Baloch people

Baloch بلوچ

Total population
approximately 9 million
Regions with significant populations
Pakistan 6.2 million (2008)  Iran 1.484 million (2009) [1][2]  Afghanistan 567,920 (2009) [3]  Oman 425,000 (2009) [4][5]  United Arab Emirates 100,000  [6]  Kuwait 20,000 (1993)  Qatar 13,000 (2007)  Saudi Arabia 12,000 (2007)  Somalia 8,200 (2007)  Bahrain 25,000 (2009)
Languages
Baluchi, Kurdish, Pashto, Mazandarani, Persian and Avestan
Related ethnic groups
Kurdish people, Pashtuns, Mazandaranis, Lurs and other Iranic groups

The Baloch or Baluch (بلوچ) are an ethnic group that belong to the larger Persian people. Baluch people mainly inhabit the Baluchestan region and Sistan va Baluchestan in the southeast corner of the Persian plateau in Western Asia since their departure from Mesopotamia due largely to continuous wars and chaos in ancient Persia that pushed them toward their present location in Sistan va Baluchestan in present-day Iran, and later toward Baluchestan and parts of Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, and the other side of the Gulf of Oman in Oman, Kuwait, Bahrain.

The Baluch people mainly speak Baluchi, which is a branch of the Persian languages that is highly influenced by that of Mesopotamia and shares similarities with Kurdish, Persian, Avestan and other languages. The Baluch inhabit mountainous terrains and deserts and maintain a very distinct cultural identity.

Some 70 percent of the total Baluch population live in Baluchestan. About 22 percent inhabit the Iranian region of Sistan va Baluchestan. Many of the rest live in Afghanistan, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait. Small communities of Baluch people also live in Sweden and Perth, Australia, where they arrived in the 1800s.

Origins and History

The Median Empire, Lydian Empire, and Neo-Babylonian Empire, prior to Cyrus the Great's conquests

The Baluch people are widely believed by many historians to have first arrived in the modern region of Sistan va Baluchestan, Iran in the twelfth century to protect the borders and increase to the dominion of the Achaemenid Empire. The present region of Makran which is inhabited by Baluch people may have been derived from the word "Maka". Maka is mentioned by the Greek historian Herodotus as one of the early eastern Satraps of Cyrus the Great.^[7][8] Herodotus mentions these migrating people as "Mycians" who were involved in several conquests with Cyrus the Great.^[9] Also in the epigraphs of Bistoon and Persepolis, Sistan is mentioned as one of the eastern territories of Darius the Great (Darius I of Achaemenid), where he is recorded to have personally led his elite forces, whose ranks were restricted to those with Persian, Mede or Elamite ancestory, to fight the invading Sakas and lead the conquest towards Indian sub-continent.^{[10] [11][12]} It is to be noted that the ancient region of Maka today has a large number of Arab population as well, but the traditions, language and music of Baluch people is largely influenced by Mesopotamian cultures. However today large number of Baluch people also live side by side with other inhabitants of Sindh, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while also maintaining their distinct traditions. The origins of the word "Baluch" are shrouded in controversy. According to German archaeologist and Iranologist Ernst Herzfeld, it is derived from the Median word brza-vaciya, which means "loud cry", while others claim the word derives from ancient Persian languages, which also have a Median history. The Baluch people later expanded to other parts of Baluchestan, Afghanistan and Turkmenistan.

Superimposed on modern borders, the Achaemenid Empire under Cyrus's rule extended approximately from Turkey, Israel, Georgia and Arabia in the west to Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, the Indus River and Oman in the east. Persia became the largest empire the world had ever seen.

Baluchi Culture

The Baluch are an ancient Iranian people who, to this day, follow many of their exclusive and unique celebrations and feats. The Baluchi culture is mentioned in the Pirmohamad M. Zehi's travel to province of Sakestan, or the present-day Sistan va Baluchistan province of Iran that holds strong significance to the culture of Baluch people. Baluch people have been able to preserve the way they dress with a little change. The Baluch men wear long shirts with long sleeves and loose pants resembling that of Achaemenid outfits of ancient Persians; the dress is occasionally accompanied by a turban or a hat around their heads. The dress worn by Baluch women is one of the most interesting aspects of Baluchi culture. They are of strong significance to the culture of Iran and hold a special place in the society. The women put on loose dress and pants with sophisticated and colorful needlework, including a large pocket at the front of the dress to hold their accessories. The upper part of the dress and sleeves are also decorated with needlework, a form of artistry that is specific to the clothing of the Baluch women. Often the dress also contains round or square pieces of glass to further enhance the presentation. They cover their hair with a scarf, called a sarig in the local dialect.^[14] These customs are unique to the people of Iran and the art of this needlework on women's clothing may provide one with a picture of the freedom and high status of women in Baluch culture.

Gold ornaments such as necklaces and bracelets are an important aspect of Baluch women’s traditions and among their most favorable items of jewelry are Dorr, heavy earrings that are fastened to the head with gold chains so that the heavy weight will not cause harm to the ears. They usually wear a gold brooch (Tasni) that is made by local jewelers in different shapes and sizes and is used to fasten the two parts of the dress together over the chest. In ancient times, especially during the pre-Islamic era, it was common for Baluch women to perform dances and sing folk songs at different events. The tradition of a Baluch mother singing lullabies to her children plays a great role in the transfer of knowledge from generation to generation since the ancient times. Apart from the dressing style of the Baluch, indigenous and local traditions and customs are also of great importance to the Baluch.^[16]

Ancient Baluchi customs and traditions

Baluchi customs and traditions are conducted by codes that are imposed by tribal laws. These strong traditions and cultural values are very important to Baluch people and have enabled them to keep their distinctive ancient cultural identity and way of life with little change to this day. The origins of Baluchi culture and traditions can be traced back to Mesopotamia, which is widely accepted as the origin of the Baluch people.

Baluchi music and major instruments

Folk music has always played a great role in Baluchi traditions. The Baluchi music and instruments belong to the same branch of Persian music performed by many other Iranian peoples including Kurds, Lurs, Tajiks and others. Traditions like the transfer of knowledge from generation to generation by singing lullabies to children and praising warriors also have a significant role in Baluchi music traditions. The fact that both men and women participate in folk music reflects on the pre-Islamic significance of folk music in Baluchi culture. Many years of invasions, wars and later adopted religious values have prevented Baluchi music from prevailing further in the 21st century. However, a Swedish folk band, Golbang, has made achievements in introducing Baluchi folk music in the western world. The instruments used in Baluchi music can also be found throughout modern-day Kurdistan, Iran, Afghanistan and present-day occupied Baluchestan. The most commonly used instruments in Baluchi folk music are tanbur, long-necked lutes. Lutes have been present in Mesopotamia since the Akkadian era, or the third millennium BCE. The dohol, a large cylindrical drum with two skin heads, is the principal accompaniment for the surna, an ancient Iranian woodwind instrument that dates back to the Achaemenid Dynasty (550-330 B.C.E.). The ney is also commonly played, using single or double flutes. The suroz, a Baluchi folk violin, is also commonly played. Other Baluchi musical instruments include the tar and the saz.

Iranian Languages Family Tree

Baluchi language

The Balochi language is spoken in Iran, Baluchestan, Afghanistan, the Persian Gulf Arab states, Turkmenistan, and as far as East Africa and some Western countries. It is classified as a member of the Iranian group of the Indo-European language family, which includes Kurdish, Persian, Pashto, Dari, Tajik and Ossetian. The Baluchi language has the closest similarities to Kurdish, Persian, Avestan and other Iranian languages.

More examples: Persian languages

Two main dialects are spoken in Sistan va Baluchestan and Baluchestan: Eastern and Western. The exact number of Baluch speakers is difficult to know, but the estimated number could be around six million. The majority speak Western Baluchi, which is also the dialect that has been most widely used in Baluchi literature. Within the Western dialect are two further dialects, Rakhshani (spoken mainly in the northern areas) and Makrani (in the south).^[19] Like many other Iranian people, the Baluch have several tribes and sub-tribes. Some of these tribes speak Brahui, while most speak Baluchi. Multilingualism is common, with many Baluch speaking both Brahui and Baluchi. The Marri tribe and the Bugti tribe speak Baluchi. The Mengal tribe, who live in Chagai, Khuzdar, Kharan and in southern parts of Afghanistan, speak Brahui. The Lango tribe, who live in central Baluchestan in the Mangochar area, speak Baluchi as their first language and Brahui as their second. The Bizenjo tribe living in the Khuzdar, Nal, and parts of Makkura, along with the Muhammadsanis, speak both languages. The Bangulzai tribe mostly speaks Brahui, but has a Baluchi-speaking minority (known as Garanis).

The Mazaris widely speak Baluchi or both dialects. The Malghani are part of the Nutkani tribe, which is the largest tribe of the tehsil. The Talpur, Mastoi, Jatoi, Gabol, Lashari, Chandio, Khushk, Khosa, Bozdar, Jiskani, Heesbani, Magsi, Zardari, Rind, Bhurgri, Jakhrani and other Baluch tribes that settled in Sindh speak Sindhi, Baluchi and Siraiki. The Qaisrani Baluch living near Taunsa Sharif speak Saraiki and Baluchi, while their clansmen living the Dera Ghazi Khan tribal areas speak Balochi. The Lund Baluch living in Shadan Lund speak Sindhi, Sairaki and Balochi. The Leghari, Lashari, Korai, Kunara Baluch in the Dera Ismail Khan and Mianwali districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa speak Seraiki as their first language. The Tauqi Baloch in the Khara, Noshki, Chaghi and Washuk districts of Balochistan can speak both Baluchi and Bravi, but their primary language is Baluchi. The Buzdar are one of the largest tribes of Baloch in southern Punjab, living in Koh-e-Suleman. The Buzdar tribe is composed of four union councils in Dera Ghazi Khan District. It is headed by Sardar Fateh Muhammad Khan Buzdar. Sardar Farooq Buzdar, from the same family, also holds a prominent position among the Buzdar tribe.^[20]

Demographics

The total population of ethnic Baloch people is estimated to be around 9 million worldwide. However, the exact number of those who are Baloch or claim to be of Baloch ancestry is difficult to determine. As of 2010, the Baloch are 4.97% of Pakistan's 177,276,594 million people.^[21] They make up 2% of Afghanistan's roughly 30 million people^[22] and 2% of Iran's estimated 67 million.^[23]

Major ethnic groups in Pakistan, Afghanistan and the surrounding areas, 1980. The Baloch are shown in pink.

In the Punjab province of Pakistan almost 10% of peoples are Baloch. Most of them speak Saraiki but in the Jhang area of Punjab, the majority of the Baloch population speak Punjabi language. It is possible that there are more Baloch than simply those who claim Balochi as their mother tongue. This, however, raises the question as to who is and is not a Baloch, as many surrounding peoples claim to be of Baloch descent but do not speak Balochi. The Brahui are also considered Baloch but they speak the Brahui language. Despite very few cultural differences from the Baloch, the higher population figures for the Baloch may only be possible if a large number of them are included who speak different languages like Saraiki, Sindhi, and Brahui, and who often claim descent from Baloch ancestors. Many Baloch outside of Balochistan are also bilingual or of mixed ancestry due to their proximity to other ethnic groups, including the Sindhis, Persians, Saraikis and Pashtuns. A large number of Baloch have been migrating to or living in provinces adjacent to Balochistan for centuries. Balochs make up 2% of Iran's population (1.5 million) and live in its southeastern provinces. In addition, there are many Baloch living in other parts of the world, with the bulk living in the GCC countries of the Persian Gulf. The Baloch are an important commmunity in Oman, where they make up a sizable minority.

There is some population of Baloch in several Western countries such as Sweden and Australia. Many Baloch settled in Australia in the 1800s; some fourth-generation Baloch still live there, mainly in the western city of Perth.

Baluch in Oman

The Southern Baluch of Oman began migrating from coastal Baluchestan to the Arab lands some 200 years before oil was discovered. The Baluch in Oman have maintained their ethnic and linguistic distinctions. The Southern Baloch compose approximately 22% of the country's population. The traditional economy of Baluch in Oman is based on a combination of trade, farming and semi-nomadic shepherding.^[24]

See also

• Balochi music
• Iranian peoples
• Sistan and Baluchestan Province
• Kurdish people
• Pashtun people
• Lorestān Province
• Ancient Persia

References

External links

• Iran.ir
• Iran entry at The World Factbook
• Baloch people at the Open Directory Project
• Wikimedia Atlas of Iran
• Baloch people travel guide from Wikitravel