Preservation of Pashto folklore literature heritage stressed

Farid Shinwari

PESHAWAR: Highlighting the significance of folklore literature heritage and its different features, the literary figures during a seminar held at provincial city on Tuesday stressed the need for conservation of Pashto folklore literature heritage.

The Directorate of Culture Khyber Pakhtunkhwa organized the seminar which was followed with traditional music and dance to mesmerize the audience.

The seminar was organized by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Directorate of Culture which was also followed with traditional music and Banghra to enthral the audience. Though, the Pashto folklore literature heritage is at the edge of disappearance from society.

Well-known literary figures among them Saadullah Jan Barq, Professor Dr Khadim Hussain, renowned academician Professor Dawar Khan Dawood and Professor Salma Shaheen of Pakhtun academy were also in attendance on the occasion.

Speaking at the seminar, Professor Dr Khadim Hussain, said that Pashto folklore heritage is a valuable asset of Pakhtuns cultural history and this folklore inherited them through generation to generation.

He added that unfortunately several time this folklore was and culture heritage was invaded by earlier Greece civilization, later by Changez Khan, Mughal and then by the British imperialism. He said that it is responsibility of every inhabitants of this land to preserve its cultural norms and heritage and transfer it to next generation.

Mr Hussain further explained that survival of cultural heritage is totally linked with its practice as well as its combination with other cultures where it could nourish and struggle for survival. He stressed the need for Ethnographic study of this region to document separate folklore civil values and also to write books on oral history and its documentation.

Addressing on the occasion Professor Dawar Khan Dawood said that oral stories of our parents have great lessons for next generations. He said that Pashto folklore heritage have four major types which includes verbal heritage, non verbal heritage, material and children stories narrated by parents for children.

He informed that Pashto verbal folklore include Tapa, Charbeta, Nemaky and other musical genre, non verbal forms include Dance, Attan, Bangra and Khattak dance; material formed include old agriculture instruments and other manual work of our forefathers while its fourth forms is children stories which was often narrated by the parents to their children for the purpose of guidance and education.

 

He said that due today modern devices, video games, computers, mobiles, laptops have invaded their cultural games and old story telling traditions which had great importance for children.

Renowned columnist and literary figure Saadullah Jan Barq also highlighted the mythological aspect of folklore literature heritage. He said that in every culture and every civilization mythology has occupied some space and in previous times not only children but youngsters were also interested in mythological stories.

At the end of the seminar prominent folksinger Ahmad Gul Ustad, Irfan Kamal, female singer Meena Gul and Sabibzada practically demonstrated their skill of folk literature and captivated the audience with their pleasant voices.