| Group: | Pashayi |
| Population: | Approx. 400,000[1] (disputed between 600,000 and 1 million) |
| Popplace: | Laghman, Kapisa, Nangarhar and northeast Kabul (all Afghanistan) |
| Langs: | Pashayi languages Pashto and Persian also spoken as second languages |
| Rels: | Majority: Sunni Islam[2] [3] Minority: Nizari Ismailism[4] |
| Related: | Other Indo-Aryan peoples, Kalash, Nuristani |
The Pashayi or Pashai (/pəˈʃaɪ/; Pashayi: پشهای, romanised: Paṣhəy) are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group[5] living primarily in eastern Afghanistan. They are mainly concentrated in the northern parts of Laghman and Nangarhar, also parts of Kunar, Kapisa, Parwan, Nuristan, and a bit of Panjshir.[6] Many Pashai consider themselves as Pashtuns speaking a special language,[7] and many are bilingual in Pashto[8] whereas other Pashai, such as those in Panjshir and Parwan,[9] [10] have been assimilated by Tajiks.[11] Some Pashayi people are also based in Central Afghanistan.
During the Battle of the Ten Kings, it is likely that the Pashayi might’ve been referred to as Alina, being one of the Aryan tribes that were defeated by Sudas of the Bharatas. It is suggested that they lived northeast of the Kambojas, possibly being the ancestors of those in Nuristan Province. The name now takes form in Alishang and Alingar District, meaning “home of the Alina”. [12]
The Pashayi people historically practiced ancient Hinduism and Buddhism, along with tribal religions.[13] [14] [15] [16] Pashayis and Nuristanis were native to the Kunar Valley and Laghman Province, near Jalalabad in north-east Afghanistan, until they were displaced to less fertile mountainous region by successive waves of immigration by Ghilji Pashtuns.[17] Ovesen and Keiser suggest that Pashayi people were not driven up into the mountain valleys where they reside, rather, they were indigenous inhabitants of their respective regions before the rise of the Gandhara civilization.[18]
In the 13th century, Marco Polo traveled through the region and described the locals as practitioners of sorcery and witchcraft, as well as calling them a "pestilent people” and crafty". Polo claimed that the men wore brooches and earrings decorated with gemstones and that the main diet of the locals consisted of rice and meat. In the 16th century, when Mughal ruler Babur visited Darai Nur, a town in Nangarhar Province primarily inhabited by the Pashayi people, he found that the eating of pork had only recently been forbidden and that the town was famous for its wine.[19]
According to the Tabakat-i-Akbari of Nizamuddin Ahmad, Mughal Emperor Akbar had dispatched his younger brother Mirza Muhammad Hakim, who was a staunch adherent of the missionary-minded Naqshbandi Sufi order, against the infidels of Katwar in 1582.[20] Hakim was a semi-independent governor of Kabul.[21] The Sifat-nama-yi Darviš Muhammad Hān-i Ğāzī of Kadi Muhammad Salim who accompanied the expedition mentions its details. The Sifat-nama gives Muhammad Hakim the epithet of Darviš Khan Gazi. Muhammad Hakim's invasion fought its way from Laghman to Alishang, and is stated to have conquered and converted 66 valleys to Islam. After conquering Tajau and Nijrau valleys in Panjshir area, the crusaders established a fort at Islamabad at confluence of Alishang and Alingar Rivers. They continued the raid up to Alishang and made their last effort against the non-Muslims of Alingar, fighting up to Mangu, the modern border between the Pashai and Ashkun-speaking areas.[22]
During the 18th century, Pashtuns forced Pashayi people to convert to Islam, and conversions continued into recent history.[23] According to Pashai oral tradition, in the mid-18th century, Deishamir Baba conquered Darra-i Nur Valley and converted the people to Islam. The valley was inhabited by Kafirs who only were armed with bows and arrows, whereas Deishamir Baba and his army had firearms.[24] Deishamir Baba was from Kunar Valley, and he came to Darra-i Nur through Pech Valley and Aret and Shumast villages. The kafir rulers Bhim Raja of Bambakot, Shultan Raja of Sotan, and Sher Raja all surrendered to Deishamir Baba and converted to Islam. Laṇā Raja of Shemul was defeated and he fled the region. Muturu Raja of Utran fought with Deishamir Baba for a longer time, but eventually converted to Islam and became an ally of Deishamir Baba. Deishamir Baba had two sons, Ranga and Japar, and six grandsons. The six grandsons are the ancestors of the Pashai in Sotan. In Darra-i Nur, Deishamir decided to give permanent land settlements to family and followers instead of introducing a rotating land tenure system known as wesh, which integrated and strengthened the segmentary lineage systems of the Kohistani people, allowing them to ward off Pashtun attempts of invasion. By not introducing the wesh system, the Darai Nur valley's economic cohesion was strengthened and was therefore more immune to "Pashtunization".[25]
He invited Aṇu and Kolalek from Kordar to settle in Kandak, and Yarukei from Chelas to settle in Shemul. In return, they had to guard the north of the valley and water supply. He also allowed the Kafir Kalautar from Wama to settle Amla with his goats, on the condition that Kalautar give Deishamir tribute of a kharwar of cheese annually. Kalautar was later expelled because he would not convert to Islam but continued to pay tribute. In the south of the valley, the remaining Kafir rajas were under pressure due to lost allies (Bhim Raja and Shultan Raja) as well as poor land due to lack of water, and thus moved to the east. Bambakot's main market known as the Hindu Quarter also declined with the going of the Hindus. According to Ovsen, these events occurred in the early 1800s.
In Darra-i-Nur, the two most important descent groups are Soom, meaning hoof, and Shenganek, sheng meaning horn. According to Pashayi mythology, an unmarried woman had become pregnant and went into the mountains to give birth to a boy, subsequently abandoning the newborn under some leaves to hide her shame. A goat then discovered the boy, scraping the leaves away with their hoof, and raised the newborn, earning the name Soom. The story is repeated, except this time, the goat discovered the abandoned newborn with their horns, therefore earning the name Shenganek and becoming the ancestor of the Shenganek Pashayi.[26]
According to a work published by Jeffrey H.P Evans-von Krbek at the Department of Anthropology at the University of Durham in 1977, an observer known as Masson claimed the Pashayi people can be traced back to the Pasiani tribe, mentioned by Strabo as one of the Scythian tribes. However, Jeffrey states that Masson’s research in the 1830s was devalued by a lack of clarity.[27]
By the early 21st century, the Pashayi were often referred to as Kohistani, and were Sunni Muslims,[28] while a minority are Nizari Ismaili Muslims. Pashayi people have deliberately been listed as Tajik by census takers and government agents. This is a result of the census takers being Tajik themselves, wanting to increase their own numbers for “consequent benefits”. Although, Pashayi-speaking Nizari Isma’ili refer to themselves as Tajik.
There are several theories regarding the origin of the word Pashayi, with some claiming it is over 2,500 years old. In 1891, Henry Walter Bellew stated "Pashae, or Pashie are attributive plural forms, meaning 'of the Kingdom Padshahi'. The Pashayi are still found by that name in the Darai Nur District of Nangarhar Province, Bamyan and Laghman districts in the southern valleys.[29] However, other theories claim that Pashayi is derived from the words Baha Sha, Bahash and Bash which are words in the Pashayi languages. Others believe that the word comes from Psatha or Pishacha, meaning demon and carnivore. Others think that Pashayi is derived from Pashi, meaning “strong”, “sturdy” and “rock wall” in the language. The last theory claims that in ancient times, a king emerged from the Pashayi ethnic group, later being named after him as kings were referred to as Pasha or Padshāh. In the Rigveda, others claim that the Pashayi people were referred to as Alina, evident through the naming of Alishang and Alingar District, Alingar meaning “home of the Alina”.[30]
In the present, some Pashayi people refer to themselves as Degano (resident of the plain), Laghmani, Nuristani and Sha’ari.
Reportedly, there have been accounts of the Pashayi population in Nangarhar being referred to with ethnic slurs, such as "Sharee", a slur which can be translated to “hillbilly” or “country bumpkin”, as well as "grisband" (meaning a can of oil in Pashto) which implies they are "primitive, simple and struggle to cope with urban life". The usage of these slurs has led to a rise in ethnic tensions in eastern Afghanistan and the deepening of divisions in the region. As a result of these negative comments, some Pashayi people only interact with those of their own ethnicity, rather than other ethnic groups. 6.1% of ISIS-K in Kunar Province is additionally Pashayi, with 4.8% being Nuristani.[31] [32]
As the Pashayi have a distinctive culture, behavior, and fashion from those in the areas in which they inhabit, they have been isolated by those from other ethnicities, leading some to believe that the Pashayi people are "ignorant" or "threatening".[33]
On 16 May 2023, Pashayi tribesmen organised a protest in the Nurgaram district of Nuristan Province against the Taliban against alleged mistreatment and ethnic discrimination under the local Taliban commander, Mawlawi Saadullah, resulting in clashes although no deaths or injuries were reported.[34]
Additionally, when an all-Pashayi Taliban squad took control of the National Assembly building on 15 August 2021 and were recorded speaking their language, some of the Afghan diaspora could not understand and therefore referred to them as “Pakistani agents” on platforms such as Twitter. On other social media platforms, the Pashayi people are additionally subject to racism and discrimination through videos that are tailored to mock their distinct culture.[35] The act of putting flowers in their pakols and use of kohl, being incorrectly associated with femininity, has also led some to wrongly believe they are Pashtun Taliban members, Kochis and victims of bacha bazi.[36]
The Pashayi engage in a mixed economy of agriculture and herding. Common crops cultivated include rice, wheat, and corn. They also raise goats, cattle, and sheep. It has been noted that both the Pashayi, Nuristani people and other Dardic groups share a fascination with the goat, which might connote to pre-Islamic worship of the animal, or a goat-like deity.[37] They also hold meetings known as marat to resolve issues, which has similarities to the Pashtun Jirga, where Pashayi elders are also present and lead the discussions.[38] The Pashayi people additionally perform a dance where young people of all genders gather in a circle, hold each other by their shoulders and begin singing songs. This is performed at weddings or during celebrations, and lasts for 20–25 minutes.