Kinship in West Punjab Hamza Alvi

KINSHIP IN WEST PUNJAB
BY HAMZA ALAVI
PRESENTED BY: SAMAN IJAZ

INTRODUCTION
• The focus of the study is the relationship between economic stratification and
primordial loyalties.
• Fieldwork was done in villages of Sahiwal district, Punjab, Pakistan.
©Saman Ijaz (Anthropologist QAU) 2/11/2021
2

BASE OF SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
• Literature on South Asian rural societies is the assumption that these societies
are structurally similar.
• Focus on caste and jajmani system.
• In Muslim rural society of West Punjab Kinship system is base of social
organization.
• Basic institutions of Kinship System
• Biradari (‫)برادري‬: is a Persian word origin, derived from biradar, “brother”. The
Punjabi word for brother is “Bhira”
3

CONNOTATIONS ATTACHED WITH WORD
BIRADARI
I. Infinite in Size
II. Biradari of recognition.
III. Biradari of Participation.
IV. Entire Biradari and Bradari of the village.
4

CONNOTATIONS ATTACHED WITH WORD BIRADARI
Infinite in Size
• As a descent group, biradari includes in principle all those between whom actual links of
common descent can be traced in the paternal line, regardless of the number of
generation that have elapsed.
• In this sense, therefore, biradari is indefinite in size,
• Following this sometimes it is observed that for total strangers have been able to
establish mutual links of common descent and have embraced each other as member of
single biradari.
5

BIRADARI
Biradari of recognition
• The genealogical depth of biradaris tends to be shallow; about four or five
generation.
• Structurally the definition of biradari as the “Biradari of recognition”
Biradari of Participation
• Denotes those households of a biradari of recognition who actually participate in
a ritual of exchange of prestations called Vartan bhanji on certain ceremonial
occasions.
• The smaller solidarity group, whose member households thus affirm their fraternal
ties by vartan bhanji, may be designated as the “biradari of participation”.
6

BIRADARI
Entire Biradari and Bradari of the village.
• Entire Biradari: the biradari of participation which includes groups of households
in several villages.
• Bradari of the village: a biradari of participation whose member households are
dispersed over a wide area and those members of it who are resident together in
a single village.
• At that level on interaction of related households is the highest and ties of group
solidarity are the stronger.
7

DESCENT
• Patrilineal
• Inheritance and membership of group are transmitted by male line.
• The Shariat Act 1948 altered tis but still it is dominating and Panchayats
(councils) support it.
• Conflict arises when inheritance is claimed in accordance with the Islamic law.
• Membership of biradari would speak of being of the same blood even if some of
them happen to have mothers who have come from other biradaris.
8

MARRIAGE
• Structured on the principle of preferential patrilineal parallel cousin marriage.
• Most preferred marriage is with FBD (father’s brother daughter), FFBD and
FFBSD respectively.
• The consequence of preferential patrilineal parallel cousin marriage and biradari
endogamy is the creation of the extremely close and compact patrilineages which
appropriate their own women rather than exchange them with other kin groups.
• A person who gives a daughter in marriage outside his biradari , in effect accepts
inferior status.
9

MEMBERSHIP OF “BIRADARI OF
PARTICIPATION”
• Membership of biradari of participation is expressed and acknowledged by Vartan
Bhanji.
• Vartan : Dealings, Bhanji: Sweets.
• The prestation given in Vartan bhanji are called Neondra or nyota.
• Essential feature of vartan bhanji is the obligation to reciprocate.
• Vartan bhanji not only defines membership of biradari of participation but, as will
be explained below , it also provides an unambiguous ritual procedure for
termination of the relationship in the event of fission of the biradari as a
consequence of conflict.
10

VARTAN BHANJI
• The neondra is given by all households of the biradari of partiipation.
• Mirasi announces the gathering that the time had come for those who are to give
neondra to do so.
• Any literate person of the family note the names of the donors and the amount of
the neondra. The record is preserved.
• Vartan bhanji imposes an obligation on the recipient to reciprocate in like
measures.
• Return of the excess amount does not offence to the donor.
11

VARTAN BHANJI
• In behi in which receipts of neondra are recorded, there are three colums.
• A practical consequence of vartan bhanji is that it brings substantial financial aid
to the recipient household, at a time when it is involved in considerable
expenditure for ceremonial purpose.
Past reckoning Amount of present
Neondra
Amount of neandra –
past Reckoning=
100 150 150-100=50+
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VARTAN BHANJI
Paki and Katchi (‫ورتن‬ ‫اورکچي‬ ‫)پکي‬ vartan
• Paki Vartan(cooked, ripe, firm or permanent): the household with whom these
respective forms of vartan bhanji are transacted and their modes operation of the
institution.
• In cases where inter –biradari marriages have taken place , the household with whom
pakki vartan takes place also include the nanke (‫)نانکے‬and saure (‫سرے‬).
• It is rare for pakki vartan to take plac outside of the kin, if it is done then that will be
extremely close friend.
• It is obligatory.
13

VARTAN BHANJI
• Katchi vartan (raw, unripe, weak or temporary)
• It indicates a courtesy relationship rather than permanent bonds.
• Takes place with friends and neighbours. In the village.
• Not obligatory.
• No formal invitations is sent in the case of weddings and circumcision
ceremonies.
• Amounts given as neondra in katchi vartan are smaller than those given in paki
vartan.
14

INVITATION AND SIGNALING CONFLICTS
• Rituals of vartan bhanji cause resolution of conflicts. Invitation are sent
through nai who invite any male member of the family.
• Nai take colored thread(red/white) called ganth and give one strand of thread
to head of family which is called Mohli.
• The head of the family tie that mohli to the wrist of youngest member
symbolizing goodwill and affection.
After accepting Mohli, head of the family gives customary cash to Nai. The
amount given is higher for close relatives and lower for far ones.
Nai is offered good food and also offer him night stay which shows both families
have strong relationship.
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• If both families have some conflict in past, then treatment is different. The head of
family accepts mohli but give less money or sometimes gives nothing to Nai.
• If there is serious conflict then head of family refuses to accept the invitation
rather throws on the floor( case study)
• There might be a case when two families want to resolve the conflict then one
family send their son/brother or sometimes group of respectable called
meyla/parain to resolve the conflicts.
16

FISSION/FUSION OF BIRADERI:
• If two groups are in conflict, vartan bhanji is main ritual for conflict resolution
• Case Study: If two main braderis are unable to dissolve conflict and break then
half minor birderis support one Biraderi while half support the other.
17

ECONOMIC STRATIFICATION AND BIRADERI
ORGANIZATION:
• There are four main strata's in society.
1. Landlords (own land and financially independent)
2. Poor Peasants ( wage laborers/ economically dependent)
3. Small Landlords ( independent and cultivate their own land)
4. Kammi/Village servants/ working class(economically dependent and work for
others like Nai, Potter, Blacksmith)
18

PANCHAYAT
• There is over lapping between strata’s so its not possible to draw line
between these strata’s because its continuum of strata’s.
• Within one biraderi, some are small landlords while others are kami or
poor peasants so its difficult to put them in one category.
• Among landlords, there is no specific Biraderi panchayat for decision
making because all decisions are taken by landlords and Kami have to
follow their orders.
• On the other hand small landholders biraderi panchayat has more group
solidarity and they regulate life flexibly
19

• Panchayat members are not elected rather selected, those who are wise,
knowledgeable and active in biraderi affairs are preferred members.
• Panchayat can be at two levels
1. Panchayat of younger men( deals admin and politics)
2. Panchayat of older men ( deals marriage or internal disputes)
Security of life and property are main problems of Punjab. In these criminal
activities are supported by landlords (rassigirs).
• Criminals terrorize people by stealing cattle or abducting women. In such
situation small biradari's unite and strengthen their group cohesion.
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• Big landlords negotiate with small groups for their political support.
• At local level landlord biraderi might have rivalries but at national level they all support
each other.
• Criminals terrorize people by stealing cattle or abducting women. In such situation
small biradari's unite and strengthen their group cohesion.
• Big landlords negotiate with small groups for their political support.
• At local level landlord biraderi might have rivalries but at national level they all support
each other.
21

BIRADARI ENDOGAMY
• Its famous among landowners that “take woman but don’t give them” so they
prefer endogamy as marrying outside is like loss of status for them
• Biradari of share croppers/workers don't practice endogamy rather prefer
exogamous marriages because no fear of loosing status and they prefer their
economic growth.
• Biradari as social unit emerge at ceremonial occasions like weddings. Biradari
organization is weak among big landlords because their household are disperse
in various villages.
• Landlords in Biradari don’t prefer group solidarity rather they want economic
power and authority to control.
22

EXOGAMY AND ZAT
• Structural principle of endogamy is appropriation of women by patrilineage
as opposed to exogamy
• Women exchange in marriage between paternal ancestral group is known
as gots.
• Endogamous systems gives zat names which leads to the identification of
biradaris. In exogamous system, zat refers to defined group equat to sub
caste
• Endogamous systems has compact, small and localized biraderi groups
which have their specific zat names and in exogamy zat defines limits to
which women exchange occur
23

CONCLUSION
• Kinship is the primary factor which govern social organization in the west Punjabi
village.
24

Kinship in West Punjab Hamza Alvi

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