Preservation of regional history… Dr Masooma Shakir
The region of Pakistan sits at the cradle of significant civilisational development with the Indus Valley civilisation at one end of the historical spectrum to becoming an essential node of representation of the Indian Muslims before independence.
The nation’s history begins at the time of its independence, having a virtue of regional cultures and artifacts within and possessed through national policy and established perspective.
Various forms of national representation along with the demarcation of national territory make up what Benedict Anderson articulates, quite aptly as ‘imagined’ in his book on ‘Imagined Communities’. Nations, he writes, are imagined communities with national languages, monuments including national museums, policies and rituals that aim at officially albeit imaginatively representing the nation.
National songs instill ‘patriotism’, strong feelings of belonging along the lines of a happy, imagined, diverse or inclusive society. This creates the national identity of an independent nation, although imagined and politically valid, as separate, independent of the larger region as well as its past.
The slaughter of regional cultures and identity into dedicated geographies at the expense of making national identity, representation may be deemed parallel to cutting off the limbs of a living organism.
While historic sites reminisce former civilisations, regional cultural practices are passed on and carried forth through centuries and go through a process of evolution.
Thus, they do not die! Although they may suffer significant deviations due to striking political upheavals like national assertions, or evolve naturally due to political and technological changes. The realities of the larger region and their assimilation within the national identity is an issue of contestation simply because it is unrecognised and thus requires debate and discussion.
Across borders, for example, the region of Muslim demarcated territory under Mughal rule, or the Gandhara civilisation, construct the historical narrative of the region. Languages, people, culture, customs, dress, rituals carry parallels in connection with variations, show influence from one geographical terrain to the adjoining.
Travel between provinces, across borders, are often eye-opening experiences, that bring out similarities between peoples, facial features, customs, traditions, beliefs along with construction methods and the regional vernacular architecture.
Continuing inter relations between Punjabis on both sides of the India-Pakistan borders for example, between residents of Quetta Balochistan and the Irani population across the border, between the people of Thar, Kutch, Gujrat and Rajasthan, between the different parts of the provinces exist. These inter relations if recognised and celebrated can create a tolerant society, with positive streams of development allowing progress.
The view to regional identity and history interlinkages highlights the coexistence of communities that are similar and differ in some aspects from one region to another. Interestingly, these similarities are not only geographical but also across the time periods. Before the formation of nations after WWII, forms of education and organisation of civilisations carried greater awareness of regional interlinkages, history and cultures.
Paradoxes and conflicts of identity, priorities in administrative set-ups, speak out of lack of compassion, inclusivity, tolerance and even outright rejection of existence of communities. Respect and recognition is the first step towards creating harmonious ties with communities playing key roles in geographical and historic terrain. The regional view toward communities can offer a better comprehension of realities on ground.
The love for the regional history, culture and languages is barely inculcated in education today, thus it seems prosperity has little to do with understanding who we are, a question we ponder on in passing, but aimed to adopt, to move on, to immigrate mostly.
The question of who we are, what are our individual and collective identities, are laden. The process of education oriented to this purpose requires a preservation of regional history, to respect and nurture communities, to evolve in the natural ways, with self pride and confidence.
The preservation of monuments and sites of cultural heritage are but a small part of this process, not insignificant by any means. The spirit of preservation however lies in looking to the larger goal of preserving regional history and culture.
COURTESY TRIBUNE