Sheedi Community in Sindh, Pakistan - Sindhi Association of North ...

Here I have used the word community for Sheedis because they have their own
distinct identity, musical recognition, and they live in a shared socio-cultural
organization. In Anthropological sense, the term is restricted to mean a local
community, generally fairly small scale and often described as a traditional
isolated or semi isolated groups, united by a common social and occupational
category.
1.4 ETYMOLOGY OF SHEEDI
Sheedi women are traditional singer and dancer in Sindh and their main
occupation is singing and the major source of earning is Ghor (money earned
through traditional singing and dancing). Ghor is being taken over from the heads
and hands of people to people through dancing or showering over the people.
Sheedis are known as singing and dancing occupational caste group in Sindh
due to their major profession of singing in different ceremonies. In a way, as folk
musician caste group, it is inheritor of music tradition of Sindh over generations.
1.5 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
Following are the main objectives of my research before going into field:
1. To find out the history of Sheedi community in Sindh
2. To record the indigenous customs and values of Sheedis
3. To find out social organization of Sheedis
4. To know the concept of folklore or oral tradition in Sheedi community
5. To find out the history of women traditional singing in Sheedi community
6. To identify the way of women‟s traditional singing in Sheedi community
7. To describe the occupation of Sheedi women as traditional singers
8. To know the inherited transformation of traditional singing and use of
traditional instruments in Sheedi community
1.6 EXPLANATION OF KEY TERMS
3