Hindko and Gujari. c - SIL International

138
Calinda E. Hallberg and Clare F. O’Leary
of Khan Abdul Qayyum Khan, former Chief Minister of the
North-West Frontier Province, were the Gujars given rights to
land and forest. At that time, the Mittikot Gujars obtained the
land near their winter settlement. The land and forest in the upper
area, however, are still owned by Swati landlords from Balakot.
In exchange for the use of the land, the Gujars must give a
certain amount of livestock, produce, field labor, and household
service to the landlords each year (Arif 1987). 28
The Gujars were traditionally nomadic herdsmen of goats
and sheep. When they settled in Mittikot, they took up
agriculture. They have also since shifted toward raising
buffaloes. In 1986, only nine families had flocks of goats and
sheep. Most families have just a few animals. Arif (1987)
explains that the population in Mittikot is growing and the Gujars
there are not able to subsist on just their crops and livestock.
Therefore, most families are engaged in wood cutting. Both
adults and children, male and female, collect wood and carry it
… the Pathan tribe of Tarins acquired a large portion of the rights
of the elder Gujar families in the Hazara plain; and the Urmanzais,
whom the remaining Gujars called across the Indus to Tarbela in
order to strengthen their position, obtained possession by mortgage
and sale of much of the land belonging to those who invited their
aid (1908:123).
A weak tribe would find its territory the subject of harassing
demands and attacks from some poor but braver tribe in the
vicinity. Unable to defend itself unaided, it would call its
neighbours to help. To them it would give land in payment for their
arms, and on a service tenure subordinate to the old lords. But in
the course of time the latter would become more effete, while their
retainers would grow more numerous and exacting in their
demands, and so gradually the original tribe would be entirely
supplanted (1908:123).
28 Ahmed (1986:108-9) in his description of Hazara ethnicity explains
that the Swat Pathans pushed the Gujars from the forests and fertile valleys up
to the less arable hilltops. The Swatis as well as the Sayyeds became dominant,
and groups such as the Awans and Gujars became the dominated. “Hazara
society has created stereotypes for each group, and the individual is expected to
behave accordingly … a Swati Pathan must be aggressive, a Sayyed must be
gentle, and an Awan or Gujar must ‘know his place’ (i.e., be humble) … Gujars
are considered the most lowly …”(1986:108).