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PASHAI 603
at present modern small arms of Soviet manufacture are widely distributed among
the male population. If men fail to act in terms of the values of honor and
masculinity, they risk strong sanctions. Their enemies may call them men without
honor and belittle what they say, people may joke at their expense and, in
extreme cases, women may even pour ashes on their heads.
The Pashai in Darra-i-Nur are divided into hierarchically ranked cultural categories
based on occupation. The highest ranked of these is the siyal, or "equals."
This category consists of men (and related women) who own property, that is,
those individuals who own fields and share rights to pastures. The lowest-ranked
group is thepeishawar, or "artisans." The rayat ("landless tenants") are thought
to be descended from the pagan population of Darra-i-Nur conquered by the
ancestors of the siyal. In the main Darra-i-Nur Valley these categories form
caste-like groups in that marriage is permitted only between members of the
same "caste" category. In Oygal some informants denied that these categories
were in fact a barrier to marriage. It remains to be seen, however, if in Oygal
marriages actually take place across category lines, since detailed census data
is lacking. There is some evidence contained in songs and stories that similar
categorical distinctions are important in the western Pashai-speaking area.
In many instances Pashai villages are linked together into larger units of various
sizes. It is questionable whether it is always meaningful to refer to these as tribes
since they are not always territorially bounded and are not always based on the
same inclusion principles. Specifically, in some instances these units are based
on a belief in common descent, while in other instances they are based on a
belief in a common place of origin, usually a particular valley. For example,
the Shenganek, or "people of the horn," are believed to be the descendants of
an infant boy abandoned in the mountains. This infant was discovered when a
goat scraped away the leaves covering it with its horns. In contrast, the Chugani
are those people whose ancestors came from the Kordar Valley. Their "tribal"
appellation is derived from the Pashai name for that valley.
There is still little information on the majority of Pashai. Given the current
(1982) situation in Afghanistan, it is doubtful this will change in the near future.
However, the Pashai are an important segment of the Afghan population; they
warrant study if and when it again becomes possible to do research in Afghanistan.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Books
Grierson, G. A. "Specimens of the Dardic or Pisacha Languages." In Linguistic Survey
of India. Vol. 8, 2. Calcutta: Superintendent of Government Printing, 1919.
Humlum, Johannes. La Geographie de I'Afghanistan, Etude d'un pays aride avec des
chapitres de M. Kie and K. Ferdinand. Copenhagen: Gyldenal, 1959.
Masson, C. Narrative of Various Journeys in Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Punjab.
London: Richard Bentley, 1842.