Efforts for promotion and conservation of Pashtun culture and heritage

[Badlun]

The more we are Pashtuns, the less we will be religious bigots and radicals
Spoon-feeding heritage: Threading Pukhtun culture into K-P, FATA curricula


PESHAWAR: “Unless heritage and culture are kept in continuous practice, they die and are lost,” UNESCO’s Trust for History Arts and Architecture (THAAP) executive director said at training held at the Area Study Centre in the University of Peshawar on Saturday.

THAAP presented recommendations on how to better integrate Pukhtun history and heritage in school learning, suggesting a two-pronged approach which targets both students and teachers. The training was conducted for teachers from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata).
“We have to own our intangible heritage and culture if we want to succeed,” Sajida Haider Vandal said speaking to The Express Tribune. Vandal, a former principal of the National College of Arts, Lahore, is now the executive director of THAAP which works to promote peace and social cohesion though heritage education.
The initiative is meant to make students aware of what they have inherited from their area and the traditions of their people. A sense of ownership towards their culture and knowledge about diversity present in the region are expected to foster respect and tolerance in coming generations.
“We have to help integrate cultural heritage into education and learning in schools if we want to survive,” said Vandal.
A page from your own book
Students will be introduced to four different areas of Pukhtun tradition – social practices, folklore, handicrafts and traditional games.
According to Vandal, students between the ages of 6 and 15 will be the main target audience in a bid to help inculcate a Pukhtun identity.
At the training, teachers were directed to use and give examples from their own heritage while teaching various subjects, including mathematics, Pakistan studies, English, science and arts.
Books written by western writers do not always highlight the true image of Pukhtuns, argued Director Area Study Centre Dr Sarfaraz Khan. To remedy this, “we need to prepare books for our students which highlight our values.”
Dr Salma Shaheen, Dr Rajwali Shah Khattak and Rokhan Yousafzai were also invited to discuss the recommendations. They shared folklore, local games and literature with the schools teachers.
Local learning
Rokhan Yousafzai told participants stories about figures such as Yousaf Khan and Sherbano, Dalay and Shahai, and Adam Khan and Durhanai.
According to THAAP’s plan, students will also be taught about Pakistan’s six world heritage sites in the light of “identity, development and economics.” Not to preclude music, instrument making would also be incorporated in the curricula, focusing on the rabab, tabla, harmonium and mangay.
Pukhtun practices such as jirga, nanawati (asylum), badal (justice) and melmastia (hospitality) will be included in the different types of oral and written learning material.
None of this would be easy to implement, worried the teachers present.
FATA Secretariat Deputy Director Education Hasham Khan Afridi also attended the workshop. He promised participants the department would try to implement all recommendations in the Fata education system.


Spoon-feeding heritage: Threading Pukhtun culture into K-P, FATA curricula – The Express Tribune

[randolph85]

badlun, do you realize that your way of thinking is far more distant from pashtun culture than it is islam?

[Badlun]

badlun, do you realize that your way of thinking is far more distant from pashtun culture than it is islam?

What is Pashtun culture for you? Apart from women what do you think are other elements of Pashtun culture.
I being a son of Pashtun parents love Pashto language, Pashtun cultural traits like pat, nang, khegarha, wafa, tura, melmastya, jerga, nanawatey, ashar, gham khadi, kaley kalweeghi, hujra jumat, da masharano izat etc.

I do not have any problem with any element of Pashtunwali except Tor as blaming innocent lovers and killing them. Rest of the problems Pashtuns have are not because of Pashtunwali but because of religious bigotry and radicalism. Pashtuns were all right before introduction of Salafi wahabi Islam.

Yes other problems like illiteracy, drugs, poverty, no science and technology , no modern education are other issues but these are not inherent in Pashtun culture but because of the geography and now the extremist violent Islam.

[Collen414]

Post is nicely written and it contains many good things for me. I am glad to find your impressive way of writing the post.

[AleaseSharpless]

The Pashtun culture must be preserved at any cost. It packs along the diversity of the culture of humans.,

[Loy Afghanistan]

I have started promoting Pashton/Afghan schools outside Afghanistan so the new generation that did not have the possibility to go Afghan/Pashtun School can do it and it ease the tension for the parents as well. At the same time we will hold on to Pashto language, culture, tradition and history, the bonus is that it will benefit Pashtuns so they don't go and become outsiders and marry outsiders.