Pashtunwali

Pashtunwali (Pashto: پختونوالی) or Pakhtunwali is a concept of living or philosophy for the Pashtun people, which dates back to the pre-Islamic era. Pashtunwali is also regarded as an honour code and a non-written law for the people. It is practiced by Pashtuns in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and by members of the Pashtun diaspora around the world.

Overview

Pashtunwali is an ancient "code of honor" that belongs to Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan, including the Pashtun communities around the world. It is basically a set of rules guiding both individual and communal conduct, Pashtunwali is still socially practiced by the majority.

Pashtuns embrace an ancient traditional, spiritual, and communal identity tied to a specific set of moral codes and rules of behavior, as well as to a linear record of history spanning over five thousand years .

Intrinsically flexible and dynamic, containing modern and ancient principles in one coherent set of teachings, Pashtunwali promotes core tenets including self-respect, independence, justice, hospitality, love, forgiveness, revenge and tolerance toward all (especially to strangers or guests). All these codes of conduct are helpful in maintaining social and moral checks and balances within Pashtun Society. Aside from its core tenets, it is considered a personal responsibility of every Pashtun to discover and rediscover Pashtunwali's essence and meaning.

The code of Pashtunwali

Pashtunwali is an unwritten, democratic, socio-political culture, law and ideology of the Pashtun society inherited from their forefathers and carried on to the present generation. It is a dominant force of Pashtun culture and identity. Pashtunwali is basically conservative, naturally democratic, centuries old but still a young phenomenon in the Pashtun culture and socio-economic structure.

It has been able to maintain a powerful dialectical balance of the Pashtun society. Pashtunwali, a complement of the Pashtun society, has undergone various legal, political, economic and cultural changes in rules and regulation for its perfection and reform. It has developed into an accepted comprehensive constitution. Pashtunwali consists of qualifications such as Khpelwaki (self authority), Sialy (Equality), Jirga (Assembly), Roogha (reconciliation or compromise), Badal (revenge), Barabari (equivalence), Teega/Nerkh (Law), Aziz/Azizwale (clan, clanship), Terbor/Terborwali (cousin and tribal rivalries), Nang (Honour), Ghairat (Pride), Oogha Warkawel (giving a lift to persons in need), Pannah Warkawel (offering asylum), Ashar (shared co-operative work), Zhamena (commitment), Melayter (patrons), Chegha (call for action), Soolah (truce), Panah (protection) and others.

Pashtunwali is a democratic structure emphasizing of Jirga, Sialy and Barabary. It is a defensive system in terms of Jirga, Chegha and Arbakai. It is a legal system in terms of Jirga, Teega/Nerkh, Pannah and Roogha. This system has managed all social and internal affairs of the Pashtun/Pakhtun society before and after Islam. It has created small and large local governments in Central and South Asia.

Pashtunwali is the sum total of collective expectations of the group from its members to conform to the totality of norms and customs that ensure the group's survival as a distinct socio-cultural entity. There are no state institutions to ensure the implementation of this unwritten code of life but Pashtun members of the society internalize these social norms to such an extent that they directly become a matter of one’s conscience rather than an executive order of a discrete authority.

The code of Pashtunwali is based on the collective wisdom of its people. It does not spring from the genius of one authority, temporal or divine, and is, therefore, open to debate and re-interpretation according to the needs of the society and the changing times. Although it is rigid in constitution because of historical reasons, in its basic social philosophy, Pashtunwali is cosmopolitan, egalitarian and democratic. Hence, it has been able to absorb waves of outsiders in Pashtun society.

Pashtunwali embodies all the principles of a self-sufficient social group. Its two principles of Siali (Competition) and Mailmastia (Hospitality) embody two social principles that ensure a society’s progress through competition; and survival through co-operation. Thus the elements of conflict and co-operation are evenly balanced in the make-up of Pashtunwali. Concepts like Nang (honour), Siali (competition) and Badal (retribution) are open to interpretation as the social needs and the collective perception of the group change with regard to objective realities in the space-time continuum.

The codes

• Faith - trust in God (known as "Allah" in Arabic and "Khudai" in Pashto). The notion of trusting in the one single creator generally comports to Islamic monotheism and tawheed.
• Behaviour - Pashtuns must constantly behave well, avoid using bad words, and always commit good deeds.
• Unity - above the languages they speak, above the blood they keep, above the amount of money they make, Pashtunwali keeps them in due bounds with all fellow Pashtuns and humankind as well as almighty God. Pashtunwali unites the Pashtuns as one people across the world. Where there is true unity, every effort to disunite them will only serve to strengthen the unity they have. What happens to one - happens to all (one for all and all for one).
• Equality - every man is equal within the tribe, no one is superior to the other. It is this concept which has necessitated the development of a Jirga system, whereby decision making takes place with the participation of all members of the society or tribes. Every man wants a say in his future and he will fight for his right to have his opinions heard. All people must therefore deal with each other, with the proper civility or respect and no one can try to impose their own will on to another.
• Freedom and independence - the belief that freedom in physical, mental, religious, spiritual, political and economic realms is for all to pursue, man and woman, so long as it is done without bringing harm to others. The free have nothing to gain of freedom without discipline.
• Proselytizing - Pashtunwali teaches that no individual has the right to place demand upon others who are not their children regarding what to believe.
• Hospitality and sanctuary - being hospitable to all mankind, especially to guests, and at times, even the most hostile of enemies may (if asked for) be provided sanctuary, asylum or protection as well as food, water and other aid.
• Justice and forgiveness - Pashtunwali also teaches them if one intentionally wrongs another, the victim has the right, even an obligation, to avenge this injustice in equal proportion. If one has intentionally wronged you, and you did not seek justice nor did the wrongdoer ask you for his/her forgiveness, then a debt, is owed to you by him/her, which can only be fulfilled once justice (through an act of revenge or the decision of the tribal Jirga) has been provided to recompense the wrong done.
• Brotherhood and trust - the belief that fellow Pashtun brothers or sisters should be trusted and assisted to the greatest extent possible.
• Honour - the belief that Pashtuns must maintain their independence and human dignity. Honour has great importance in Pushtun society and most other edicts and codes of life are aimed towards the preservation of ones honour or pride.
• Self respect - the belief that individuals must respect themselves and others in order to be able to do so, especially those they do not know. Respect begins at home, among family members and includes all relatives.
• Compassion and cooperation - the poor, the weak, and the challenged must be supported. Inclusion must be preferred to exclusion. To defend against tyranny, fascism and overzealous groups and to work smart first and then hard.
• Family - the belief that the family unit must be glorified under a sacred conviction of responsibility and duty with respect for wives, daughters, elders, parents, sons, and husbands.
• We are one family - the belief that fellow Pashtun must be cared for. There may be hundreds of tribes, but they have one destiny in union with each other.
• Knowledge - Pashtuns seek objective knowledge in life, art, science, and culture, which are considered fruits granted by almighty God.
• Pashtun history - great value is placed in Pashtun history, with all its depth and pluralism, tragedies and victories, spanning over 5000 years. It teaches Pashtuns "to keep the mind open, to continue the search for the truth, much of which has vanished under history itself".
• Fight evil - evil is at constant war with good. Evil must be fought and good must prevail over evil. It is a Pashtun's duty to fight evil when he/she comes face to face with it.

Primary concepts in Pashtunwali

Some useful words that signify individual or collective Pashtun tribal functions are given below in Pushto language. The first four form the major components of Pashtunwali.

• Melmastia (hospitality) - to show hospitality to all visitors, regardless of whom they are, their ethnic, religious, or national background, without hope of remuneration or favour. Pushtuns are widely considered to be the most hospitable people in the world, a pushtun will go to great extents to show his hospitality, so much so, that in very many recorded cases it has been observed that a pushtun has even provided his deadly enemy with sanctuary when he was asked for sanctuary by his rival. But in return, those guests who are accorded this are expected to do the same for their host.
• Badal (justice/revenge) - to seek justice over time or over space to avenge a wrong. This applies to injustices committed yesterday or 1000 years ago if the wrongdoer still exists. Justice in Pashtun lore needs elaborating: even a mere taunt (or "Paighor") is regarded as an insult - which can only usually be redressed by shedding of the taunter's blood (and if he isn't available, then his next closest male relation). This in turn leads to a blood feud that can last generations and involve whole tribes with the loss of hundreds of lives. Normally blood feuds in this all male dominated setup are then settled in a number of ways.
• Nanawateh (assylum) - derived from the verb meaning to go in, this is used for protection given to a person who requests/seeks protection against his/her enemies. The person is protected at all costs. It can also be used when the vanquished party is prepared to go in to the house of the victors and ask for their forgiveness. (Is a peculiar form of "chivalrous" surrender, in which an enemy seeks "sanctuary" at his enemies house).
• Zmeka (land) - A Pashtun must defend his land/property from incursions and encroachment where ever he or she might reside.
• Nang (honour) - the various points below that a tribesman must observe to ensure his honour, and that of his family, is upheld. In broad terms, the preservation of honour entails the defence of one's family and one's independence, while upholding all social obligations and norms arising from cultural and religious requirements.
• Namus (Honor of women) - A Pushtun must defend the honor of Pashtun women at all costs and must protect them from vocal and physical harm.
• Hevad (nation) - Love for one's nation in Pashtun culture isn't just important, it's essential. According to Pashtunwali, a Pashtun is always indebted to their nation and must strive to perfect and improve it. A Pushtun also considers it his obligation to defend his country Pakhtara ("Pakhtun-khwa" in modern colloquial Pashto) against any type of foreign incursion. Defence of nation means defence of honor, values, culture, tradition, countrymen and self. Pakht or Pakhtara in old Greek and Latin scripture is referred to as Bactria which today is bisected between Pakistan and Afghanistan.
• Dod-pasbani (Protecting Pashtun culture) - It is obligatory for a Pashtun to protect Pashtun culture from dilution and disintegration. Pashtunwali advises that in order to successfully accomplish this, a Pashtun must retain the Pashto language since Pashto is prime source of Pashtun culture and its understanding. Not being able to speak Pashto to a Pashtun translates to the inability to understand the Pashtun culture.
• Tokhm-pasbani (Protecting the Pashtun race) - Pashtuns with their distinct Iranian features are often immediately recognizable. It is advised that in order to maintain Pashtun features, Pashtuns must take another Pashtun as a marriage partner. This stems from the general belief that 'half-Pashtuns' very often do not retain Pashtun language, culture, physical features and that they often go over to alien cultures.
• De Pashtunwali Perawano (Adhering to Pashtunwali) - In order to keep one's descendants from becoming "durvand" (Non-Pashtuns), a Pashtun must adhere to the Pashtunwali principles of culture, kin and pedigree. It is advised that those who do not will ultimately face revulsion and expulsion from Pashtun society.

Secondary concepts

• Lashkar - the tribal army. It implements the decisions of the jirga.
• Jirga or Loya Jurga - an assembly of tribal elders called for various purposes whether waging war or composing peace, tribal or inter-tribal.
• Chalweshti - derived from the word for forty, this refers to the tribal force that would implement the decision of a jirga. Every fortieth man of the tribe would be a member. A shalgoon is a force derived from the number twenty.
• Badragga - a tribal escort composed of members of that tribe through which the travelers are passing. If a badragga is violated a tribal feud will follow.
• Hamsaya - a non-Pashtun dependent group who attaches themselves to a Pashtun group, usually for protection. The Pashtun protector group is called a naik. Any attack on a hamsaya is considered an attack on the protector.
• Malatar - literally, tying the back. This refers to those members of the tribe who will actually fight on behalf of their leaders.
• Nagha - a tribal fine decided by the council of elders and imposed upon the wrongdoer.
• Rogha - settlement of a dispute between warring factions.
• Hujra - a common sitting or sleeping place for males in the village. Visitors and unmarried young men sleep in the hujra.
• Lokhay Warkawal - Literally means 'giving of pot'. The idea that the tribe will do everything to protect an individual from an enemy.

See also

• Pashtunistan
• Pashtun culture
• Pashtun tribes
• Pashtun people
• Pashtun diaspora

External links

• Islamic Republic Of Afghanistan Official name of Afghanistan / Afghan issues, articles on Pashtuns and other Afghan ethnic groups
• Pushtunwali Honour among them Dec 19th 2006: GARDEZ AND PESHAWAR From The Economist print edition
• http://afghanland.com/culture/pashtunwali.html
• Attan, the traditional and national dance of Pashtuns