We are All Punjabi
by mariam malikHow being Pakistani and Punjabi has forced me to defend my identity
When I tell people where I am from, I often get confused looks. Sometimes, my answer even seems to make people uncomfortable. I was born in the US but I identify myself with what seems to be a misunderstood region: Punjab.
As a first generation US citizen, whose parents were born and raised in the Punjab province of Pakistan, I find it very enriching to embrace my Punjabi culture. Yet, I am disheartened by the general lack of awareness of the richness and cultural heritage of what was once a unified Punjab.
Punjab is an area in South Asia that lies divided by the Radcliffe Line, the border between Pakistan and India that was created in 1947 after partition. This artificial border not only separates Muslims from Sikhs and Hindus, but has also causes people to forget how unified Punjab once was. It saddens me that politics and religious differences have fostered much disagreement and lack of acknowledgment over the Punjabi identity because the truth is, we Punjabis are all the same.
Frankly, I’m tired of the repetitive “You’re Punjabi? I thought you were from Pakistan,” or the “So, you’re half Indian?”, or better yet “I think you’re mistaken… Punjab is only in India!"
I hear these reactions so often and with such fervor that even I begin to doubt my own identity. Numerous times my dad had to reassure me that I am just as Punjabi as someone from the Punjab province in India. This disconnect sparked my interest in researching why our views have been shaped in such a way that we feel the need to discount the “other Punjab”, as if they never existed. I have to remind myself over and over again that these ignorant responses stem from what seems to create many issues around the world: politics.
After making this realization, I now respond to these comments with confidence. We may be divided by an arbitrary line, but in reality we sing the same songs, read from the same literature, dance the same dance, live the same lifestyle, eat the same food, speak the same language, and even look the same. We share family members and political leaders, we have roots in the same villages, and our parents went to the same schools together. We have so much in common, but we choose to ignore this because partition sowed the seeds of animosity. Although this animosity has subsided in the last generation, it’s been replaced with a general lack of awareness.
I’ve been fortunate enough to visit my parents’ villages in Punjab many times when I return to Pakistan. Therefore, I can personally attest to the beauty and culture of Punjab. It’s interesting to me that these villages and cities I visit on the Pakistan side of Punjab are filled only with Muslims because just a few decades ago, before partition, Sikhs, Muslims and Hindus resided together. Religion was an afterthought until the political divide forced it into the consciousness of the Punjabi people. Instead, culture united everyone. In fact, Punjabis were so well integrated that a border drawn anywhere would have been arbitrary.
For generations, Punjabis have lived an agricultural lifestyle due to the lush terrain and five major rivers running through the area, making it the most well irrigated area in South Asia. Therefore, spring has been a time of celebration for centuries that has unified the Punjabi people and manifests itself in two popular forms: bhangra and Basant.
Bhangra is a form of dance that has recently gained popularity in the Western world, but truly dates back to generations ago in the heart of Punjab. The dance began as an agricultural ritual done by farmers to celebrate the coming of spring. Of course, bhangra has evolved into many different styles and uses today, but it remains a piece of culture that all Punjabis can identify with, no matter their religion.
Likewise, the most popular Punjabi celebration is Basant, a festival that originated as marking the arrival of spring, but today is more commercialized and representative of the strong cultural vibe that runs through the province. During Basant, men, women and children all over Punjab dress up in colorful clothing, compete in kite flying and indulge in authentic music and food. This celebration does not specifically hold to just Pakistan or India; instead, it is something that all Punjabis can relate to because Basant was celebrated by everyone’s ancestors. Even after the partition divided the area on the basis of religion, this celebration transcended that division and continues to be celebrated by thousands every year. The only difference today is that Basant is celebrated in an exclusive manner within each country rather than as an overarching and unifying holiday.
This list of similarities can easily go on, but it makes one begin to question: with so much in common between the Pakistan and India sides of Punjab, why is there an ideological disconnect and lack of unity amongst Punjabis?
The partition between the two countries did not occur that long ago, nor did it happen peacefully. The initial reaction to the partition, which forced millions of people to change homes and divided families, was to unify on a political basis by country. From my interactions with both Pakistanis and Indians, I can honestly say that in one generation, we have seemed to easily forget how much Punjab had in common because we chose to let go of our rich Punjabi culture.
As tempting as it is to get caught up in politics, we must remember that the differences are artificial and politically based, whereas the underlying similarities date back to centuries ago and can prevail if we chose to let go of any political animosity. Luckily, even though recent events have brought the Pakistan-India tension to the eye of the public, we have come a long ways in accepting one another. We are entering a new era of more open minded thinking.
I am confident that we will see a revival of a time where people can be comfortable with their own faith and religion while also allowing themselves to partake in the complete richness of their cultural experience.
I am confident, that with awareness, Pakistani Punjabis like myself will no longer have to defend their identity.