Mareeha Ahmad_Sidra Ali_Reimaging Linguistic Diversity of Pakistani Languages

MA: Hi! Okay so before I begin, I would like to give just a brief introduction about the project. My name is Mareeha, and I am going to conduct your interview for the project” Reimagining the linguistic diversity of local languages in Pakistan”, so here we have Sidra Ali, who is Wakhi speaker, and I will be taking your interview. Hi, could you please tell me a little bit about yourself?

SA: Thank you so much for inviting me here. My name is Sidrah Sakhi. I belong to village Passu in Gojal. At the moment I am doing my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from FCCU, Lahore.

MA: A little bit about maybe your hometown, a little bit about the historical background of the area you are from, where you live.

SA: So, I come from Passu. It is a village in Gojal. Currently, its population is 1400. Historically, we can consider Passu as the second settlement in Gojal. What I would highlight here, as part of the historical background of Passu, is that the people of Passu, well-known to date are the politically active ones. Those who have shown resistance against the Mir(system of rule). So, the first people to do so were from Passu. Other than this, people from Passu have stepped out of their village to get an education and are currently working in different professions.

MA: I heard something about resistance. Could you just tell me for my information in Urdu or English?

SA: It is a term used for the mir system that was prevalent in Hunza according to which a mir would rule over the region. It is a known resistance against the mir system through which people voiced the need for a better governance. Some people from Passu showed this resistance against the mir, as a result of which, they were imprisoned.

MA: Okay so if we talk about your family, could you tell me about your family? Who your family members are and just a little bit about them?

SA: Both, my maternal and paternal grandparents are from Passu for which I consider myself fortunate. So my grandparents from both sides are part of my family. My father has two sisters and a brother. We, ourselves are four sisters. I am the oldest. We live in Gilgit while my grandparents live in Passu and so does my extended family.

MA: Okay so, Wakhi has multiple dialects, you understand the word dialect? The different ways it is spoken. When I did my research, I came across, Gojali, Ishkamni, I am not sure if I am pronouncing these right, yaseeni, yukrani. Which one of these dialects do you speak?

SA: Right now, I am using the Gojali dialect as I am from Gojal. This dialect is used in Gojal. Other than that, the Ishkamni dialect is used in Ishkoman Valley.

MA: Oh! So the dialects are derived from the places? Okay so, when I was doing my research I came to know that Wakhi communities often tend to speak more than one language including different kinds of Persian, Pushto and Urdu. Do you speak any other language besides Wakhi and Urdu?

SA: Amongst the languages given here, I only know Wakhi. But when I came to Lahore and heard my friends speak Pashto and Balochi, particularly Balochi similar to Irani, I realized that both our languages have similarities. I do understand a few words but not all of them.

MA: So, you are saying they are similar to Iranian, basically Indo-Iranian languages.

SA: Yes, they do have the same roots *inaudible*

MA: Can you understand the other languages slightly?

SA: Some specific words are similar. One day, I randomly asked my hostel friends to translate the name of a dish, where we break bread into pieces and dip it in tea and also do something similar with curry. One of my friends from Baluchistan, mentioned the exact same name we use for it in Wakhi.

MA: From Baluchistan?

SA: Yeah

MA: Because the border of Baluchistan is connected with Iran.

SA: Yeah! Their Balochi is mostly influenced by Irani language and Balochi language might also be of different types, I don’t really have much knowledge regarding this.

MA: About languages?

SA: Yeah! But we can refer to it as dialects...

MA: You mean the different dialects of Balochi language; Balochi might have different versions of its own right?

SA: Yeah, so this might be the type of Balochi that is influenced by Irani language. Maybe that’s why some words are similar.

MA: So, does anyone here speak it? Any such language here on campus, like Balti, do you understand it?

SA: I do not understand Balti at all.

MA: Really?

SA: Yes, because Baltistan and Gilgit are different regions. I understand the languages spoken in Gilgit such as Brushashki, Shinah, then Brushaski of Yaseen as well. But Baltistan is completely different.

MA: Okay so, coming towards art or clothing, are there specific symbols for your region or some specific colors, similar to how black color is highly valued in Pakhtun community, if I am not wrong and how , in Baluchistan ,red color holds significance. If there are any such colors or patterns in your clothing? When I searched, I found the word, Toqi. I don’t know if that’s the right term, because in the video the ladies were wearing a hat they were referring to as a Toqi

SA: Okay…

MA: Now, they weren’t specifically from Wakhan communities In Pakistan. They belonged to Tajikistan, and they used the term there, they also talked about socks and the trend of knitting so something like that, any clothing or art related things that hold significance or meaning in your culture.

SA: Just to clarify, I believe that these things are mostly influenced by Tajikistan in the way that they have the same white dress, and the same knitted socks. It is mostly the Tajikistani culture.

SA: Since Wakhi people have had the shepherd life, they have dressed in that way. I can highlight the shalwar kameez and the piece of cloth tied around the back which made tasks easier for them.

MA: Women too?

SA: Yes women too. My aunt as well when we goes to the farm to feed the cattle.

MA: And the cap that you are wearing…

SA: Ah yes, this cap, we call this cap, Skeed

MA: Skeed? Not Toqi then?

SA: No..I mean maybe in another culture...

MA: Yes, because this language is spoken in two-three other countries...

SA: Yeah maybe, a Tajiki word. You see these patterns; they vary across regions in Baltistan. The cap of Watun Yasin would be different from [unclear], from Chitral, and there is a difference in the height as well.MA: I’ve seen the Balti hat. They have a jewel as well at the top.

SA: Yes, there is a jewel. Or they have a flower at the front. Okay, this cap, you see this part…this dark part at the back, it’s always worn at the back.

MA: Why?

SA: Ritual, perhaps? An interesting thing is that grandmas always place needles on the top of their caps.

MA: Okay so if we talk about food, what was your favourite food growing up? If you want to share a recipe you can, for any food that your hometown is known for.

SA: The disclaimer here is that now the [Wakhi food] is not so frequently made. Now the food of Gilgit and Gojal has been influenced by the allover food of Pakistan because of the availability, I guess, of spices. So people have shifted to that. And to make these [non-local] dishes, not a lot of hard work is required. So I like Molida and…. Ghilmindi. They are my favorites. Ghilmindi is the layers of chapati, each spread with curd and apricot oil.

MA: What type of milk? I'm sorry, oil. Oil, right?

SA: Apricot. We make it, extract it. We also use some rich oil, like walnuts, is used for making the dish.

MA: So fruits basically, fruits, nuts etc.

SA: Yes, their oils are used, and I have seen that in Hunza, the same dish is used with green onions now, people from Hunza use them.

MA: o you get green onions there?

SA: Yes, yes, you get them People grow them themselves, like green onions, which we see a lot in Korean food, but we use the same thing there as well. So there are variations like this in local dishes as well. So I have named two local dishes. One is called Gilmandi and the other is called Molida. Then you boil the curd and in that you make crumbles You make pieces of it and cook it And then you take it out in a bowl and in the middle you make a well And in that you put oil, apricot oil And it is a little sour in taste.

MA: So when you make the tempering for the curd, you fry the curd right?

SA: We boil it.

MA: You boil it? Yes. Do you add anything?

SA: No, we don't add anything. Only salt. Oh, so you add salt for seasoning. Yes. Oil and then the roti? Yes, just oil. The pieces of the roti are very small, so they get mixed with the curd

MA: So you don't get to know that much And do people come from outside? Is it open for tourists?

SA: Yes, totally open.

MA: So do more tourists come there?

SA: Yes, more tourists come. They can come easily. But one thing is that the main route, KKHA, Karakoram Highway, you can use that. But to like interact with the community, like you are coming inside the village, you need to be a bit respectful and you need to take permission, In some cases, people directly come to enter the communities. And in many villages, there is no concept of Char Diwari. not all homes have walls and a roof, it doesn't happen like that. There are very low walls and you cannot differentiate between homes even. So what happens is that people come and then they would use the fruits that belongs to the people. So such cases come. But still, to say that people are very hospitable, so they never say no but still they need to respect…

MA: Yes agreed. So if we were to talk about old traditions, songs, ghazals or religious anthems or poetry, if you know some, would you like to share?

SA: I can think of two poetry pieces one is by Shomoborok Boud and the other is Sinisai. Sinisai is sung by women, particularly when a bride leaves her home. So there is a folk story behind this. And apart from that, Shomoborok Boud is like, you know, whenever a festival. Nowadays, people do it mostly at weddings. But if there is a festival or a gathering, the beginning of that is Shom Mubarak.

MA: Do you know the folk tale that you mentioned? Do you know that folk tale? The one about Sinisai?

SA: The story behind Sinisaai is that in some village of Gojal, at a wedding home, the bride was ready. Since a wedding house has people working… The mother and sister of the bride left her in the room because of some work. While she is alone, a creature(paree, witch) kills her. When the mother returns, she finds her daughter missing. She dresses her younger daughter as a bride and the wedding takes place. The mother, with the women of the village, mourns over the remains of her dead daughter and buried her.

MA: You sing this song at weddings?

SA: Yes, because that was also at a wedding. This whole scene was at a wedding. The bride is ready, sitting in her room. That's why this is also a concept, that never leave a bride alone.

MA: Apart from weddings, are there any festivals? When I was looking for festivals, I saw festivals like Kit and I spoke to the participants of the other language and they were also having festivals like these. Are there any festivals that you celebrate?

SA: I think culturally, it is the most meaningful. I am lucky that I was born in a different city. I never had the opportunity to experience it directly. Like you mentioned, there was a training and then the complete dream. So, we had the idea to have a festival associated with the season. For example, if it is spring, then we have a festival. If it is summer, then we have a festival. And people can come and visit us from Syria. And we liked this concept a lot. People can come and visit us and have a good time. and the people are very clean and clean and automatically the sense of the weather is that it is hot and the sun is going down. This is the concept. Nowruz is a very religious festival because it is a tradition in Iran. community, but the Shia community in Uzbekistan is more prevalent, the festival, particularly Nowruz.

MA: So you mentioned seasons.

SA: Yeah, I mentioned seasons. All these festivals and celebrations, they have a deep association and connection with seasons. I should know but I am not 100% sure. You mentioned Chineer and Kittidit. In one of these festivals, you have the concept of cleaning your house completely. Because you have the sense that after this, the winters will end.

MA: It's like spring cleaning. We clear homes in the spring.

SA: Yes, exactly. It's like a seasonal association. First, the community will gather at one place. They will do the rituals, pray and eat the local food. Mostly, it's milk and chapatis. and then you go to your homes and have festivals.

MA: So, you mentioned seasons.

SA: Yes, I mentioned seasons. All the festivals and celebrations have a deep association and connection with seasons. So when... I should know but I just don't... I'm not very... like exactly I don't know but I'm not 100% sure but you mentioned about Chinese and Kirtan, right? In one of these festivals, there is a concept that you clean your house completely because you have the sense that after this the winters will end. It's like spring cleaning. We clean the house completely in the spring. Yes, exactly like this. So it's like this. First the community will gather at one place. They will do all the rituals and pray. And they will eat their local food which mostly has milk and chapatis and then you go to your homes and festivals.

MA: Do you think language plays a role in such festivals? Do you pray? There are songs at weddings and there is a role of language.

SA: Like I mentioned, in their prayers, they ask for prayers in their own language. Well, the verses are in Arabic, but generally, if you pray for the whole community, or like this, then of course, it is in the Waqf. And there, the language plays a very big role, because you are addressing a certain community, which understands one language. So of course, in addressing them, in telling them, in bringing enthusiasm in them, Of course, all of that is connected with the Wakhi language.

MA: Okay, and in your language, do you understand any slang? Slang?

SA: No?

MA: Like, informal language, I don't understand slang in Urdu. When we talk to our friends, we sometimes use very informal words which we can't use with teachers or we can't use them in formal settings, right? Is there any informal language in Waki? Any informal words like this?

SA: There are many. In my mind, I think of this word. This word is like yaar. So if you want to address your friend or an aged fellow cousin, you can say, Yeh ka, yo marant, woh mujhe de do. So, there are slang in the language.

MA: Do you have a favourite quote in your language? A word or a quote that you have read or heard that you never forget? Or that you think others should know about it?

SA: In the Wakhi language, words for praising are used. Butur [Batura in Wakhi] is used as an example, And I am fond of that because to praise your beauty, you'll get associated with Batura. So, with Batura, many associations are made and I like that.

MA: If we talk about the language, it is really over the ears like Urdu is a language. I am a normal person who typically speaks Urdu. I speak Urdu a lot different than I did a few years ago because a lot of words have come out of the language. We call them ancient or rare because people don't use them. Like in Pure Urdu. How many words were there in pure Wakhi? Was it a proper language that is no longer used? Have there been any changes in the language over time? If so, do you remember any word that was used a lot before? Or any statement that was used a lot before and is not used now?

SA: In the Wakhi language, words for praising are used. Butur [Batura in Wakhi] is used as an example, And I am fond of that because to praise your beauty, you'll get associated with Batura. So, with Batura, many associations are made, and I like that.

MA: So basically, you're talking about the influences of English on words.

SA: Yeah. Everyday we're using them, they're replacing them. Yes, they're easily replaced. I gave an example of Pizwan. So, we were discussing it at home. And my grandmother was like Pizwan is for breakfast and we were like, oh okay, because you say breakfast, younger generation Pizwan is used, and it seems very weird.

MA: Okay, when I was reading about Wakhi. I got more information about it being an oral language.The script of Wakhi has changed a lot. It has been adopted from Arabic and Latin scripts. So, the way Wakhi is written, what do you think? Is there a system of writing for Wakhi? Or do you rely on another language to write it? and if there is one, it is taught in schools in that area. If you could tell us a little bit about that.

SA: Wakhi does have its script, yes. And there has work been done on it. Various people have worked on it and there are books on the script. However, it has not remained influential because the government has declared an official language, a native language. And those are in the curriculums, and we use writing in schools and workplaces. If the local language is taken out from these places, even if it has a script, it does not have the same value. So that's why, I believe the script of Wakhi has not remained influential despite having a written script.

MA: So, in Urdu, we use Arabic letters. How does Balti look like?

SA: We write in Romanized English. Like the letters used in the script exist. If we write in Urdu, it’s the same. It's English type but the symbols used on top are not romanized.

MA: Do you have alphabets?

SA: Yes, we have alphabets.

MA: And do you write the script in proper alphabet?

SR: Yes, we have our own script. But no one knows it, that's why I was saying. Now we know that there is a national language, an official language, and we are using that throughout schools, universities. So now, the schools of Gojjal, there are schools where education is also done to some extent, but that script is missing. But work has been done on the scripts.

MA: Okay. And talking about you, how many speakers are there at the FCCU campus besides you?

SR: Apart from me, I have two seniors who are doing their Mphi here and another senior who graduated. Till last year we were four Wakhi speakers but now we are only three. I am an undergrad student while two are MPhil students.

MA: If I were to get a number, like not a lot of people, right?

SA: Not a lot of people. Four people, last year one graduated, three people.

MA: So not a lot of people. So how do you feel, now you're speaking English, Urdu, and Wakhi, you speak in three languages on campus, You don't speak Wakhi that much, you speak it with your family, if you have calls and all. So how do you feel being a Wakhi speaker, the multilingual community of FC, not specifically FC, because there are a lot of people who speak proudly in other languages, unlike other campuses where they focus on Urdu or English. So as a native speaker of Wakhi, how do you feel being on the campus of FC? And how does your daily language use and the people you interact with affect your language? Your knowledge about your language, your use of your language.

SA: Last year Jimmy Khan released a remake of a Wakhi song with school students from Ghulkin. He mentioned in the song that Wakhi has been declared as an endangered language by UNESCO. My friends at that time listened to the song, played it on the speaker at the hostel, and shared the song. That was the point when I realized that Wakhi had become an endangered language and I felt that I had never spoken to someone in Wakhi on campus. I did want to learn other languages spoken on campus however I would think of Wakhi language more because no one around me spoke Wakhi. So at that instant, I realized that it should be easy to promote one's language or people should know about it.

MA: Okay. And generally, last question. How can we preserve your language? How can it be preserved for future generations? If you know of an organization, like the music video you shared with me, those are songs. The first exposure I had to a language was through a song. Then when I presented the languages to people, we had to present the languages to a group of people from another country. I told them about the same song. They raised a point that the easiest exposure to a language is through songs. Do you have any ideas on how to preserve the language?

SA: I think the relation of the preservation of a language is with arts and culture. An example for us is sharing the music video and since arts and culture include music, poetry, written stories, and written folk stories. So all of this. Be it listening or writing, the language can be preserved. I got to know that in Gojal, all-Gojal Mushaira takes place in Wakhi. Men or women, poets, and poetesses join participate and exchange their poetries. So I think that even if this is promoted… because the youth of Gojal is not present thought of the year [in Gojal] and the time these events take place, they are absent. So I think the promotion of this is a step to preserving our language. And again, stories should be part of the curriculum for preservation.

MA: Those were all of the questions that I have, do you have any questions or anything to add?

SA: I think that’s it.

MA: Okay. Thank you so much for just agreeing and being a part of this project. Apart from the knowledge for the project, I learned so much. It was an amazing experience. Your insights are invaluable. I will get in contact with you regarding the further steps of the project. Thank you!

SA: Thank you for this interview. 00:01:00MA: Hi! Okay so before I begin, I would like to give just a brief introduction about the project. My name is Mareeha, and I am going to conduct your interview for the project” Reimagining the linguistic diversity of local languages in Pakistan”, so here we have Sidra Ali, who is Wakhi speaker, and I will be taking your interview. Hi, could you please tell me a little bit about yourself?

SA: Thank you so much for inviting me here. My name is Sidrah Sakhi. I belong to village Passu in Gojal. At the moment I am doing my undergraduate degree in Biological Sciences from FCCU, Lahore.

MA: A little bit about maybe your hometown, a little bit about the historical background of the area you are from, where you live.

SA: So, I come from Passu. It is a village in Gojal. Currently, its population is 1400. Historically, we can consider Passu as the second settlement in Gojal. What I would highlight here, as part of the historical background of Passu, is that the people of Passu, well-known to date are the politically active ones. Those who have shown resistance against the Mir(system of rule). So, the first people to do so were from Passu. Other than this, people from Passu have stepped out of their village to get an education and are currently working in different professions.

MA: I heard something about resistance. Could you just tell me for my information in Urdu or English?

SA: It is a term used for the mir system that was prevalent in Hunza according to which a mir would rule over the region. It is a known resistance against the mir system through which people voiced the need for a better governance. Some people from Passu showed this resistance against the mir, as a result of which, they were imprisoned.

MA: Okay so if we talk about your family, could you tell me about your family? Who your family members are and just a little bit about them?

SA: Both, my maternal and paternal grandparents are from Passu for which I consider myself fortunate. So my grandparents from both sides are part of my family. My father has two sisters and a brother. We, ourselves are four sisters. I am the oldest. We live in Gilgit while my grandparents live in Passu and so does my extended family.

MA: Okay so, Wakhi has multiple dialects, you understand the word dialect? The different ways it is spoken. When I did my research, I came across, Gojali, Ishkamni, I am not sure if I am pronouncing these right, yaseeni, yukrani. Which one of these dialects do you speak?

SA: Right now, I am using the Gojali dialect as I am from Gojal. This dialect is used in Gojal. Other than that, the Ishkamni dialect is used in Ishkoman Valley.

MA: Oh! So the dialects are derived from the places? Okay so, when I was doing my research I came to know that Wakhi communities often tend to speak more than one language including different kinds of Persian, Pushto and Urdu. Do you speak any other language besides Wakhi and Urdu?

SA: Amongst the languages given here, I only know Wakhi. But when I came to Lahore and heard my friends speak Pashto and Balochi, particularly Balochi similar to Irani, I realized that both our languages have similarities. I do understand a few words but not all of them.

MA: So, you are saying they are similar to Iranian, basically Indo-Iranian languages.

SA: Yes, they do have the same roots *inaudible*

MA: Can you understand the other languages slightly?

SA: Some specific words are similar. One day, I randomly asked my hostel friends to translate the name of a dish, where we break bread into pieces and dip it in tea and also do something similar with curry. One of my friends from Baluchistan, mentioned the exact same name we use for it in Wakhi.

MA: From Baluchistan?

SA: Yeah

MA: Because the border of Baluchistan is connected with Iran.

SA: Yeah! Their Balochi is mostly influenced by Irani language and Balochi language might also be of different types, I don’t really have much knowledge regarding this.

MA: About languages?

SA: Yeah! But we can refer to it as dialects...

MA: You mean the different dialects of Balochi language; Balochi might have different versions of its own right?

SA: Yeah, so this might be the type of Balochi that is influenced by Irani language. Maybe that’s why some words are similar.

MA: So, does anyone here speak it? Any such language here on campus, like Balti, do you understand it?

SA: I do not understand Balti at all.

MA: Really?

SA: Yes, because Baltistan and Gilgit are different regions. I understand the languages spoken in Gilgit such as Brushashki, Shinah, then Brushaski of Yaseen as well. But Baltistan is completely different.

MA: Okay so, coming towards art or clothing, are there specific symbols for your region or some specific colors, similar to how black color is highly valued in Pakhtun community, if I am not wrong and how , in Baluchistan ,red color holds significance. If there are any such colors or patterns in your clothing? When I searched, I found the word, Toqi. I don’t know if that’s the right term, because in the video the ladies were wearing a hat they were referring to as a Toqi

SA: Okay…

MA: Now, they weren’t specifically from Wakhan communities In Pakistan. They belonged to Tajikistan, and they used the term there, they also talked about socks and the trend of knitting so something like that, any clothing or art related things that hold significance or meaning in your culture.

SA: Just to clarify, I believe that these things are mostly influenced by Tajikistan in the way that they have the same white dress, and the same knitted socks. It is mostly the Tajikistani culture.

SA: Since Wakhi people have had the shepherd life, they have dressed in that way. I can highlight the shalwar kameez and the piece of cloth tied around the back which made tasks easier for them.

MA: Women too?

SA: Yes women too. My aunt as well when we goes to the farm to feed the cattle.

MA: And the cap that you are wearing…

SA: Ah yes, this cap, we call this cap, Skeed

MA: Skeed? Not Toqi then?

SA: No..I mean maybe in another culture...

MA: Yes, because this language is spoken in two-three other countries...

SA: Yeah maybe, a Tajiki word. You see these patterns; they vary across regions in Baltistan. The cap of Watun Yasin would be different from [unclear], from Chitral, and there is a difference in the height as well.MA: I’ve seen the Balti hat. They have a jewel as well at the top.

SA: Yes, there is a jewel. Or they have a flower at the front. Okay, this cap, you see this part…this dark part at the back, it’s always worn at the back.

MA: Why?

SA: Ritual, perhaps? An interesting thing is that grandmas always place needles on the top of their caps.

MA: Okay so if we talk about food, what was your favourite food growing up? If you want to share a recipe you can, for any food that your hometown is known for.

SA: The disclaimer here is that now the [Wakhi food] is not so frequently made. Now the food of Gilgit and Gojal has been influenced by the allover food of Pakistan because of the availability, I guess, of spices. So people have shifted to that. And to make these [non-local] dishes, not a lot of hard work is required. So I like Molida and…. Ghilmindi. They are my favorites. Ghilmindi is the layers of chapati, each spread with curd and apricot oil.

MA: What type of milk? I'm sorry, oil. Oil, right?

SA: Apricot. We make it, extract it. We also use some rich oil, like walnuts, is used for making the dish.

MA: So fruits basically, fruits, nuts etc.

SA: Yes, their oils are used, and I have seen that in Hunza, the same dish is used with green onions now, people from Hunza use them.

MA: o you get green onions there?

SA: Yes, yes, you get them People grow them themselves, like green onions, which we see a lot in Korean food, but we use the same thing there as well. So there are variations like this in local dishes as well. So I have named two local dishes. One is called Gilmandi and the other is called Molida. Then you boil the curd and in that you make crumbles You make pieces of it and cook it And then you take it out in a bowl and in the middle you make a well And in that you put oil, apricot oil And it is a little sour in taste.

MA: So when you make the tempering for the curd, you fry the curd right?

SA: We boil it.

MA: You boil it? Yes. Do you add anything?

SA: No, we don't add anything. Only salt. Oh, so you add salt for seasoning. Yes. Oil and then the roti? Yes, just oil. The pieces of the roti are very small, so they get mixed with the curd

MA: So you don't get to know that much And do people come from outside? Is it open for tourists?

SA: Yes, totally open.

MA: So do more tourists come there?

SA: Yes, more tourists come. They can come easily. But one thing is that the main route, KKHA, Karakoram Highway, you can use that. But to like interact with the community, like you are coming inside the village, you need to be a bit respectful and you need to take permission, In some cases, people directly come to enter the communities. And in many villages, there is no concept of Char Diwari. not all homes have walls and a roof, it doesn't happen like that. There are very low walls and you cannot differentiate between homes even. So what happens is that people come and then they would use the fruits that belongs to the people. So such cases come. But still, to say that people are very hospitable, so they never say no but still they need to respect…

MA: Yes agreed. So if we were to talk about old traditions, songs, ghazals or religious anthems or poetry, if you know some, would you like to share?

SA: I can think of two poetry pieces one is by Shomoborok Boud and the other is Sinisai. Sinisai is sung by women, particularly when a bride leaves her home. So there is a folk story behind this. And apart from that, Shomoborok Boud is like, you know, whenever a festival. Nowadays, people do it mostly at weddings. But if there is a festival or a gathering, the beginning of that is Shom Mubarak.

MA: Do you know the folk tale that you mentioned? Do you know that folk tale? The one about Sinisai?

SA: The story behind Sinisaai is that in some village of Gojal, at a wedding home, the bride was ready. Since a wedding house has people working… The mother and sister of the bride left her in the room because of some work. While she is alone, a creature(paree, witch) kills her. When the mother returns, she finds her daughter missing. She dresses her younger daughter as a bride and the wedding takes place. The mother, with the women of the village, mourns over the remains of her dead daughter and buried her.

MA: You sing this song at weddings?

SA: Yes, because that was also at a wedding. This whole scene was at a wedding. The bride is ready, sitting in her room. That's why this is also a concept, that never leave a bride alone.

MA: Apart from weddings, are there any festivals? When I was looking for festivals, I saw festivals like Kit and I spoke to the participants of the other language and they were also having festivals like these. Are there any festivals that you celebrate?

SA: I think culturally, it is the most meaningful. I am lucky that I was born in a different city. I never had the opportunity to experience it directly. Like you mentioned, there was a training and then the complete dream. So, we had the idea to have a festival associated with the season. For example, if it is spring, then we have a festival. If it is summer, then we have a festival. And people can come and visit us from Syria. And we liked this concept a lot. People can come and visit us and have a good time. and the people are very clean and clean and automatically the sense of the weather is that it is hot and the sun is going down. This is the concept. Nowruz is a very religious festival because it is a tradition in Iran. community, but the Shia community in Uzbekistan is more prevalent, the festival, particularly Nowruz.

MA: So you mentioned seasons.

SA: Yeah, I mentioned seasons. All these festivals and celebrations, they have a deep association and connection with seasons. I should know but I am not 100% sure. You mentioned Chineer and Kittidit. In one of these festivals, you have the concept of cleaning your house completely. Because you have the sense that after this, the winters will end.

MA: It's like spring cleaning. We clear homes in the spring.

SA: Yes, exactly. It's like a seasonal association. First, the community will gather at one place. They will do the rituals, pray and eat the local food. Mostly, it's milk and chapatis. and then you go to your homes and have festivals.

MA: So, you mentioned seasons.

SA: Yes, I mentioned seasons. All the festivals and celebrations have a deep association and connection with seasons. So when... I should know but I just don't... I'm not very... like exactly I don't know but I'm not 100% sure but you mentioned about Chinese and Kirtan, right? In one of these festivals, there is a concept that you clean your house completely because you have the sense that after this the winters will end. It's like spring cleaning. We clean the house completely in the spring. Yes, exactly like this. So it's like this. First the community will gather at one place. They will do all the rituals and pray. And they will eat their local food which mostly has milk and chapatis and then you go to your homes and festivals.

MA: Do you think language plays a role in such festivals? Do you pray? There are songs at weddings and there is a role of language.

SA: Like I mentioned, in their prayers, they ask for prayers in their own language. Well, the verses are in Arabic, but generally, if you pray for the whole community, or like this, then of course, it is in the Waqf. And there, the language plays a very big role, because you are addressing a certain community, which understands one language. So of course, in addressing them, in telling them, in bringing enthusiasm in them, Of course, all of that is connected with the Wakhi language.

MA: Okay, and in your language, do you understand any slang? Slang?

SA: No?

MA: Like, informal language, I don't understand slang in Urdu. When we talk to our friends, we sometimes use very informal words which we can't use with teachers or we can't use them in formal settings, right? Is there any informal language in Waki? Any informal words like this?

SA: There are many. In my mind, I think of this word. This word is like yaar. So if you want to address your friend or an aged fellow cousin, you can say, Yeh ka, yo marant, woh mujhe de do. So, there are slang in the language.

MA: Do you have a favourite quote in your language? A word or a quote that you have read or heard that you never forget? Or that you think others should know about it?

SA: In the Wakhi language, words for praising are used. Butur [Batura in Wakhi] is used as an example, And I am fond of that because to praise your beauty, you'll get associated with Batura. So, with Batura, many associations are made and I like that.

MA: If we talk about the language, it is really over the ears like Urdu is a language. I am a normal person who typically speaks Urdu. I speak Urdu a lot different than I did a few years ago because a lot of words have come out of the language. We call them ancient or rare because people don't use them. Like in Pure Urdu. How many words were there in pure Wakhi? Was it a proper language that is no longer used? Have there been any changes in the language over time? If so, do you remember any word that was used a lot before? Or any statement that was used a lot before and is not used now?

SA: In the Wakhi language, words for praising are used. Butur [Batura in Wakhi] is used as an example, And I am fond of that because to praise your beauty, you'll get associated with Batura. So, with Batura, many associations are made, and I like that.

MA: So basically, you're talking about the influences of English on words.

SA: Yeah. Everyday we're using them, they're replacing them. Yes, they're easily replaced. I gave an example of Pizwan. So, we were discussing it at home. And my grandmother was like Pizwan is for breakfast and we were like, oh okay, because you say breakfast, younger generation Pizwan is used, and it seems very weird.

MA: Okay, when I was reading about Wakhi. I got more information about it being an oral language.The script of Wakhi has changed a lot. It has been adopted from Arabic and Latin scripts. So, the way Wakhi is written, what do you think? Is there a system of writing for Wakhi? Or do you rely on another language to write it? and if there is one, it is taught in schools in that area. If you could tell us a little bit about that.

SA: Wakhi does have its script, yes. And there has work been done on it. Various people have worked on it and there are books on the script. However, it has not remained influential because the government has declared an official language, a native language. And those are in the curriculums, and we use writing in schools and workplaces. If the local language is taken out from these places, even if it has a script, it does not have the same value. So that's why, I believe the script of Wakhi has not remained influential despite having a written script.

MA: So, in Urdu, we use Arabic letters. How does Balti look like?

SA: We write in Romanized English. Like the letters used in the script exist. If we write in Urdu, it’s the same. It's English type but the symbols used on top are not romanized.

MA: Do you have alphabets?

SA: Yes, we have alphabets.

MA: And do you write the script in proper alphabet?

SR: Yes, we have our own script. But no one knows it, that's why I was saying. Now we know that there is a national language, an official language, and we are using that throughout schools, universities. So now, the schools of Gojjal, there are schools where education is also done to some extent, but that script is missing. But work has been done on the scripts.

MA: Okay. And talking about you, how many speakers are there at the FCCU campus besides you?

SR: Apart from me, I have two seniors who are doing their Mphi here and another senior who graduated. Till last year we were four Wakhi speakers but now we are only three. I am an undergrad student while two are MPhil students.

MA: If I were to get a number, like not a lot of people, right?

SA: Not a lot of people. Four people, last year one graduated, three people.

MA: So not a lot of people. So how do you feel, now you're speaking English, Urdu, and Wakhi, you speak in three languages on campus, You don't speak Wakhi that much, you speak it with your family, if you have calls and all. So how do you feel being a Wakhi speaker, the multilingual community of FC, not specifically FC, because there are a lot of people who speak proudly in other languages, unlike other campuses where they focus on Urdu or English. So as a native speaker of Wakhi, how do you feel being on the campus of FC? And how does your daily language use and the people you interact with affect your language? Your knowledge about your language, your use of your language.

SA: Last year Jimmy Khan released a remake of a Wakhi song with school students from Ghulkin. He mentioned in the song that Wakhi has been declared as an endangered language by UNESCO. My friends at that time listened to the song, played it on the speaker at the hostel, and shared the song. That was the point when I realized that Wakhi had become an endangered language and I felt that I had never spoken to someone in Wakhi on campus. I did want to learn other languages spoken on campus however I would think of Wakhi language more because no one around me spoke Wakhi. So at that instant, I realized that it should be easy to promote one's language or people should know about it.

MA: Okay. And generally, last question. How can we preserve your language? How can it be preserved for future generations? If you know of an organization, like the music video you shared with me, those are songs. The first exposure I had to a language was through a song. Then when I presented the languages to people, we had to present the languages to a group of people from another country. I told them about the same song. They raised a point that the easiest exposure to a language is through songs. Do you have any ideas on how to preserve the language?

SA: I think the relation of the preservation of a language is with arts and culture. An example for us is sharing the music video and since arts and culture include music, poetry, written stories, and written folk stories. So all of this. Be it listening or writing, the language can be preserved. I got to know that in Gojal, all-Gojal Mushaira takes place in Wakhi. Men or women, poets, and poetesses join participate and exchange their poetries. So I think that even if this is promoted… because the youth of Gojal is not present thought of the year [in Gojal] and the time these events take place, they are absent. So I think the promotion of this is a step to preserving our language. And again, stories should be part of the curriculum for preservation.

MA: Those were all of the questions that I have, do you have any questions or anything to add?

SA: I think that’s it.

MA: Okay. Thank you so much for just agreeing and being a part of this project. Apart from the knowledge for the project, I learned so much. It was an amazing experience. Your insights are invaluable. I will get in contact with you regarding the further steps of the project. Thank you!

SA: Thank you for this interview.