LIVING LANGUAGES - PROVERBS OF GILGIT-BALTISTAN - EXPRESSIONS OF ORAL LANGUAGES

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. 

1  Domaki is an Indo-Aryan language heavily overlaid with Dardic and Burushaski elements spoken in the village of Mominabad in Hunza, Nagar and a few speakers reside in Shishkat, Gojal, Dumial and Oshikandas in Gilgit and a village called Bakor in Punial. 

2  Linguistic clues seem to point to an origin in north-central India, and a gradual migration to their present location during which their language absorbed certain elements of other   languages. 

According to the local oral tradition of Mominabad, the following are the prominent constituent tribes of Daudi community and their respective family trades along with the geographical backgrounds they initially hailed from: 

Tribe                                       Origin                         Family vocation

Bakuc (Budulkuc)                  Baltistan                     Music (shehnai/   suranai)         

Birgaukuc                               Kashmir                     Music (shehnai/   suranai)

Ashurkuc                                Wakhan                      Music (shehnai/   suranai)

RuziMuhammadkuc/              Wakhan                      Blacksmith

chhumarsing-kuc 

Gul bekuc                                Punial                        Blacksmith

Saparkuc                                  Punial                        Music (big drum)

Ttoquc                                     Chilas                         Initiators*

Dootalikuc (sub-tribe Ttoquc) Chilas                         Music (big drum)

Manakuc                                  Wakhan                       Pottery

Mushkinkuc                            Wakhan                        Wood work 

 (*major household as well as communal tasks were initiated by a member of this family as this was believed to bring good luck). 

Living among Burushaski speaking community, the Daudis/Doms of Hunza are bilingual and even trilingual so that their own speech is heavily influenced by Burushaski and to a lesser extent, by Shina. Doms of Gilgit have discarded their own language for Shina. Daudi/Domaki has become one of the most endangered languages of Gilgit-Baltistan. As the language is becoming vulnerable and feeble it is also losing significant parts of its oral traditions e.g. proverbs and folklores.  

The educated younger generation suggest urgent steps be taken to preserve their language. One of these is to teach their language not only to their children but also to those outsiders who wish to learn it. 

Twenty Daudi/Domaki Proverbs

 1. Maperei shalda jwanei phaaka 

Directives from the elderly and the shoulders of young people (make a good pair for accomplishing tasks) 

2. Mos khaash ta hott jaak 

If you slash the flesh, the bone, too, will feel the pain 

3. Shara chiisxana binaai ichitana bagoowa 

To imagine distributing the ibex’s meat in town while it is (alive) in the mountains 

4. Isxqalee shoo ke khaai zamzozok, baai giriva khaai lamlottoq 

One is chubby despite eating only wild green vegetables (isxqali shoo), while another is frail despite having eaten twelve units of butter 

5. Achaaga ttuurus buttek ghonova 

An undersized gourd would bear more seed (than normal) 

6. Hago bata shdekh picho bata shunidekh 

Watch for the stone that lies ahead of you, not the one behind 

7. Atchi mo atchi yanjas pani garsaya ri 

Like a lot of water has been released into the water mill 

8. Badshaah garib huwi, garib’as minani  suiai thaki giya 

As if a king appeals to a poor man for a needle 

9. Choch dishkango eei lail hoga cha 

One can discern the thorn just as it begins to grow 

10. Gaai khoshe iraita damonta khoshei regi 

If the cow is happy, its owner will also be happy 

11. Garoni’e kathu mai shoni k dikhlonichi 

A bride only looks beautiful in her wedding dress 

12. Giyasan badshah shushata rega 

A child can even overthrow a king 

13. Achee door ta yayii ta door 

That which is away from my sight is also away from my heart 

14. Phiteeshia cheer khana ni dikhiloona salat maraq irna dokhon 

It does not offend me if the cat steals my milk, but it does offend me when it licks its moustache afterwards 

15. Bai chidinemayi radeerka 

As if one has been boiled in twelve pots in a series (means a well-  seasoned person) 

16. Lang hoga batas ni chut 

Do not fiddle with an already precarious boulder (it may crush you) 

17. Lang hoga dan gadowai shao 

One will obtain relief only after removing the painful tooth 

18. Thares mamusho paridee ta loqashu dome, thares joto paridee ta mato shu dingore 

If you rear an orphaned sheep-kid, it will produce wool for your clothing. But if you adopt an orphaned child, he will hit your head with a stick 

19. Sina chuni ni dekh khuyoch kam ni gan 

Do not underestimate the amount of water in a river, and do not misjudge the strength of the public 

20. Bawnwa jigi huina 

As if the sleeve of one’s cloak becomes longer 

Daudi/Domaki Proverbs With Interpretation 

1 Mapeerei shalda jawaanei phaaka 

Directives from the elderly and the shoulders of younger people (make a good pair) 

People become weaker in later age but at that stage of their lives they grow wiser and more experienced. On the other hand, younger people have the muscle strength but not experience and wisdom. This proverb says that if directives and suggestions from the elderly people are practically carried out by the young, success becomes certain. 

The proverb also gives regard to the elderly people who generally acquire wisdom through rich experience of their long lives. It urges upon younger generation to benefit from the life experience of the members of older generation. It also calls upon the senior citizens to use their knowledge in the service of society through actively engaging with life and closely coordinating and interacting with the younger generation. In this way they will be enriching the life experience of the youngsters and helping them use their vigorous energies in the right direction. If the younger generation do not benefit from the life experience of the older, they will be ‘reinventing the wheel’, so to say, thus slacking societal development.

2 Moos khaash ta hott jaak 

If you slash the flesh, the bone, too, will feel the pain 

This proverb implies that it is the nearest of one’s kin who will feel the suffering when one is in trouble. As flesh and bone are contiguous to each other in human body, they simulate social relations among blood relatives. When flesh gets an injury, the person’s whole body aches, including bones. Similarly, when one is in serious trouble or suffers immense loss, it is his/her blood relatives who will react to it first and come forward to empathize with him/her and take steps to console and support him/her. Blood relatives will be willing to care for one in hard times even if social relations have not been very cordial at that time. 

The proverb also attempts to teach people to show regard for their kin and not to cast them away in any circumstances because it is they who will be beside them when they need someone to console and care for them. 

3 Shara chhiisxana binaai ichhitina bagoowa 

The Ibex is wandering in the mountains while the hunter is distributing its meat among his kin 

This proverb is used to describe people who live in ideal world rather than in the practical world. Such people always talk from the perspective of an ideal world and overlook the factual and pragmatic realities of the life. It also highlights the importance of coordination between one’s plans and action. One needs to focus on the task at hand and not waste time, energy and attention on worrying about the future and jumping into the future ahead of time.

 It calls for engagement with the present and the real life. If one invests too much of thought process and attention on outcomes just for pleasure, he/ she runs the risk of losing attention on the task at hand. 

In a nutshell, this proverb alerts one about the pitfalls of day dreaming. 

4 Hago bata shudek, pachho bata shuni dek 

Watch for the stone ahead of you, not the one left behind 

This proverb highlights the importance of farsightedness. It urges one to think critically about the future consequences of one’s acts and decisions. One should look ahead for potential benefits and threats. If one only considers the present, he/she rushes on with little regard to the risk and future consequences of their actions. And this ignorance can even turn into real trouble. Because what might work or be safe now may have harmful consequences in future. It also urges that past is unchangeable and one should only learn lessons from one’s past and use them as a tool of success for future. 

Begum (59) from Mominabad, Hunza says, “a fool makes short-term decisions for current comfort, whereas, a wise man has a sober plan for future, even though it may hurt short-term ease but this shields the person from the coming trouble. As by limiting spending and setting part of income aside in saving one can protect and provide for the family in future”. 

Gulnar gave an example to explain this proverb. She says, “Consider child training. Wise parents assess their children and educate them accordingly. Whereas foolish parents, will suffer the painful consequences of disobedient children later, because they were too lazy to assess and educate their children”. 

This proverb attempts to make one realize that they need to be mindful of their decisions, deeds and words, as these are going to have a deep impact on their future. Caught up in the moment, one fails to protect his/ her future. 

5 Giyasan badshah shu shataa rega 

A child can overthrow even a king 

There are some common traits in children everywhere. They are open, simple, straightforward and stubborn. No one can force a child to do something that he/she doesn’t want to. They unapologetically go after what they want. They have very strong will power and have strong preference for their likes. All these traits of children make elders, no matter how powerful or strong, to bow before their will. A child is not aware of whatsoever and does not care about the power or status of the person standing in front of him. It does not matter if he is a king or his/her own parent; the child wants to be in charge and he/she wants to whatever they have asked for. Therefore, it is said that a child can even defeat a king.

 Another explanation was provided by Shahdana who said, “When you prepare and allow your children to be well trained and educated, they can achieve a lot and be favoured in due course”. 

Part Two 

GOJRI 

Dr. Afzal Siraj Chaudhry (Gojri expert) is a doctor by profession, currently employed at the Surgical Department of the City Hospital Gilgit. He holds a graduate degree in medicine from Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad. He served as the editor of the Ayub Medical College magazine, and has written a book on clinical microbiology. He also worked with the FLI (Forum for Languages Initiative) and attended national-level conferences on mother tongue, basic education, and the preservation of local culture and languages. 

He has also published the first ever magazine in Gojri, titled the Quarterly Gijri adab. He has penned several articles on the Gojri language in various local and national newspapers and magazines, and is currently publishing a monthly magazine (Gojri Times) in Gilgit-Baltistan.

Introduction 

Gojri belongs to Indo-Aryan language group. It is an ancient language and is spoken widely in Pakistan, India and Afghanistan. It was well developed and considered official language in the ‘Golden period’ of Indian history i.e. 6001400 AD. However, various social and political factors forced migration of Gujjars from their strong hold Gujrat to the sub-Himalayan mountainous regions, thus forcing the Gojri into oblivion for about three centuries. In Gilgit-Baltistan, Gojri speakers are concentrated in Naltar valley, Gilgit and parts of Diamer district. 

Gojri language, though emasculated and enfeebled through the passage of time, is still the only hope of Gujjars’ recovery with a distinct identity and restoration of their cultural personality. Centuries in a row have been rather cruel to them and have inflicted discrimination, marginalization and even defacement of this brave and once vibrant ethnic group. Their cultural territory has remained at the receiving end of cruel incursions as a sequel to their political subjugation. But one of the saving graces has been the very survival of Gojri language. 

This, on the one hand provides the plasma for their resurgence and also provides a bulwark against their sinking into the precipice. A distinguishing feature of Gilgit-Baltistan is that its pines and pastures still work as a preserving shield for Gojri language. 

Gojri is resurfacing on the linguistic map as a rich and prominent language, centralized in Himalayan and Karakorum mountains, and efforts are on to retrieve its scattered literature. Collection of Gojri proverbs is one sincere effort in this direction. Idioms and proverbs describe the forms of expression peculiar to a language. Theses expressions cannot be literally translated. Proverb is expressive of the living speech of a people. It is the lifeblood of the language, vigorous and vital as compared to the dry bones of grammar which after all are mere codifications from established usage. Gojri is a language rich in idioms and proverbs. 

Research work in local languages poses a compounded problem, as there is very little literature available in these languages. Besides thorough study of scarce and poorly available Gojri literature, the mainstay of proverbs collection was an extensive and intensive fieldwork, particularly among the rural people residing in different far-flung hilly areas. 

Twenty Gojri Proverbs 

1. Aas aalo jiye, bay aaso maray 

The optimist lives long, while the pessimist dies soon 

2. Siyano beri ayano sajan tay chango 

A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend 

3. Haandi ublay tay apna he paasa sarhay 

Acid and anger destroy their container 

4. Sabar ki daig thandi 

Perseverance bears the best fruit 

5. Sedhi soti paani ma nieh dubti

 A straight stick never sinks into the water 

6. Aap chango tay jag chango 

If you are good, the entire world is good 

7. Mando kando manda rah ki barh ha 

There is nothing bad from which good does not come 

8. Mehains rakhi tay boh ucho rakhno pay 

If you want to keep camels, have a big enough door 

9. Aik kham po odhi nieh jato 

You cannot fly with one wing 

10. Sien budho hoyo tay dadh khaee 

The dogs will mock an old lion 

11. Bhirain jhota pati jayen boota 

When elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers 

12. Jin po mass nieh kagaan na dawat day 

To have no flesh on one’s bones, yet invite crows for dinner 

13. Sukhi naal hari bi sarhay 

A green plant is burnt with dry wood 

14. Siyana ki gal tay aamla ko sawad pichay aaway 

The advice of a wise man and the taste of the gooseberry are both felt with time 

15. Chhah na tay kaah na jitno badhao badh sakay 

The curd and a dispute can be prolonged as much as one desires 

16. Sab jeetan ka sangi,sab khaatan ka yaar 

As long as you are prosperous, you will have many friends 

17. Dangar naa loon tay kapda naa saboon 

Salt is to cattle as soap is to clothes 

18. Hathain badhi dandain kholni 

A knot tied with the hands has to be opened with the mouth 

19. Gal kr k mukay pendo tur k mukay 

Discussion resolves a dispute, travelling finishes the distance 

20. Aadmi ki parakh laitaan ya daitaan 

A man is judged while lending and borrowing

Gojri Proverbs With Interpretation

1. Aas aalo jiye, bay aaso maray 

The optimist lives long while the pessimist dies soon 

This proverb is frequently used among Gojri people. It simply means that optimism is life while pessimism is death. The optimist is a delightful person who always looks on the bright side of life while pessimist is a person who is never satisfied because nothing ever goes right for him. He keeps complaining about every little thing which he ultimately finds at every step. 

Optimist always appreciates little things in life and does not make things too complicated, whereas, pessimist is often doubtful and negative even at the best of times. 

Grief, sorrow and stress are part and parcel of life. What life gives us sometimes cannot be denied or repelled, so the best way is to accept it. We cannot avoid hardship in our lives but ultimately it is our attitudes which can either make us or break us. Optimism can do miracles and can not only save us from troubles but also give us a chance to learn. Therefore, it is termed as life. Pessimism is a painful misfortune that tortures the human soul and leaves major defects on man’s personality hence it is termed as death. 

2 Siyano beri ayano sajan tay chango 

A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend 

This proverb has a big lesson to offer.: A wise man’s anger can benefit us, but even the love of a foolish person can harm us. 

A story is related that, once there was a king who took a monkey from a jungle as a pet. He kept the monkey close to himself all the time for company and amusement. The monkey, fed well on various dishes, grew large and was given respect by all those who surrounded the king. Indeed, the king, due to his love for and exceeding trust on the monkey even gave him a sword to carry. 

In the vicinity of the palace the king had an orchard artfully planted with many trees of various sorts. Early in the spring time the king noticed how beautiful the grove was. After pleasantly strolling through and observing the grove, he grew tired and said to his friend the monkey, “I want to take a nap for a while in this arbor of flowers. Take care that nothing disturbs me.” Having said this, the king fell asleep. Presently a bee, pursuing the aroma of flowers, flew up and sat on his head. Seeing this, the monkey tried to drive it away. However, in spite of monkey’s defense, the bee kept approaching the king again and again. Finally, taken over by anger, the monkey drew his sword and struck down the bee with a single blow. However, the same blow also split the king’s head. 

Therefore, it is said that, “It is better to have a wise enemy than a foolish friend.” 

3 Haandi ublay tay apna he paasa sarhay 

Acid and anger destroy their container 

In this proverb it is stated that anger is similar to an acid that can do more harm to the vessel in which it is stored than to anything on which it is poured. It means that if you bottle up your anger, you are the container, and it will do more damage to you than to the person at whom you are angry. 

In another similar quote it is narrated, “Holding onto anger is like drinking poison and expecting the other to die.” 

This proverb carries the message that one should channel anger positively rather than being aggressive and negative in order to spend a happy life with peace of mind. 

This is especially true in today’s world in the age of competition, where scarcity of resources and limited opportunities are leading to aggression and frustration, as the gap between expectations and reality is widening. With a positive attitude and working with others, the effort should be to make optimal use of the energies by harnessing the anger and disappointment for one’s own self and of the larger community. 

4 Sedhi soti paani ma nieh dubti 

A straight stick never sinks into the water 

In Gojri community, grandmothers tell children the stories of heroic characters practicing bravery and truthfulness. Here is one such story: “Once a rich merchant’s house was robbed. The merchant suspected that the thief was one of his servants. So he went to Birbal (the legendary wise person in medieval Muslim societies) and mentioned the incident. Birbal went to merchant’s house and assembled all of his servants and enquired about the robbery? Everybody denied. 

Birbal thought for a moment, then gave a stick of equal length to all the servants of the merchant and told them that the stick of the real thief will be longer by two inches on the next day. All the servants should be present here again tomorrow with their sticks. 

All the servants went to their homes and gathered again at the same place the next day. Birbal asked them to show him their sticks. One of the servants had his stick shorter by two inches. Birbal said, O merchant! This is your thief!” 

Later on the merchant asked Birbal, how he found out the thief. And Birbal said, “the thief had already cut his stick short by two inches on the previous night, fearing that his stick will be longer by two inches by the morning.” 

This proverb teaches us the lesson that truth will always prevail and that crookedness will be found out.

5 Sabar ki daig thandi 

Perseverance bears the best fruit 

This proverb illustrates the importance of perseverance in life. Perseverance means to continue steadfastly, especially in something that is difficult or tedious. It requires regular practice to develop the quality of perseverance. Only a patient person with strong determination can achieve his goal through perseverance. 

In another similar Gojri proverb it is narrated that ‘a child cannot learn walking until he falls many times’. When a child learns to stand up and tries to walk, he may fall down again and again but then he gets up again and again and tries to step forward although he may not succeed every time. But ultimately, he succeeds in walking. 

Similarly, in spite of his repeated failures, a man having perseverance does not admit his defeat. In this proverb it is taught that perseverance is the secret of success. Without it, no great achievement is possible. Even if a person is not very talented, nor highly knowledgeable, however he can succeed in life simply through sustained effort and attitude of perseverance. 

Part Three 

WAKHI 

Mr. Nazir Ahmed Bulbul (Wakhi expert) holds a master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Karachi and a second master’s degree in Education (M. Ed.) from the Institute of Educational Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi. 

Mr. Nazir’s professional career commenced in 1993, as a teacher at Nasir Khusraw Model Academy, Ghulkin. He later joined the Al-Amyn Model School, Gulmit, as the school principal, where he continues to work. 

He has been an active member of the Wakhi Tajik Cultural Association, which has played a key role in promoting the cultural traditions of the Wakhi people living in the Gojal valley. 

Mr. Nazir has given Wakhi poetry a new dimension by bringing together the traditional and modern poetic ethos and styles in a very innovative and inspiring manner. Nazir has been actively documenting the dying cultural practices and language of the Wakhi people living in Gojal. He has also published the first ever book written in the Wakhi language, which contains a rich collection of poetry belonging a myriad of different genres. 

Introduction 

Wakhi is an Indo-European language in the Iranian branch of the language family spoken today mainly in northern Pakistan, northeastern Afghanistan, China and Tajikistan. Wakhi is one of several languages that belong to the Pamir language group. Its relationship to the other Iranian languages is not clear; in certain features Wakhi shows affinity to the extinct Saka language. UNESCO has listed Wakhi as a vulnerable language. 

In the ‘The Red Book of the Peoples of the Russian Empire’ according to the Endangered Languages (a project by the Alliance for Linguistic Diversity) it is said: 

“The Wakhi language belongs to the southern group of the Pamir languages, in the Iranian group of the Indo-European family of languages, where the different Ishkashmi and Wakhi languages are included. The Wakhi language, rich in archaisms, differs considerably from the Pamir languages, and generally from the southeastern group of Iranian languages, having certain common characteristics with the Indian languages. Although divided by borders, the Wakhi language is still very much the same, and dialectal differences are not great.”  

The Pamiri people, also called the Pamirian or Mountain Tajiks (Pamirtsy in Russian), living in Tajikistan, Pakistan, Afghanistan and China. Pamiri people live in the high mountains, which they normally call “Bam-eDunya”, the Persian word which means “Roof of the World” as majority of the mountains are above 7000 meters. Most inhabitants of Pamir are shepherds but industrialization and economic boom has affected them much and that is why they have also turned to education, business and other sectors to earn their livelihood. 

In Pakistan, the Wakhis live in Gojal, Ishkoman, Yasin and Brough-hil (Broghil) Chitral. Oral accounts say that the Wakhis living in Pakistan came here from the mountainous Pamir regions of today’s China, Afghanistan and Tajikistan. According to local genealogists, and oral-historians, the Wakhi culture and tradition is almost a 1000 years old. 

A proverb is called “Matal” in Wakhi language. Wakhi has a long list of proverbs which generally convey rational messages to readers/listeners. The Wakhi proverbial phrases depict the life of the Wakhis - their social engagement, moral standards, etiquettes and civilizational aspects. As a whole the body of Wakhi proverbs reflect ideas, attitudes and the people’s mastery of their language.  

According to M. Nazir Gardezi* “Wakhi proverbs make extensive use of rhyme. Like other proverbs Wakhi proverbs have their cultural implications in the sense that they can reveal the hidden character of the society and show its genuine characteristic, and attitudes. Because of their brevity proverbs have been used quite after either as evidences to support ones view point give advice to people”. 

There are proverbs in Wakhi language, which are highly regarded having moral, educational, social, rational messages. This makes Wakhi proverbs exceptional and rich in knowledge. 

* M. Nazir Gardezi, The Growth and Development of Wakhi Language, PhD thesis for the   University of Peshawar, 1985. 

Twenty Wakhi Proverbs 

1. Ilmi tse gudoighxen 

Knowledge is from tormenting one’s self 

2. Qarzi khizina 

Dues/debit is a treasure 

3. Tokhli poshxt khxe khxatri kezhx nikhxt 

Male sheep dug deep and caught a knife 

4. Soz ghxashxer soz banḍ 

For the chatty/tuned mouth, a tuned stick 

5. Zure charžep khxidha reshxt 

The assertive rock will slide uphill 

6. Tse tughxe shxewn ske dzughxe shxew 

From a goat’s horn to a yak’s horn 

7. Dust teparwor, dushman shikarwor 

Friends as axe, and foes as sugar 

8. Lup tebaq, ra shxiner luwak 

Bigger pot, tiny fare 

9. Mol pe goz, gharibighx pepoz 

The flocks are out in the meadow, the herdsman is suffering from starvation 

10. Ne keshxengi no niyeng 

The one who listens slightly, shouts/cries loudly 

11. Palm zik wushkep hazor nan shapt, shagh zikpe khx nan be shpake bas ne wizit 

A calf (with a smooth tongue) will be fed by a thousand cows, but the calf (with a rough tongue) will hardly be fed by its mother 

12. Piyodhaa be shupr, sewor be shupr 

The one who travels by foot and the one who takes a ride, both have to stay the night 

13. Qelo ri gefsne diyat, ari diyati yor nast 

Horse is responsible for its run, not for the polo ball 

14. Shere wanji puṭ, deshxke sari puṭ 

The lion has a bulged belly, and the idle has a bulged head 

15. Shxolm wost wost woz ya khxʉ ben 

The turnip never leaves its root  

16. Qribe wingi shak dhaire kʉshxʉyn 

Awful is the closest view and the distant hearing 

17. Chuṭ sendaler ror me wizit, chuṭ kumpaler naghxd me wizit 

The fragmented shoes should not see the daylight and the shabby blanket should not see the dark night 

18. Kʉshxʉyne khalgep dhairer ne pirvit 

The one who listens to others won’t go far 

19. Nafs nog (nafsoni) khalgep khxʉ sar yit 

A man will be ruined by his own greed 

20. Ruxn kefane khʉshighx me car, shxʉw gure tangighx me car 

Never be happy for the white shroud nor be worried for the dark grave 

Wakhi Proverbs With Interpretation 

1 Ilmi tse gudoighxen 

Knowledge is from tormenting one’s self

 The way to acquire knowledge is to lose oneself and test his/her ability to bear the unbearable. 

It is said that, there was a prince, who used to complain about his teacher regarding his rough attitude. His teacher used to tell him, knowledge is not a loaf of bread, which you swallow it needs unending struggle to attain.  One day his teacher sent the prince into the high mountains alone, with an instruction to bring back a beautiful flower “Banafsha”, which was tiny in size but had incredible fragrance. The prince set out having no idea of high mountain routes, neither had he any experience of survival in the harsh weather. 

After a week’s struggle, the prince came back with broken shoes, scrappy cloths, and burnt skin but he was carrying the flower.  During his stay he went through the experience he could never imagine. The news reached the King that his son has finally returned home. 

The following morning the Prince complained to the king that, his teacher had sent him to the mountains to get a useless flower.   The prince not only shared the flower but he came back with many other flowers and herbs which he had collected during his stay in the highland. After listening to all this the king called the teacher and enquired about his sending the only prince for the toughest journey without any help or support. Explaining his reasons the teacher said to the king that if your son wants to be a wise king like you, then he must have knowledge of all trades. 

The teacher continued saying that the prince must learn how to survive in tough conditions and that he must have the ability to take quick decisions in challenging times. He must know how to lead from the front. To learn all these, said the teacher to the king, the prince must go through harsh experiences, learning from which will help him during hard times.

The teacher then concluded by saying, “Ilmi ce gudoiten”. He said that none acquires knowledge easily but to learn one has to go through hard times. 

Complete silence prevailed after the teacher had done with his narrative. The king then ordered his royal guards to drop the teacher at his home with honour. 

2 Qarzi khizina 

Dues/debit is a treasure 

Those who owe you something are your wealth. There was a boy living a happy life with his grandmother who was in her late 90’s. One day a villager came and asked to borrow some bags of wheat from her, with a promise to return it the next year with twice as much in quantity.  That was a tricky decision for the old woman to make but then she made her mind and gave a few bags of wheat to the villager, who was desperately in need. 

The young boy was curiously watching all these, when the villager left, the boy rushed to his grandma and enquired why she lent that much wheat to the villager? His grandmother tried to convince him but failed. 

Then she said, “Qarzi xizina”. She explained that it is my investment for tomorrow, whenever we need it we can take it from this villager with profit.  

3 Tokhli poshxt khxe khxatri kezhx nikhxt 

Male sheep dug deep and caught the knife 

Once a male sheep got into the farm of its owner and destroyed the carrot crop. The next day it again did the same with another farm of his master. The farmer was stunned, as he couldn’t find any clue of the intruder. It took him long to find that all that was because of his male sheep. Next day while the sheep was digging the ground for more carrots, the owner spotted him messing around. He grabbed the sheep and slaughtered it without wasting a second. 

Next morning the farmer’s neighbors enquired about his swift decision about the male sheep. 

The owner then aptly replied, “Tokhli poshxt khxe khxatri kezhx nikhxt”. 

4 Zirich rep ẓ̌umak be gurma suδuied 

For the hungry, even the moon is bread 

Once a hunter trekked to the high mountains for hunting. Because of bad weather he couldn’t hunt, meanwhile, an avalanche occurred and the hunter got trapped in the mountain. He tried hard but couldn’t escape; he then decided to wait for the right moment.  Having eaten the available food, over the next few days he also ate the available wild flowers and grass to survive till all edible items were exhausted and he was without any nourishment. He remained asleep for days because of weakness and exhaustion; one night he suddenly woke up from a deep sleep and saw a big bread above him. But after a while he realized that it was the moon in the sky. 

The news of the missing hunter had spread across the valley. The villagers sent out a search party to the mountain which got to him in the nick of time and rescued him. On his return, he shared his story of rough time to his family and friends. His mother humorously concluded; “Zirich rep ẓẓumak be gurma suδuied.”

5 Zure charžep khxidha reshxt 

The assertive rock will slide uphill 

It is said that there was a poor lady living in a mountain village who used to fight with every other villager over even trivial issues. One day there was a fight between a lady and a man in that village. The lady had borrowed farming equipment from the farmer with a promise to return the same but she did not. She raised a hue and cry whenever the farmer would ask that his items be returned and she refused that she had borrowed anything from the farmer. 

Having no option at hand the farmer wanted to go to the Qazi (village magistrate) to plead for justice. The farmer requested the lady to go along to the Qazi. The lady then said, “How I would come in this condition as I am not in a proper dress”.  Since she was wearing a worn-out robe so the farmer really felt bad for her he gave his own robe (normally a long simple gown) to the lady to cover herself. The lady then walked along with him to the magistrate. 

Upon reaching the Qazi’s house, the farmer presented his grievance but then the lady interrupted. She said, this man is accusing me for not retuning his farming equipment which I have never even borrowed. He is so cruel that now if you ask him if the robe I am wearing is his, he will surely claim it. Qazi actually did ask the farmer if the robe is his. The farmer said, yes this lady is wearing my robe, which surprised the Qazi. The Qazi then ordered the farmer not to bother her thereafter. 

On hearing this, the poor farmer muttered, “Zure charẓep khxidha reshxt”.

Part Four 

KHOWAR 

Mr. Safeer Hayat (Khowar expert) is a teacher by profession, working with a community school in the Gulakhmuli village. He holds a master’s degree in Internation Relations from the Karakorum International University (KIU). He assisted some well-known Khowar scholars in their research, and has also conducted resarch on Khowar culture and folklore - an endeavor not yet published due to financial constraints, but immensely beneficial nonetheless in helping deepen Mr. Safeer’s understanding of both. 

Through his teaching services, Mr. Safeer Hayat is steadfast and enthusiastic in educating his young students about the salience of appreciating cultural and ethnic diversity. 

He is also a passionate and selfless volunteer and social worker, serving the community through various communal institutions and indigenous development organisations.

Introduction

Khowar language belongs to Dardic branch of Indo-Aryan languages within the wider Indo-European linguistic family. Presently it is predominantly spoken in Chitral district of Khyber Pukhtunkhwa province, while in the Ghizer valley of Gilgit-Baltistan its speakers are concentrated in Gupis, Phander and Ishkoman. However, it is also generally spoken and understood throughout Ghizer district. The size of Khowar speaking community has also grown in Gilgit district as well as in other major cities of Pakistan and even abroad in recent years. 

Khowar has been extensively influenced by Indo-Aryan and Indo-Iranian languages in its evolution. In the course of its history, due to unfavorable circumstances, Khowar has not evolved as vibrantly as some other languages of its family have. One of the factors behind this has been the rise of Persian as administrative and religious language as well as language of letters in Central and South Asian regions during the middle ages. Even in princely states of the Himalayas and the Karakoram such as Kashmir, Gilgit, Hunza and Chitral, Persian has been the language of official communication.  Having said this, however, Khowar has been through a phase of vibrant evolution up to the middle Indo-Aryan linguistic period (700 BC – 1000 A.D). 

In present times Khowar has immense literary value and exhibits great capacity for poetic expression. Muhammad Shukur, Gharib, Muhammad Siyar, Sanoghar, Malang, Shehzada Tajammul Khan and Gilass Khalifa, to name a few, are the most famous poets of Khowar language. Khowar speaking people have cherished a well-established oral tradition in the absence of an orthography. During the recent century however, orthography. During the recent century however, orthography has been designed for Khowar and is widely used in literary works. Gul Nawaz Khaki, Dr. Inayatullah Faizi, Prof. Israruddin, Alijah Javed Hayat Kaka Khel, Taj Muhammad Figaar are some of the literary figures of Khowar language. 

Although this language has not been extensively scientifically studied so far, however, local language research institutions like “Anjuman-e Taraqi-e- Khowar” (Association for development of Khowar - Chitral) as well as individual researchers, scholars, poets and literary personalities are putting their efforts into this enterprise. Study of Khowar language has now been introduced in the national educational curriculum at lower primary level in Chitral. 

Khowar is considered to be an easy-to-learn language by non-native speakers perhaps mainly due to absence of gender marker in it. This is why those who live among a Khowar speaking community or interact with such individuals are able to speak basic and functional Khowar without much effort. This is one of the major advantages that Khowar language enjoys, and helps to preserve, promote and develop this language. 

Just as most other languages Khowar has a rich treasure of proverbs which preserve and exhibit centuries old indigenous wisdom and world view of Khowar speaking community. Any change in their wording would destroy the inherit charm in them. 

Twenty Khowar Proverbs 

1. Kish phetsi koor dojik 

To prefer dove hunting over plowing 

2. Siri kisxiko siri, goom kisxiko goom 

You will reap barley or wheat, depending on what you have sown 

3. Wesiro/uliro sayuurjo saar dosiro qisxipi tan jaa 

The magpie in the hand is better than the eagle flying out there 

4. Ishtikero khuruur khara ox no boi 

However the rose is praised, it is destined to wither 

5. Xui qhuyanot kya nasiihat 

An empty stomach does not heed advice 

6. Daghio chamutt dona behchik 

A lamenting finger will always remain between the teeth 

7. Tutio qahro Matotio tteka nek 

To vent the anger caused by Mr. Tutio on Mr. Matotio 

8. Gul Qhatuun sharanaa haai 

Gul Khatoon has arrived in the garden 

9. Ahti qhoyano Farsi basher 

A person with a full stomach will sing in Persian 

10. Philot phishmaaka uugh 

To offer water to an elephant in a walnut shell 

11. Boiko zogh watan 

The thorn bush is the sparrow’s abode 

12. Jerya boghdu di peshmaan, no boghdu di 

One who attends the wedding ceremony and one who does not, both are unhappy about it 

13. Birdu wasiat kooi ‘teki khalaawe re’ togho teki khaleniaa? 

If one wishes to be buried in the house when they die, shall they be buried there? 

14. Ih daar ingaar, ju daar koshun, troi daar pish pish, choor daarangaar 

One stick is useless, two sticks make smoke, three sticks make a flame, and four sticks together make a fire 

15. Aih diako sum aih diak, af diaako suum af diak 

To play in one direction with one team, and to (also) play in the other direction with the opposing team (to play on opposite teams at one time)  

16. Alio qhuun alio teka 

The duck is responsible for its own death 

17. Tsiq ddaq deek janiir usni-diik no janiir 

The kid only knows how to run, he is not aware of falling down head-on 

18. Uugh oche qhoro te i ghozaar prushtti 

To reach to the watermill and to get water (for plantation), one has to be a step ahead 

19. Konddok reiko kya ta apaka zoghalo hooya? 

While calling me bad names, did you feel a sweetness in your mouth? 

20. Tan ddeki wanjen diik 

To hit one’s own leg with an axe 

Khowar Proverbs With Interpretation 

1 Kish petsi  koor dojik 

To postpone farm tilling for dove hunting 

This proverb is related to the occasion when one leaves a crucial assignment incomplete or unattended to do some other insignificant and petty task. It signifies an individual’s inability to prioritize his/her tasks according to their importance. Here lies a crucial lesson about living an organized life. One needs to plan his/her chores properly and prioritize them according to their importance. One needs to be wise enough to foresee the results and implications of each thing s/he spends time, energy and attention on.

 As agriculture has been the backbone of economy in this mountainous region, this proverb highlights the importance and status of farming chores. Because agricultural activities are inherently related to and dependent on seasons, the time factor is extremely crucial in this regard. Specific steps are to be taken at a certain appropriate time of the year. If one misses that special time, it takes toll on agricultural produce and ultimately on one’s survival. 

On the other hand, dove hunting is just an entertainment activity which young boys would do specially in autumn and winter seasons. This job does not have any important economic implications.  

The proverb also calls one’s attention to the importance of consistency in their engagement with important activities. It warns in sarcastic terms those unwise who would discontinue an important engagement to pursue a trivial job. 

2 Siri kisxiko siri, guum kisxiko gum 

One will reap barley or wheat depending on what he sows 

This proverb is frequently used to narrate a situation in which one faces hard times as a result of his or her own wrongdoing. At such a point people are reminded, through this wise saying, that whatever consequences we face, they are essentially the results of our own deeds and actions. 

This saying alerts us about the inherent nexus between our deeds and their consequences. As a matter of fact every action, consequent to its specific context, has the natural capacity to create certain results. These potential results and implications can be predicted to a great extent through analyzing the action and its context. This proverb calls our attention to the fact that we must be mindful of our actions and as such we should decide on them only after foreseeing their possible consequences. If we think and act positively and behave with others in a positive manner, we will face positive and favourable results because it is human nature that people do good to those who do good to them. Contrarily, if our actions are destructive and our attitude is negative towards others, we will be dealt by other accordingly. 

This is also conveyed through another Khowar proverb which says “E hostan det e hostan ganey” which means “it is all about giving with one hand and receiving with the other”. What you send, comes around to you. This proverb occurs in many other languages too with or without variation. For example in English they say ‘what you sow, so shall you reap’. In Burushaski this occurs verbatim as: gur gima ke gur dughuimi, hari gima ke hari: (if you sow wheat you will reap it and if you sow barley, you will reap the same). 

3 Wesiro sayuurjo saar dosiro qisxipi tan jam 

The magpie in hand is better than the eagle flying out there 

The crux of this proverb is that one should focus and capitalize on their capabilities and try to actualize them through hard word. It calls for positive thinking, that is, we should celebrate what we already have than lamenting on what we lack. The English counterpart of this proverb is “one in hand is better than two in the bush”. 

Sayuurj (eagle) represents highly valuable objects which are difficult to acquire. In olden days rulers used to keep and raise eagles as pet with the help of which they would prey on birds as hunting game. This bird was a symbol of richness and luxury. In contemporary society, it is luxurious life which everyone longs for. Without having the equivalent resources and wealth, thinking of living an elite life is just like longing for a flying eagle. On the other hand, a qisxipi (magpie) is a useless bird. The punch line of the proverb is that even a trivial thing you possess is better than a highly valuable thing that you do not have access to.  Another layer of meaning in this proverb is that we should be practical and pragmatic in our outlook and attitude towards life. Living a mere theoretical life based on what lures us and what we long for may create frustration in us. On the other hand reckoning with the realities of pragmatic life bears positive results. This proverb possesses exceptional linguistic beauty in its rhyming feature and alliteration or the phoneme “s” and “o” (weSiro Sayuurjo Saar doSiro…).  

Declaring the trivial magpie (which is not edible or of any other apparent use) valuable implies that even failure is a step towards success and that is why we should value our failure and try to learn from it. In the idiom of hunting it tells us that if you are able to catch a magpie today, you will also be able to get hold of an eagle next time. According to this proverb it is wise to learn from one’s failure and capitalize on what one has and build on it to actualize one’s vision. 

4 Ishtikhero khuruur khara ox no boi 

The praised flower will not mature in the farm 

This proverb calls our attention to a common natural phenomenon that a flower reaches the zenith of its beauty and charm but it soon withers away. Through this the proverb highlights a law of nature - ‘only change is constant’. Within this it also alludes to the cyclical and dynamic nature of all creation. In other words, every rise is followed by decline. 

This is equally true in social context. Those who enjoy privileged status must be aware that time and circumstances change and luck may not be in their favour forever. It asks those fortunate who are honoured in the society to be humble and caring towards less privileged people. Those in the possession of wealth and riches must be aware of the transient nature of social and economic status. They must contribute towards the alleviation of poverty in society through generosity and sharing their resources with the needy and the underprivileged.  

5 Xui qhuyanot kya nasiihat 

An empty stomach does not heed advice 

This proverb appreciates the importance of basic necessities in human life. Food is one of the three basic human needs. This saying focuses on food as the most basic human requirement. Only after addressing this need one is able to address to the rest of the complexities of social life. An unfilled and empty stomach cannot be expected to go into details and intricacies of socio-cultural norms, beliefs and moral standards.  

It implies that instead of offering advice to poor on how to live a pious life, one must first help them to overcome their inability to get out of their predicament and empower them to acquire resources. 

Since the mountain societies of Gilgit-Baltistan in general lack resources due to paucity of agricultural land and unfavourable climatic conditions, hunger prevailed. The local wisdom appreciated the situation that without emancipating oneself from hunger, it is not possible to carry out human development at any level.    

Part Five 

BURUSHASKI 

Mr. Javid Iqbal (Burushaski expert) is a teacher by profession, at an educational institution in Gilgit. Remarkably, he holds three master’s degrees: History (Gen.) from the Karachi University, and one each in Teaching and Education (centered on Muslim Societies and Civilisations) from the University College London’s Institute of Education (UCL-IOE). He has taught history at the Karakorum International University (KIU), Gilgit. 

He also works as an amateur linguist, with a special focus on the Burushaski language (Hunza dialect), and has done so for the last two decades. He has worked on Burushaski with Nasiruddin Nasir Hunzai (NNH) for a decade, and has served as a Research Officer in the Burushaski Research Academy (established and sponsored by NNH). For the latter, he has worked closely with the Karachi University’s research and publication department (Sho’ba-e Tasnif-oTalif-o-Tarjuma) for the publication of NNH’s works on Burushaski. 

Javid has completed a certificate course in the Principles of translation from the SIL (Summer Institute of Linguistics - London). He has translated academic material from English to Urdu and Burushaski, some of which has been published in closed circulation. So far he has provided consultancy services and additional assistance to various institutions and individual researchers in the work on Burushaski. The history of languages, orthography, lexicography, and etymology are of special interest to Mr. Iqbal.

Introduction 

Burushaski is a unique entity in the constellation of world languages as it is recognised as a ‘linguistic isolate’ or ‘un-classified language’. However, attempts have been made by linguists to ascertain its genetic relationship with different linguistic families. For the purpose of brevity, we are mentioning two prominent hypotheses regarding the origin of Burushaski: Dene-Caucasian hypothesis and Indo-European hypothesis. It goes without saying that both the theories have received their due share of criticism. 

According to Dick Grune (1998;1)1, “The proposed Dene-Caucasian super stock comprises Basque, the North-Caucasian languages, Burushaski, the Yeniseian languages and the Sino-Tibetan languages in Eurasia, and the Na-Dene (Atabaskan) languages in North America.” Burushaski forms a separate one-language branch in this vast linguistic macro family. 

Challenging the earlier proposition, Prof. Ilija ẓašule has proposed a place for Burushaski in the Indo-European linguistic family. According to him Burushaski “is a North-Western Indo-European language, specifically of the Paleobalkanic language group and that it corresponds most closely with Phrygian” (ẓašule, I, 1998).2 Prof. ẓašule has even recognized the present day Burushaski in the ancient Phrygian texts. 

Although Burushaski has its grammatical, phonological and morphological structure unique to it, however, it contains vocabulary which shares roots with or come from languages like Phrygian, Hebrew, Sanskrit, Hindi, Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Greek, Albanian, Latin, French, Basque, and Yenesien, to mention the major ones. This fact, on the one hand, exhibits the diversity of linguistic environments in which Burushaski has historically evolved and, on the other hand, it points towards the immense time span through which it has existed as a linguistic entity in human society. In the present times, Burushaski is spoken by more than a hundred thousand speakers in GilgitBaltistan. It has three constituent dialects namely, Yasin Burushaski (spoken primarily in Yasin), Hunza Burushaski (spoken primarily in central Hunza) and Nagar Burushaski (spoken in Nagar district and reportedly by a very small Burusho community in Srinagar). 

*1 Grune, D. (1998) Burushaski: An extraordinary language in Karakoram Mountains. Pon  typridd: J. Biddulph.

*2 ẓašule, I. (1998). Basic Burushaski Etymologies: The Indo-European and Paleo-Balkanic affinities of Burushaski. München: LINCOM Europe.

 

During the last more than half a century Burusho ethno-linguistic group has established itself in Gilgit and its suburbs. During the recent decade Burusho population of Yasin, Nagar and Hunza has migrated to Gilgit district on large scale. There is considerable presence of Burushaski speakers in Karachi, Islamabad and few other major cities of Pakistan as well as abroad. 

Although Burushaski has a verb for writing (girminas), which shares its roots with many Indo-European languages, however, at least in its present location, it has been merely an oral language. Burushaski was started to be recorded by A. Cunningham in 1854. Since then, many linguists and researchers have used self-styled Roman-English alphabets to write Burushaski. Notable among them are D.L.R. Lorimer, Dr. Herman Berger and W. Wilson’s script systems while Dr. Sadaf Munshi is the latest in this series. The three native Burusho scholars who used slightly variant PersoArabic alphabets to write Burushaski since 1940’s are Haji Qudratullah Baig, Naseeruddin Naseer Hunzai and Ghulamuddin Ghulam. The former has also devised a Roman-English based script system for Brushaski. None of the above script systems are widely known and used. Rather English characters are used to communicate in written Burushaski on computers and mobiles. 

As a colloquial language, Burushaski has relied on a rich oral tradition for its sustenance. Courts of the Burusho rulers of princely states and folklore played a crucial role in this regard. Proverbs and axiomatic expressions are important features of Burushaski language.

Twenty Burushaski Proverbs

1. Giran yaare neurutt ke mapeer 

Even if contained in the basket, the elder still remains 

2. Haghutse khun tse baspur / haghutse khun tse haghur baspur 

As if the horse is fed grain just at the foot of the steep hill 

3. Huruttas hik sxiqar diyeyas tha sxiqar / huruttume hik sxiqar, diyeme  v tha sxiqar 

While sitting, (being idle) is the only responsibility, when standing, a hundred responsibilities arise 

4. Sopatt yaarum disham nusen aqat yaarum ke eeram 

In an effort to get something from beneath the sopatt (valued mountain plant), I even lost that which I had under my arm 

5. Sar talen talen mon yaarar 

After going hither thither, the rabbit returns to take refuge under the bush 

6. Baardum guumuse matum guyattisattar ddingar 

Because of your red tongue, the affliction would come on your black head. 

7. Xhine ke iimo yeesh / xhine ke chhasxatte yeesh 

Even a bird (loves) his own home / even a sparrow cherishes his abode that is perched on a thorn bush 

8. Gaṣanx tse itsi tama ke chhap shechuma, Ghaa tse itsi tama k naghe q shechuma 

If you follow an eagle you will find meat, if you follow a crow you will find dirt 

9. Guu gumie akoikinan ke hun dane goikiimi 

If your parents don’t teach you, rock and wood will 

10. Phitti bichantse ame apim, ame bichantse phitti apim 

When there is bread I have no teeth, when I had teeth there was no bread 

11. Hine ne thaattar 

Because of one, a hundred suffer 

12. Ayash thaanum birdi ddang 

Both the sky is too high, and the earth too hard 

13. Kaie jak ke diltarar phuu 

He who was once burnt by hot soup, now blows on buttermilk 

14. Maarane iti, jurute khiti 

On one hand there is death, and on the other the last wish of food 

15. Dolo dishar manuai Mamatyaar eerchar manuai 

Dolo will earn and Mamadyar will waste 

16. Shalda zoora balda zoor 

Is commanding difficult or carrying the load? 

17. Dughunasattar juuk 

The (tree) bends when (the fruit is) ripened 

18. Ghaa iske be qaa akheibia 

Will the crow’s child not ‘ka ka’ as well? 

19. Isumalulo xhur yalas/har nipattar isumalulo xhur yalas 

To break your knife at the tail (of the animal being slaughtered) 

20. Laaq aye ke malaaq 

(If you) Do not bend (the tree), it will not fall (on you) 

Burushaski Proverbs With Interpretation

 1 Giran yaare neaurutt ke mapeer 

Even if contained in the basket, the elder still remains 

This proverb highlights the importance of older people in a society. It urges upon the younger generations that they must not neglect their elders as they hold important position in the society as precious source of knowledge, long life experience and wisdom. It further implies that although the older members of the society are not as much active players in the economic activity, socially they deserve special place and respect. 

A story is related that, in the former times a king ordered all the older people in his kingdom be killed as according to him they were no more active producers, rather they were only consumers and hence burden on the society. It is said that a young boy in the kingdom successfully saved his dear grandfather from the soldiers’ onslaught of older people by hiding him under a basket (giran) in his home. 

After some time the whimsical king asked his subjects to make a rope out of sand. Failing that, all the men in the kingdom will be killed, ordered the cruel king. The poor subjects became utterly desperate for their lives as the task at hand was an impossible one for them. At such a time, the boy informed his grandfather about the situation. The old man clandestinely instructed a group of men about the way they were going to deal with the challenge. 

The next day these men went to the king and told him that preparations had been made to manufacture a great rope out of sand. “We need your honour to kindly inaugurate the production with your own hands”, said the men. Upon this, the king realized that what he has asked them to do was something impossible. Thus the old man’s wisdom saved the kingdom from another disaster. 

The king instantly knew that some wise man has taught his subjects to tackle the hard situation. When he enquired, the boy told him the truth about his grandfather. The king then praised the wisdom of the old man and became a great admirer of old men. He learnt a lesson and ordered his subject to care for the elder people and consult them in their daily affairs. 

What is a society without its elders? In today’s time, the image of an elderly person kept under a basket evokes the feeling of threat and discomfort. In the mountain communities of Pakistan, elders are in fact treated with great care and responsibility; it is precisely their presence which helps maintain the balance of the home. Hence, this proverb carries the important message of the wisdom of elders in our everyday life. It makes us think of a society without the aged, as envisaged by the cruel King of the story, which creates a dreadful picture! One then instantly remembers the wisdom of the young boy’s grandfather, and the blessing of his wisdom, which saved all, reminds people today to take care of their elders. 

This proverb provides an occasion for people to think about the cultural tradition of caring for the older people and learning from them. It asks people to respect and honor their elders and appreciate their service to the society. 

2 Haghuce khun ce baspur / haghuce khun ce haghur baspur eetum juan 

Grain feed for the horse is at the foot of the steep hill / as if the horse is fed grain just at the foot of the steep hill 

The proverb is used in that situation when a person doesn’t do any effort when his efforts are needed and at the end he/she starts struggling but at that stage it is not possible to complete that task or become successful. Historically, due to its phenomenal and proverbial muscle strength and fast pace, horse has been a major means of transportation as well as communication. However, keeping and maintaining a horse has been a costly business hence only rulers and economically stable individuals could afford it. Besides fodder, a horse had to be fed with grain, a precious commodity consumed by humans as food. This special staple food is called baspur in Burushaski. A horse has to be fed with baspur in order to keep it healthy and fit for loading and riding. 

It is said that once a stingy man was in the habit of not feeding his horse with baspur, so his horse was weak. Once he was carrying a heavy load on his horse back and in the way there was a very steep hill to be crossed. His fellow men’s horses easily climbed the hill with load on their backs but this man’s horse almost collapsed after taking few steps up the hill. He was greatly embarrassed. His fellow men told him that since he was feeding his horse with only fodder and did not offer baspur to it, it is weak and unable to carry load up the steep hill. As the man heard these comments, he took out some grain from his food supplies and started feeding the horse. Upon this, his fellow men laughed at him and quipped that for the horse to be able to work you need to offer baspur to it round the year and not just at the foot of the steep hill. 

Thenceforth, this proverb is used to depict a situation in which necessary preparations have not been made at appropriate time and after realizing the immanent failure, quick fixes are sought hurriedly.  The proverb signifies the importance of consistency and perseverance in one’s efforts as well as highlights importance of time management and planning. It alerts one against the negative impacts of doing things at the last moment. 

3 Huruttas hik sxiqar diyeyas tha sxiqar / huruttume hik sxiqar, diyeme e tha sxiqar 

While sitting, (being idle) is the only responsibility, when standing, a hundred responsibilities arise

 Sxiqar in Burushaski means wasp or hornets. It is explained as “responsibility” when used in this context. Tehmina Begum says, “When someone asks a person for a favour and despite finding that task difficult for him to complete if he agrees to help the first person then he has to keep the promise he has made and if he fails, that would be a big embarrassment. Therefore before promising someone, one should consider his abilities and then he should proceed because saying no can save you from the shame of leaving the task incomplete”. 

Mir Aman says that when a responsibility is taken one has to complete it despite all the hardships one has to face. 

Another interpretation is that being idle is the only responsibility but when one starts working, a hundred responsibilities arise such as the fair and timely completion of the given task. 

As a matter of fact each member of the society holds a responsible position in his/her own right; as member of a family, as member of an institution and so on and so forth. This proverb attempts to make one realize that they need to be mindful of their responsibilities at various levels. This consciousness of one’s obligations to the wider society is crucial in making individuals active and useful members of society. 

4 Sopat yaarum disham nusen aqat yaarum ke eeram 

While reaching for the sopat (a plant), I lost that which I had under my arm 

Sopat (Ephedraceae) is a wild medicinal plant that grows on high altitude mountains, in sandy soil with direct sun exposure. It was used as medicine in old times. Its branches were burned and ash was mixed with tobacco to make naswar (a special type of snuff). The whole plant was boiled in water and the paste applied on bone fractures that were not healing properly. 

As it grows on mountains so it is not easy to reach this plant. The proverb shows a scenario in which a person is carrying something under his arm but when he sees the “sopat” plant he becomes so excited that he raises his arm to reach the plant and hence loses what he was carrying under his arm. In the proverb the plant is used to show something that is very beneficial but doesn’t belong to that person, and in order to get that, one has to lose one’s own possessions. 

There is also a phonetic element to this proverb where sopat and aqat are rhyming words. This adds to the linguistic appeal of this line. Furthermore, the word sopat has been used for purely phonetic purposes. The plant’s usefulness may not be a component here, because it says ‘(something) from underneath the sopat, and not the plant itself. 

As the plant grows on hillside, there may not be anything beneath it; being a bush it does not bear any fruit on it either. Hence ‘sopat yaarum’ (from beneath the sopatt) here may signify literally ‘nothing’. So the message in this proverb may be that while doing a fruitless effort, one diverts attention from useful and primary tasks and thus loses what they could achieve with higher degree of certainty or what they already have. The proverb carries the message that one should capitalize on what they already have instead of investing their energies on uncertain or fruitless tasks. 

5 Sar talen talen mon yaarar 

After going hither thither, the rabbit returns to take refuge under the bush 

Mon is a little bush that grows on mountains and is found in a large quantity on the mountains in Hunza. The proverb says that a rabbit moves around everywhere but it has to come back under a mon to take refuge. It is not because of the shortage of trees but it is because trees are too tall for a rabbit, it can have food from them but when it comes to take refuge from any danger it has to come under the mon. 

In the proverb, rabbit signifies an individual, as rabbit always remains restless and keeps jumping here and there and mon (the plant) signifies his limited resources, limited options or people of his own status or level because mon was an easily available plant in old times. The proverb urges that a person has to go back to the people or place to which he actually belongs. The proverb is also used when a person ignores a nearby chance for a big opportunity but after failure in his attempt he has to come back for the first option and then it is said “after going hither thither, the rabbit returns under the bush”. 

Naina Bibi said, “This is human nature that he remains discontented all the time. And strives for better in his life, but in his journey, if he leaves his own people behind, he has to regret the same one day”.

 This proverb highlights the importance of one’s primary sources of support and patronage; those who love him/her and are willing to support and protect him/her in every circumstances. The lesson here is, one should respect and value their social capital. Although one tries for gains beyond their comfort zone, often they are disregarded by others and they have to return to their initial and primary benefactors. The proverb also underlines the importance of one’s kin in the cultural context of Hunza. It also offers the lesson of consistency in one’s attitude towards achieving tasks.  

Part Six 

BALTI 

Muhammad Hassan Hasrat (Balti expert) holds a master’s degree from the Karachi University. He has served as Regional Director for the Allama Iqbal Open Univeristy (AIOU). Muhammad Hassan Hasrat has authored over a dozen books, and hundreds of research papers. 

He contributed the Baltistan’ Chapter in the Cultural Encyclopedia of Northern Areas, published by Lok Virsa Islamabad. His Balti language and literature research papers are included in the M.Phil and Ph.D curriculum for AIOU’s Pakistani Languages programme. 

His book, titled Baltistan Tehzeed-o-Saqafat’ has been published in Chinese. Other well-known works of his include Baltistan aur Fanne Tareekj Goi, Shimla se Baltistan Tak, Anees-e-Baltistan, Dabeer-eBaltistan, Johare Baltistan, Safarnama-e-Iran and Polo Baltistan ka Qomi Khail. 

Muhammad Hassan Hasrat has delivered research papers on the history and culture of Baltistan and the Balti language in several conferences, both national and international. These include the Mother Tongues Mela held in Lok Virsa Islamabad (2016), the International Himalayan Languages symposium held in Bern University Switzerland (2002), the International Culture Area Karakoram Conference held in Islamabad with Pak-German Cooperation (1995), and the International Hindukush Cultural Conference held in Chitral (1994). 

Introduction 

Baltistan is situated in the extreme north of Pakistan on the border of occupied Kargil and Ladakh. The language spoken in Baltistan is called “Balti” which is the western branch of Tibetan language. The same language is also used in Kargil and Ladakh with ordinary colloquial differences. Balti language is regarded to be proto Tibetan colloquial and has valuable stock of proverbs, idioms and terminologies other than various kinds of folk lore at its credit. 

In the past, the inhabitants of Baltistan were not as well off compared to the people of other neighboring regions. But every Balti had a roof over his head and means of subsistence for his life and his family from the limited land as well as from the live-stock. This led to the development of a unique society, which valued culture, civility and equanimity. Baltistan became home to a highly cultured, civilized and accomplished society. Balti folk-literature and cultural heritage are a true reflection of the various facets of the ethos permeating the Balti society. 

Today the Balti proverbs, sayings, folk songs, tales and epics of ancient Baltistan are some of the parameters, in the light of which we can begin to understand the cultural history of this society. One of the most important categories of Balti folk-literatures is its beautiful sayings and proverbs passed down to us orally by our forefathers.  

Though the meanings and ideas behind some of these proverbs and sayings might have changed or become less important in the present circumstances, yet these sayings and proverbs have been a constant source of inspiration and wisdom for countless generations of Baltistan in the past and will be a source of strength and wisdom for the coming generations. These sayings and proverbs have actually been derived from the folk-wisdom of a society with ancient roots therefore they throw light on many of the socioeconomic values of that society. 

In this book, we have compiled twenty important Balti sayings and proverbs with providing transliteration and English translation as well as commentaries and explanations for five of these. 

We hope readers will enjoy the simplicity, wisdom and frankness of these Balti sayings. The proverbs are actually the true qualities of the nature of Balti people and these proverbs give us insight into the wisdom and experiences of the wise men of centuries earlier. 

Twenty Balti Proverbs 

1. Ati ro skeure shul tob 

One must sow the Rabi crop first then attend his father’s funeral  

2. Lomgo byua khers 

The first year was taken away by the rat 

3. Zangsi spalba la xeu ma beur 

Copper will never be turquoise 

4. Sha loqse khi bdos 

The Marcopolo sheep turns around and follows the running dog 

5. Rgiakhmedi laqpa snala 

Traveller who had nothing is the first to have his hand on the dinner 

6. Abchan xseri songna si kangmi oqtu 

Even a golden stirrup remains, it is underneath the foot 

7. Ati Chorong Bula 

The “Chorong” of father for his son (Chorong is a large basket for carrying a load on one’s back), a son inherits the basket of his father) 

8. Braq bar sa, mi bar tam 

Soil in the cracks of rock and words between the men 

9. Bubna sa hrten 

If you fall to the ground, take the support of the firm soil 

10. Chhon dukpo pa yungma mur 

It is better to chew some dried turnips, than to sit in idleness 

11. Chhon gulbi hotong xlung ongmana migula 

If a tall grass can sway without reason, will it not sway in a gush of wind? 

12. Chup chat pi mi na kha chat pi snod 

A quiet person is like a covered pot 

13. Drenmoe tshilikha drenmoe sha tsowa 

To cook the meat of the bear in its own fat 

14. Go chhaq na nating, lqpa chhaqna futung 

A broken head under the cap, a broken hand in a sleeve 

15. Graq khan mathob na bukhmo no groq 

If you don’t find a counsellor, consult your own knee 

16. Hrkopa tsalbo rgial, tsalbo pa sheo rgial 

Begging is better than theft, and it is better to die than to beg 

17. Hrmaq loqna hiaq rdob 

If people unite, they can overcome the yak 

18. Mi lukhmet ma shes, Rgyamtsho phumet mashes 

One should not guess a man to be mean and a river to be shallow 

19. Phay metpa shing met thoo 

Lack of fire wood is more serious than the shortage of flour 

20. Pha yul bjed na pha skat ma bjed 

One may forget his native land but never forget his mother tongue

Balti Proverbs With Interpretation

1 Ati ro skeure shul tob 

One must sow the crop first then attend father’s funeral 

This proverb epitomizes the economic and agricultural conditions of older Balti society. There was acute poverty in the region at that time. Livestockraising and farming were not only the professions of the people but also the necessity of the time. The economic life of the people of this region depended on limited agriculture, and continues to do so although to a far lesser degree because of road access, even to this day. 

Crops are cultivated twice a year. One is spring season cultivation and the other is summer season cultivation. The basic requirements of the people were barely addressed through these two crops. Summers are shorter than winters in Baltistan. Therefore, the wisdom of this proverb has given much importance to the second season cultivation and cropping time. 

During the short summer season the hard working farmers of this region have to cultivate crops within the limited time available. If the second crop is not cultivated at the right time, it can cause famine for the whole year. Crops in the second half of the season yield more fodder for cattle. Farmers consider the delay in cultivation of second crop a huge economic and social damage with consequences that could be compared to the importance of burying one’s father, in fact superseding it. 

In the second half of the year the signs of winter start appearing immediately. Farmers are therefore left with short time after the harvesting of wheat and barley. Thus delay in cultivation can negatively impact growth of the crops. Due to this short-lived season the farmers should prefer to cultivate the crops in time otherwise missing the right time of cultivation will only bring regrets and endanger society. Thus in this Balti proverb, the cultivation of the life giving crops is considered more important than burying the corpse of one’s father. The proverb is a reflection of the extremely hard life and conditions in Baltistan where simply survival was the top priority and everything else was secondary. 

2 Lomgo byua khers 

The first year was taken away by the rat 

This proverb is based on the historical event of the deluge in the time of Hazrat Nooh (peace be upon him) (Prophet Noah). 

It is said that there were pairs of each and every species of animals in the boat of Hazrat Nooh (peace be upon him) which God had asked him to collect in his boat just before the huge flood appeared on earth.

When the storm was over and the boat touched the land on a hill, it was considered a good omen if the ox would lead the animals off the boat. So when it was trying to alight from the boat, a rat which was hiding in the ear of the ox, so the legend goes, jumped on to the land. So a wise man said “Lomgo byua khers” i.e. the first year was taken away by the rat while it should have been dedicated to ox because of its importance. 

Now when someone unexpected takes precedence in something or takes a greater position while general expectations being on someone else, it is said that the first year has been taken by the rat. It means that the people were expecting an ox to alight from the boat first, but the little unimportant rat took this honour from the ox unexpectedly.  

The Tibetan calendar starts with the actual order of the animals that left the boat one by one.  After this legend, the first year is named as ‘the year of the rat’. Rat is also the zodiac sign of the first year of Tibetan calendar. All the 12 animals of the 12-year cycle of the Tibetan calendar are as follows: Rat, Ox, Leopard, Rabbit, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Sheep, Monkey, Bird, Dog and Pig.

 

3 Zangsi spalba la xeu ma beur 

Copper will never be turquoise 

Getting a precious and fine artefact is not a credit on its own, but its proper utilization is considered more important. When a fine thing of high value is acquired by a man who is devoid of aesthetic sense, he cannot do justice with it. As such, he is bound to loose the artefact sooner or later as he does not value it. 

Example is given in this proverb of a beautiful precious stone either turquoise or agate which looks attractive when fitted in a silver frame. However the same turquoise does not look as good in a copper frame. Actually, the beauty of a precious stone is enhanced by the way it is set or framed and utilized. 

In one’s life, being successful is not the end of the story; the real taste and culmination of success is in the way success is dealt with. If someone has vast riches but if he is not being generous with it to help the poor and keeps wealth to his own, it is as if the precious stone has been acquired but not set in it proper context. 

This proverb is also related when an item of high value lands in the hands of someone who does not know about the proper use of that object. The intrinsic value of whatever one has, can only be realized if it is appreciated and understood by the person who has it so that the same is optimally and beneficially utilized. 

4 Sha loqse khi bdos 

The sha (Marco Polo sheep) turns around and follows the running dog 

“Sha” is a wild sheep of Gilgit Baltistan known widely today as Marco Polo sheep. The famous Venetian born trader and merchant Marco Polo is credited with ‘discovering’ it in 1288 A.D during his travels while traversing the areas where the wild sheep lived. This wild animal is the tallest and strongest among sheep family. It looks very graceful due to its large horns. 

Traditionally, the hunting dog follows the wild animals and chases them. But this proverb describes the situation when the Marco Polo sheep turns back to challenge and attack the dog forcing it to flee away. The Marco Polo sheep is renowned for taking on the shikari (hunting) dogs and preventing them from hunting her. 

This Balti proverb alludes to the social fact that cruel rulers are like hunting dogs while the poor are like wild sheep. When oppression becomes life-threatening, then the suppressed people should rise up like Marco Polo sheep and revolt against their rulers. When oppression surpasses its limits, no matter how weak the oppressed is and regardless of the oppressor’s power, the game turns around in a matter of moments. In such an instance, the poor and oppressed are seen turning on their rulers and and overthrowing them – just like Marco Polo sheep which turns around against its hunter dog and fights for and wins its own life.    

5 Rgiakhmedi laqpa snala 

Traveller who had nothing is the first to have his hand on the dinner. 

It is a very interesting proverb. It shows the behaviour and conduct of some characters of the society who want to get the profit first while not having made any contribution.   

In ancient times, people had to travel to far-flung areas on foot in groups for trade purposes carrying their daily rations with them. These would be mainly dried edible things such as sattu (cooked and dried turnip flour) and dry fruits. At the end of the long travel day everybody would collect his/ her food ration for the day and put these before a designated person. The person then would put the collected food on a piece of cloth spread out for that purpose and then everybody sat around it and ate together having equal share in it.  

A story is related as a background of this proverb. ‘Once a group of traders was travelling to a distant place spread over a number of days. One of the persons in that caravan had brought nothing with him. His companions shared their food with him as a gesture of good will and care. When the dastarkhowan (piece of cloth for dining) was spread out and the food was served, the man with no food was the first one to initiate eating. On this occasion a member of the caravan uttered this sentence “Rgiakhmedi laqpa snala” i.e. traveler who had nothing is the first to have his hand on the dinner.  

Part Seven 

SHINA 

Shakeel Ahmad Shakeel (Shina expert) was born in Gilgit in 1961. He completed his secondary education in Gilgit and after matriculation he proceeded to Islamabad for further studies and accomplished his higher secondary education from H/8 College No. 1, Islamabad. 

After a big lag of 10 years, he joined Forum for Language Initiative Islamabad and was educated in Language and Cultural Studies. The course proved to be instrumental in getting publishers for his four books on Shina language including his landmark work, The Categorisation of (danyal) Shaman Mythology. 

Over the following decade, with Carla F. Radloff, author of Sound System of Gilgit Shina he continued to pour himself into his writing and achieved real success. Following that success, Shakeel continued to write, with credits including A Collection of Shina Fiction (2009), Traditional Nomenclature (2010), and Description and Analysis of Shina Orthography (2015). His Grandmother’s Folktales, earned Shakeel an Inter Provincial Prize Award (2012). 

Introduction 

Shina is one of the minor languages of Pakistan which the census of 1998, lumps together as ‘other languages’. These represent 4.66 per cent of the population, which in a country of over 160 million people, comes up to a figure of 7.5 million. However, there are about 55 languages under this heading so that Shina is only a small part of this group. The number of Shina speakers, according to informed estimates, totals up to 871,260 in the Shina-speaking areas and 252,614 migrants in the rest of the country (Gordon 2005)1. 

The Shina language belongs to the Shina group of the Dardic branch of the north-western zone of the Indo-Aryan sub-family of the Indo-European family of languages, most of its speakers live in Gilgit, Astor, Chilas, TangirDarel, Indus Kohistan, lower Hunza, upper Neelam and Dras valleys. Some are found in Chitral (Palula and Sawi) and Ladakh (Brokskat) and even in the Swat and Dir areas. 

The creation of proverbs over the centuries might have taken dozens of years, or even centuries for a given proverb to be acknowledged and achieve certain popularity. Travelling of proverbs across a country or even the globe in seconds is possible in the modern age of the computer and the internet. It must not be overlooked that Erasmus of Rotterdam2 was a major factor in spreading the proverbs from classical antiquity through his Adagia with its thousands of references from Greek and Roman sources. As an incomparable reference book, it was used by the humanists of the sixteenth century; the proverbs were employed for instructional purposes. They found their way into the literary works and vernacular collections by way of translation. 

*1 Gordon, R. G., Jr. (ed.) (2005). Ethnologue: Languages of the World, (15th Ed.). Dallas: SIL   International. Web edition at: http://www.ethnologue.com. 

*2 Erasmus, Desiderius. Adages in Collected Works of Erasmus. Trans. R.A.B Mynors et al.   Volumes 31–36. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 1982–2006.S 70

But, how long will proverbs stay in circulation for some wide period of time? It is hard to answer this question. Yet, proverbs have always come, stayed, and also some have lost relevance and disappeared as their usage reduced. 

There are numerous ancient Shina proverbs that have remained in use, being as relevant today as they were generations ago. For example, oẓie tuẓe to moẓie waan (Full innards chatters aloud), meaning that a full stomach loosens the tongue. Similarly tatang chaaror kakool baashay (a kakool tweets in the naked mountains), which means empty vessels make a lot of noise. 

It is also true that the age of proverb formation is not over! People will always think that they should summarize their observations and experiences into easily memorized and frequent overviews. People will hopefully acknowledge well developed proverbs and those that are of common interest. The proverb ‘Proverbs are never out of season’ is as true today as ever before. 

Twenty Shina Proverbs 

1. Sometay kalii chay pashii 

Assessment breeds a friendship, experiment breeds a marriage. 

2. Sumlikay raǰii koos theen, tuṭ ashkaray kapaalo koos then 

None is there to admit my dynasty the same as the dynasty of Sumlik, none is there to submit his forehead the same as the forehead of Ashkar Looli 

3. ǰip se kiṇo ṣiṣaṭ walay 

Owing to your red tongue the suffering would come on your black head 

4. Raay mucho nee wa anshpay phatu nee bo 

Don’t come before a king, don’t go behind a horse     

5. Chakaṭ chak ḍakaṭ dak 

Rip causes a rip, strike causes a strike 

6. Lony se mooyii day 

A fox finds easy ways 

7. Zakun se aanng thee akooch baar walay 

Bray of a donkey brings a big pile on his back 

8. Duu daarioo shun ponar miriyay 

A dog of two homes will die on the road 

9. Mayaaro bunar, baaɡe goṭar 

Ibex is in the forest, chop up his parts in the house 

10. Diin ǰareey maaṭi k aay 

When a leopard becomes old, he will eat mud 

11. Muuẓis k ͪee kuṭey day, chaany se k ͪee ṣinɡaayay day 

Having eaten, a rat will dig a wall; having eaten, a sparrow will mess up a blackberry 

12. Tatanɡ chaaror kakool baashay 

A kakool tweets in the naked mountains. (Empty vessels make a lot of noise) [kakool is an imaginative bird. It sings often in lonely places. If someone happens to see him while singing, he/she will be bequeathed wealth and crown.] 

13. Ashaati malaṭ balee paliiǰanan 

Ticks attack a weak goat 

14. K aacho daaray k aacho shun, k aachi maaly k aacho daboon 

A bad family has a bad dog; a bad herd has a bad master 

15. Daaray shun  k aachaṭeey lony tashir walaray 

A bad dog will make a fox get to the roof 

16. Ma muwos to chilaas koos k aay 

If I die, who will get benefits from Chilas 

17. Tu raa ma raa anshpay tileeṇ koos day 

You’re a king; I’m a king--who will saddle the horse? 

18. Chaanṭay baaṣ chaanṭay maa paruǰay 

A dumb child’s tongue will be understood by only his/her mother 

19. Toomok se reeray, looɡok se hayaray 

A relative makes you weep; a stranger makes you laugh 

20. Thacoon se chichooro akowaar tas then 

A carpenter chisels the wood for his own purpose

Shina Proverbs With Interpretation

1 Sometay kalii chay pashii

 Assessment breeds a friendship, experiment breeds a marriage. 

Place your trust carefully. Trust but verify. 

Employing proverbs for instructional purposes, as used by the humanists of the sixteenth century, this proverb reveals the magnitude of trustworthiness in a society. It urges people that trust and confidence in a society is built through interaction and experience. It is constant and intimate engagement of individuals in a society and learning thereof that either makes or breaks one’s trust on others.  

A story is thus related as the context of this proverb: It is said that once a wise man wished to test the trustworthiness of his wife and his friends. He borrowed a big amount of money from his friends. Then, he went to bazaar and bought a sheep and a leather bag. 

He took these two items to a solitary place, slaughtered the sheep and packed its carcass in the leather bag. He then brought this back home. There he met his wife and confided to her that he had actually murdered a man and has brought his dead body with him in the sack and that he wanted to dispose the corpse by burying it in a corner of his courtyard. His wife agreed with him and promised to keep the secret. 

After a few months a thief from their village got lost somewhere and did not return home for many days. The missing thief was accused of stealing paẓoo (wedding dress) of the country’s queen. He was being discussed everywhere in the village. Some women from their neighbourhood gathered up in the street and were discussing about the missing thief. In the meantime, the wife of the wise man joined them and started gossiping with them. 

In the gathering, women were making all kinds of wild guesses about the missing thief of their village. One women said that according to such and such, this thief was murdered by a very brave and strong man. Upon hearing this, the wife of this wise man threw herself in the middle of the circle and proudly said, “That brave and strong man is actually my husband” and that he has buried the corpse right in the corner of their courtyard.  

This women’s statement spread across the village and beyond like fire in the jungle. After a few days, the police put the wise man in prison. Now his friends came to see him in the prison and asked him to pay their debt immediately. The wise man sent them to one of his friends with request to settle this transaction by paying them the debt on his behalf. 

When the police produced him before the judge, he made him aware of the whole story. The judge ordered to exhume the corpse from the grave. When the truth dawned on the police, they released the wise man with honour. 

The proverb implies that one should trust even his nears and dears only after testing them. The story brings forth a piece of proverbial wisdom for people of all walks of life. It has numerous cultural, ethnographic, folkloristic, historical, linguistic, and literary characteristics. 

2 Sumlikay raǰii thee koos raan, tuṭ ashkaray kapaalo thee koos raan 

None is there to admit my dynasty the same as the dynasty of Sumlik, none is there to submit his forehead the same as the forehead of Ashkar 

A man’s importance is a prisoner of time.  

Sometimes proverbs are associated with names of renowned personalities in order to allow them the benefit of wisdom and authority. The myth has it that Haritham, the successor of Agortham, the ruler of Gilgit coined this proverb. According to the legend, during the reign of Haritham, an assault on Gilgit was launched by some warriors from the western side. At the peak of the battle, bitter clashes broke out among the people and leaders of different clans in Gilgit just after the assassination of Shri Badat (Agortham). The ruler put up his best resistance to save his territory and dynasty from being destroyed. But ultimately he failed both to combat the assailant warriors as well as to calm down the internecine clashes. In an utter state of hopelessness, Haritham commented that “none is there to admit my dynasty the same as the dynasty of Sumlik, none is there to submit his forehead the same as the forehead of Ashkar”. 

In the memory of the mountain tradition of Gilgit Baltistan, Sumlik’s dynasty is well-known for its breadth, prosperity and power stretched to the western borders of Afghanistan on one hand, and on the other hand, to its eastern borders across Kashmir. His subjects believed that Haritham used to ride on ashakar (a mythical flying horse) for travel and fighting. He ruled over ayeshi, the dynasty of skies. His people believed him to have super natural powers. The crux of this proverb is that despite having such extra normal powers and strength, he ultimately had to bow not only before his subjects but also lost to his enemy.. 

3 Looli ǰip se kiṇo ṣiṣaṭ walay 

Owing to your red tongue the suffering would come on your black head 

Excessive talk brings its own calamity. 

The proverb contains literary characteristics. 

Akin to the wisdom sayings in our collection of Proverbs, these texts comprise phrases or sentences of similar construction and meaning placed side by side, balancing each other and composed in poetic form are cast in parallelisms.  As a proverbial marker, parallelism is a very common device in the poetry of oral tradition —for instance, in beovulf and narodne pesme—and often the effect is that of a litany. 

 Interestingly this Shina proverb locates its equivalent in the Brushaski proverb: “your red tongue will bring suffering on your black head”. 

4 Raay muchoo nee wa anshpay phatu nee bo 

Don’t come before a king, don’t go behind a horse 

Authority is unchallengeable. Do not be seen as a threat. 

This proverb emphasizes the diverse expressions of authority which is to be respected and regarded for at all times and at all costs. It asks us to recognize the strongest of the weakest dimension of the person who exercises authority and avoid challenging it or taking it head on. In such a case one has to bear immense loss. In medieval cultural and political context, a ruler or a king used to capitalize and relish in his pomp and protocol that created the air of ‘honour’ around him. And for a king, his honour used to be his top most priority. If someone challenged a king’s honour, he challenged the whole kingdom and the state. 

In case of a horse, he is able to defend his whole body through watching everything approach him from in front and on both sides. But he obviously cannot see properly that which approaches him from behind, and that is where, luckily for him, stand guard his two strong legs. Anything approaching from behind is destined to meet the damaging and lethal hind kick of the horse. That is why this maxim advises people to avoid a horse’s back side and a king’s fore side. 

The proverb instructs, through two concrete instances, that one needs to be mindful of not being seen as a threat. 

5 Chakaṭ chak ḍakaṭ dak 

Rip causes a rip, strike causes a strike. 

What you sow, so shall you reap. 

This proverb is one which is common to probably all languages and may be considered universal in nature. 

It may be possible that the starting point for this proverb was As you sow, so will you reap from the Bible. The wisdom contained therein may have penetrated many languages of the world. 

Credits 

This documentation of proverbs from different languages of Gilgit-Baltistan represents collective efforts of team members, language experts and native speakers of respective languages who devoted their valuable time to share their knowledge. 

FIELD WORK FOR PILOT STUDY 

Iman Habib and Neelofar Saleem 

LANGUAGE EXPERTS 

Habib Ullah Jan (Daudi/Domaki), Dr. Afzal Siraj (Gojri), Nazir Ahmed Bulbul (Wakhi), Safir Hayat (Khowar), Javid Iqbal (Burushaski), Muhammad Hassan Hasrat (Balti) and Shakeel Ahmed Shakeel (Shina) 

COMPILATION 

Wajahat Ali, Neelofar Saleem and Iman Habib assisted by Afshan Parveen 

REVIEW 

Javid Iqbal 

LAYOUT 

Saniya Ali Wattoo 

FRONT COVER Neelofar Saleem