Bulfati

The Bulfati, (برفت) also known as the Burfat, Burphat or Bulfat, is a Baloch tribe living in various areas of Pakistan and Iran.

History and origin

In the large block of hill country between the Pakistani cities of Sehwan, Kotri Akro and Karachi the principal inhabitants are the Numrias or Burfats, of whom it is generally said that they are descendants of the Samma (tribe), as apparently are the Jokhias who occupy the skirts of the hills to the south of them, towards Malir and Thatta. Both these tribes were at one time associated more closely with Las Bela than with Sind, the Numrias having for a short period in the seventeenth century supplied the ruling dynasty of the country. The Baloch derivation of these tribes is demonstrated by the style of the carved stone tombs which are such a prominent feature of the country in which they are predominant, from Jherrak as far north as Hinidan on the right bank of Hab river.

The tribe of Bulfat originated in Lasbela in Balochistan. The first female ruler of this part of Balochistan in the 16th century was "The Great Mai Chagli. She became ruler of the state after the death of her husband Mir Malik Paharh Khan.There is a cultural prejudice among the Baloch against accepting a female ruler, and soon after her husbands's death, she faced a challenge from the rival Baloch tribes, who had settled surrounding areas of Khuzdar, Wadh, and Kalat. She was threatened by khan of kalat to leave lasbela or her only son Mir Malik Izzat khan will be killed.After discussion with her tribE she then her son and tribe migrated to kotri .Half of the tribe on the way settled in mountainous area of sindh called kohistan.This is now found scattered in Iranian Balochistan, Sindh and Pakistani Balochistan. The chief of the Bulfat tribe is called "Malik", and the current chief is Malik Asad Sikandar Khan.

Distribution

In Iran, they are found in Bahu, Dashtyari and Chahbar, while in Pakistan, they are found in the mountains of Khirthar in Sindh and also to Punjab. The Bulfati have also emigrated to Zanzibar, Oman, and Mombasa in East Africa. In the Iranian province Sistan and Balochistan, people call these Jadgal. Jadgal means "the different language speaker", even though Lasbela residents today speak the lasi language.

Further reading