Culture

CULTURE:

A culture is a way of life of a group of people--the behaviors, beliefs, values, attitudes and symbols that they accept, generally without thinking about them, and that are passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next.
There is no phenomena more complex then culture.

In the nineteenth century, humanists such as English poet and essayist Matthew Arnold (1822-1888) used the word "culture" to refer to an ideal of individual human refinement, of "the best that has been thought and said in the world.

"Culture is properly described as the love of perfection; it is a study of perfection."

(Matthew) Arnold

Cultures of PAKISTAN

CULTURE OF PAKISTAN:

Pakistan was established in 1947 and emerged as an independent Muslim state on the map of the world. Pakistan is a part of the Sub-Continent and different cultural values are present in it. Muslims and Hindus lived together in the united Sub-Continent for many years. After the establishment of the first Muslim Government in the Sub-Continent, different Muslims conquerors keep on coming to Sub-Continent and rule on the Sub-Continent for about 1000 years.
Under the control of Muslim leaders Muslims and Hindus lived together for a long period and due to such long interaction most of their values got merged into each other. Muslims and Hindus have many traditions in common like different ceremonies of marriage are common in both Hindus and Muslims. After the separation of Sub-Continent all these cultural values were brought by the incoming Muslims.
Sub-Continent also remained under the control of the British for many years due to which their cultural values and traditions also got developed in the people of Pakistan

Different cultures of Pakistan:
There are four provinces of Pakistan and all the four provinces have their own Cultural values. The major population of Pakistan consists of Punjabi, Sindhi, Sarhadi, and Blochi. They all have different cultural values according to there region but they all have one thing in common that is:
RELIGION:
In Pakistan most of the people belongs to the Islamic religion. They have same common cultural values. They all perform the same religious rites and celebrate all those ceremonies that all the Muslims of the world do. All the Muslims enjoy all those liberties been provided to them by the religion. They all follow the same principals that are told to all the Muslims by the Holy Quran and our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W).

Punjabi Culture

1. Punjabi Culture:

Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjab region. It is one of the oldest and richest cultures in world history, dating from ancient antiquity to the modern era. The Punjabi Culture is the culture of the Punjabi people who are now distributed throughout the world. The scope, history, sophistication and complexity of the culture are vast. Some of the main areas include, Punjabi Philosophy, poetry, spirituality, education, artistry, music, cuisine, science, technology, military warfare, architecture, traditions, values and history.
Punjabi Culture ;A Big Melting Point:
People of different languages, cultures, customs and races came to Punjab for good life and it was the strength and superiority of Punjabi culture and language that these all immigrants forgot their native culture and became Punjabi.

Language:

The main languages of Punjab Province are the Punjabi, Urdu, Saraiki, Potowari and Pashto.

Punjabi Music:
Bhangra is one of the many Punjabi musical art forms that is increasingly being listened to in the west and is becoming a mainstream favourite. In addition, Punjabi Classical music is increasingly becoming popular in the west due to the beauty of sounds of the Punjabi language and its composition.

History:

Harrapa was the main site of the indus valley civilization in punjab. and the ruins find there predicts its historical culture.

Punjabi Cuisine:
Punjabi Cuisine has an immense range of dishes and has become world-leader in the field so much so that many entrepreneurs that have invested in the sector have built large personal fortunes due to popularity of Punjabi Cuisine throughout the world.

Punjabi Poetry:
Punjabi Poetry is renowned for its extremely deep meaning, beautiful, exciting and hopeful use of words. The poetry is one of the deepest insights into the Punjabi mindset. The large number of Punjabi poetry masterpieces is being translated throughout the world into many languages.

Punjabi homes:

Old style Punjabi Homes were made of mud,simple and beautiful. But now a days houses made up of brikes and cement are every where in city as as well as in villages.

Punjabi wedding tradition:

Punjabi wedding traditions and ceremonies are traditionally conducted in Punjabi and are a strong reflection of Punjabi culture. While the actual religious marriage ceremony among Muslims is conducted in Arabic by the Kazi. There are commonalities in ritual, song, dance, food, dress. The Punjabi wedding has many rituals and ceremonies that have evolved since traditional times.

Folklore:

Folks are the heratage of punjqab and is a traditional urge from thousand of years.

Dress:
Punjabi men wear shalwar kameez with a pagri on their head, and similarly ladies also wear shalwar kameez. In the elite class or modern class the fashion of wearing jeans and shirts is being promoted.

Sindhi Culture

2. SINDHI CULTURE:
Sindhi’s are a Sindhi speaking socio-ethnic group of people originating from Sindh, a province of Pakistan. Sindhi’s living in Pakistan are predominantly Muslim but there is a significant number of Hindus Sindhi’s, and a small minority of Christians.
Dress:
Sindhi women in Pakistan are still very traditional overall, can be seen wearing Shalwar Qameez, while donning a Chador on their heads; Men traditionally wear white and/or blue clothes and sometimes wear turbans or a traditional Sindhi cap on their heads.
Sufism:
Until today, people of Sindhi community practice elements of Sufism in their day to day life. They believe in Sufism.

Sindhi Music:
Sindhi music is native to the Sindh region of the South Asia and includes many different varieties. Music is generally performed in either the “Baits” or “Waee” styles. The Baits style is vocal music in Sanhoon, low voice, or Graham, high voice. Waee music is instrumental performed in a variety of ways using a string instrument.

Sindhi Poetry:
Sindhi poetry which originally consisted of slightly modified Urdu Dohas and Sorthas was, in the course of time, supplemented by Persian forms of prosody like Ghazal, Mathnavi, Rubai etc., and, thereafter, in the forties of this century, was further strengthened by Sonnet and Blank Verse.

Balochi Culture a deversified culture

3. BALOCHI CULTURE:
Balochistan is a city in Pakistan in the province of Balochistan, Pakistan where most of the Baloch ethnic group resides.

Culture, Custom and Tradition:
The dimension of the province is very complicated in terms of variety of culture. Custom and tradition because of variation in geographical features .The Balochistan is the largest in area and have different physical features; thus very part which varies in its physical feature is diversified in numerous culture backgrounds. They have tribal system, having roots in Balochi culture.

Language:
The people of Balochistan mostly speak two common languages, Balochi and Siraiki.

Food :
One part of Balochistan differ from other due to its divers geography thus various kind of food is consumed. The residents of rice producing belt mostly consume rise, wheat, butter, curd, milk and vegetable .The people residing beside Kirther range consume milt, jowar, peas and dairy product. The population, which resides in towns, take spicy food made of mutton, vegetable and pulses.

Dress and ornaments:
The dress of men and women vary according to the season. Men wear thick or thin cotton clothes in summer and woolen clothes in winter season. Some of them wear caps or turban. They also wear chaster in winter. Women always wear loose shirts and Shalwars in summer. The educated class of people of this district wears clothes remarkably of different style and different color. Males wear pants of cotton shirts and Shalwar in summer and silken shirts and Shalwar in winter. The Muslim female population in urban as well as in rural areas wear Burkas which is an essential part of dress.
The golden as well as silver ornaments are being used by women according to their ranks on societies. Women of poor class of people use silver ornaments whereas women of the rich families use golden ornaments. The types of ornaments generally worn in the district are necklace, bangles, ear-ring, nose-ring and pazeb, generally of silver.

Dwelling :
The houses in rural areas are made of mud while in town civil engineering techniques are applied in house building. Yet huts and jhoonpra, made of straws in villages, can be found. But such housing trends, which acclimatize to the intensity of heat, is dying due to better economy.

Occupation:
The majority of population of villages is involved in cultivation, are providing business opportunities to residents. The inhabitants of Kirthar do farming while Mallah’s of Mancher Lake earn their livelihood by fishing. Approximately 20 percent of the district population are serving in Federal and Provincial Governments.

Betrothal and Marriages :
Betrothals and marriages are done with great rejoice, fervour, enthusiasm and ecstasy. These are very much ceremonial and full community participation. The marriages are mostly planned with consent of families. The occasion of marriage ceremony starts with the registration of marriage. After acceptance from both bride and bridegroom, the priest/Nikah Khawn gives a sermon, reciting verses from Holy Quran and ends with prayer/good-wishes.

N.W.F.P Culture.

1. N.W.F.P CULTURE:
The N.W.F.P is the northern most province of Pakistan. It is bordered by Afghanistan(west) Punjab(south- east) by Azad Kashmir(north-west),
Language:
The inhabitants of the frontier are mostly Pathans. Pathans speak Pashtu. It is mostly spoken in the Trans-Indus region, in the tribal belt of NWFP as well as in the northern districts of Baluchistan. Pashtu claims to be an old language nourished by the Pathans living in the long mountain belt from Hindukush to kirthar range.
Customs and traditions:

Tribal customs and traditions form an inseparable part of Pakhtoon society. Pathans are men of swords and guns; the history of tribal areas is full of romance and glorious adventure. Melmastiya(hospitality) teega(truth) and Nanawatey are the cardinal features of Pakhtoon’s society. The tries men, as orthodox Muslim , have deep faith in Holy Quran .
The customs relating to Nanawatey are more or less identical throughout the Pukhtoon society. However, less was a custom in the past according to which the suppliant used to go before his enemy with a rope round his neck as a mark of humility. This custom no longer exists.
Food:
Dry fruits are produced in N.W.F.P and very popular all over the world. One special thing which is very famous among Pathans is chappal kabab. It also popular among the people of Pakistan. They also eat mutton, biryani and pallow.
Dressing:

Pathans usually wear shalwar qameez with turban. There turban is symbol of honor. Women wear embroided qameez which contains lot of glass work. There embroided dresses are very famous among the women of Pakistan.

Dance:
In spite of a tough and rigid society the Pathans have inherited a rich culture with all the rigidness on the onehand and all the softness, romance and beauties on the other.
One of the most famous and adored dances of the Pathans is the khattak dance.