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Here is my horrible first post, because I'm sure its a question that has been asked ad-nasuem.
Am I Pashtun?
My family says we are, but we have been in UP India (and after partition Pakistan) for many generations. There are family records tracing every male member of the family back to Afghanistan. My father's family claims we are Mohmand and my mothers family claims they are Yousefzai.
No one in my parents generation speaks Pashtu. My fathers grandparents were the last people in my family that spoke Pashtu or Dari. Since his grandparents spoke it to each other, my father can speak some Dari.
There are people in my distant family (who are also recorded in the said document that traces us back to Afghanistan) who look more Indian than my immediate family.
There are some claims in our family history which I find to be contradictory. While my family claims to be Mohmand, I am also told that at some-point our ancestors resided in Jalabad. But is that an area with many Mohmand?
So would we be considered Pastun? Pashtuns that I have discussed this with give different answers. Naturally, since I don't want to seem like I'm posing, I rarely ask this question to Pashtuns in person. Mostly, what I hear is that we would not be considered Pashtun.
Also, let me add why I am asking this. I've grown up being told I am a Pashtun. However, I realize that most Pashtuns would not regard me as such. I "look" Pashtun to most people, but I'm not even sure what that means. I'm light skinned, tall, and non-Indian looking. But I've seen Pashtuns that are dark, short and Indian looking. So I don't even know if this means anything.
Thoughts? (No Trolling)
Am I Pashtun?
My family says we are, but we have been in UP India (and after partition Pakistan) for many generations. There are family records tracing every male member of the family back to Afghanistan. My father's family claims we are Mohmand and my mothers family claims they are Yousefzai.
No one in my parents generation speaks Pashtu. My fathers grandparents were the last people in my family that spoke Pashtu or Dari. Since his grandparents spoke it to each other, my father can speak some Dari.
There are people in my distant family (who are also recorded in the said document that traces us back to Afghanistan) who look more Indian than my immediate family.
There are some claims in our family history which I find to be contradictory. While my family claims to be Mohmand, I am also told that at some-point our ancestors resided in Jalabad. But is that an area with many Mohmand?
So would we be considered Pastun? Pashtuns that I have discussed this with give different answers. Naturally, since I don't want to seem like I'm posing, I rarely ask this question to Pashtuns in person. Mostly, what I hear is that we would not be considered Pashtun.
Also, let me add why I am asking this. I've grown up being told I am a Pashtun. However, I realize that most Pashtuns would not regard me as such. I "look" Pashtun to most people, but I'm not even sure what that means. I'm light skinned, tall, and non-Indian looking. But I've seen Pashtuns that are dark, short and Indian looking. So I don't even know if this means anything.
Thoughts? (No Trolling)
You told me that you are from delhi, but now from U.P ?
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