shakeel (Shina expert) gave much consideration to structural aspects of proverbs, interpretations of Daudi/ Domaki proverbs by Habib Ullah Jan presents a general observation of ideas and thoughts of native speakers of respective language in the present time. Balti (Muhammad Hassan Hasrat) and Burushaski (Javid Iqbal) experts emphasized the cultural and historical context of proverbs. Khowar (Safir Hayat) and Gojri (Afzal Siraj) experts show a general observation of human nature and behaviour in their interpretations.
The region is acknowledged for its complex dialect continuum. Considering the fact that it would be unmanageable to compile the data from all the dialects of the respective languages, the ‘standard’ dialect of each language was selected on the basis of previous literature by the expert.
One of the major issues with this approach was in regards to nomenclature for Domaki/Bericho and the call by some people to name it as Daudi. Domaki community of Hunza prefers the word ‘Daudi’ to denote them and their language. But no evidence can be found in the previous literature and researches to support the claim. The issue was also discussed with other language experts and some supporting the concept urged that the word ‘Daudi’ will encourage the community to speak and develop their language and it will be a positive step towards preventing the most endangered language of Gilgit-Baltistan from becoming extinct, therefore, hereinafter it is referred as Daudi/Domaki.
All language experts wrote an introduction for their respective language and collected 50-75 proverbs with the interpretation of 10-15 proverbs. Proverbs from each language were selected on the basis of the relevance of whole concept of the proverbs to the cultural context, its fundamental constructions, and the expressions used in it. It was also made sure that each selected proverb conforms to the contemporary ethical and moral standards.
For the current publication, in order to keep it manageable, 20 proverbs for each language are selected with detailed interpretation of 5 proverbs each.
A short biography of each of the experts has been placed at the beginning of their respective chapter.
Part One
DAUDI / DOMAKI
Habibullah Jan (Daudi/Domaki expert) worked with the Meteorological Department of Pakistan from 1967 to 1995. As the first educated native speaker of the Daudi/Domaki language, Habibullah Jan has assisted a number of national and international researchers in their studies on the language.
Mr. Habibullah Jan’s work experience as a Daudi/Domaki language informant with Professor Buddress in 1981 cultivated his interest in the cultural diversity of Gilgit-Baltistan. While the work could not published due to the sudden demise of Professor Buddress, this experience remained instrumental in inculcating within Mr. Habibullah a sense of the endargement of his native language, which he went on to research alongside a Finnish scholar, Purtal Tak Canses.
He is actively working on establishing an art museum in Mominabad, Hunza, and is striving hard for the revitalisation of the deeply endangered language.
Introduction
Daudi/Domaki language is spoken by around six hundred members of Mominabad village in Karimabad, Hunza, Gilgit-Baltistan1. Daudi/Domaki community was initially formed by families of artisans who either came to Hunza in search of better career or were brought by local rulers to address the local needs of artificers and artists. These skilled individuals included musicians, blacksmiths and potters. They hailed from different regions outside Hunza and as such represented diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds.
It is pertinent to mention at the outset that “Daudi” is the term preferred by Domaki ethno-linguistic community of Hunza to denote their language as well as their ethnicity. According to ancient historical annals, arts and crafts like music and blacksmithing were associated with Prophet David (Daud). Due to this concurrence of profession, the members of Domaki ethno-linguistic community like to be called as Daudis as they believe to have continued the legacy of Prophet David.
The language originated and evolved in a richly diverse cultural and linguistic society that was established in Mominabad, Hunza. Languages like Persian, Kashmiri, Balti, Khowar, Hindi, Urdu and particularly Shina and Burushaski left deep impacts on the language to evolve a new linguistic entity known as Domaki, now called Daudi language2.
Later on when Daudi/Domaki families migrated out of Mominabad, to different regions around Gilgit-Baltistan, they adopted languages of their new linguistic environments. However, Daudi/Domaki language is still spoken in a few localities in Nager, across Hunza, with slight variations. The members of Daudi/Domaki community perused professions that were crucial to survival in the harsh mountainous terrain of Hunza. Blacksmiths and potters produced and maintained agricultural tools, arms and household utensils. Musicians, who also manufactured musical instruments, played important role in enriching the culture of the area.
