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By Dj Mathal
TO subjugate or enslave a nation, it will be more than enough that the people are kept away from their culture and traditions. Culture is the nucleus which binds a nation together and never allows it to disintegrate. If we examine major revolutions that took place around the world, we find that stronger groups always deprived their weaker opponents of the links with their centuries-old cultures. As a result, a large number of nations lost their existence and were annihilated in many parts of the world. When we define a nation, culture is taken as a basic ingredient. People with identical ways to dress, behave, treat each other and celebrate different occasions live side by side in a happy way. This has been true with the people of Gilgit-Baltistan who have lived together in an congenial atmosphere only because they have a shared and common culture of their own. History shows that people living among the Hindukush, Himalayas and Karakoram have always been peaceful and broad-minded. Even long before Pakistan came into being these people were well-known around the world for their unique culture, languages, hospitality and peace-loving nature. Due to the scenic beauty and the unique culture of the region, Gilgit-Baltistan has always attracted tourists from across the globe. Unfortunately, however, after independence Gilgit-Baltistan went into the hands of outsiders and for the last over 60 years a well-planned conspiracy has been at work to destroy the culture and traditions of the region.
Today we find it very embarrassing that most of the people particularly the youth of our region are even not ware of the most popular dress of Gilgit-Baltistan and prefer to put on dresses alien to us. Local traditional dishes are being replaced by Pakistani and Indian foods.
Chinese foods which even the Chinese never eat are served at local hotels with pomp and show and are eaten by the locals with pride. Our traditional wedding ceremonies have also been losing charm and it is very shameful that we now feel pride in celebrating the wedding festivals by copying Indian functions shown on the TV channels.
The traditional dresses of the bride and the bridegroom have disappeared and the Indian music has taken its heavy toll on our folk music even in wedding ceremonies. Even the strong binding Shaap festival is losing ground on the face of alien cultural invasion in the region and the tradition of going from house to house giving prayers has come to an end.
Folk songs have always depicted our culture and people's love for peace and music. When a local poet writes a song and the singer sings it, this shows the living culture of the region in its best. But the so-called custodians of our future in order to eliminate our culture have made the life of our artists miserable. The poets of local languages have been fighting their own war of financial survival due to lack of patronage.
As a result, folk songs are dying out fast. Those speaking the official language are bestowed with all privileges, awards etc at the cost of local poets. Artists who were employed in various departments are slowly being shown the door. It is sad that all means are covertly and overtly being used to eliminate all those who are in one way or the other engaged in promoting the local culture. What does it mean? It is totally aimed at alienating the new generation from their centuries-old culture in order to subjugate them.
For the last over six decades all means have been used to deny and snatch our basic human, political and economic rights and side by side the youth are being driven away from their culture. The strong cementing force which has kept the people of this region together is seen by the rulers as an impediment to their goals and all efforts are being made to destroy it. The occupiers seem quite successful in their mission to disintegrate the cultural unity of the people but they should also understand that Gilgit-Baltistan is a different case.
Its atmosphere is filled with a scent which prompts poetry from the depth of the heart; its soil has the vigour that compels its sons to sing the songs of the land. If wedding songs are dying out, no problem; who will crush the freedom songs that are at the lips of everyone. It is the duty of everyone to rise for his own future, for the future of the nation, for the future of their tomorrow to safeguard their culture and identity because if the culture is safeguarded our future will be safe, as only those who understand to protect their culture can live and live for ever.
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