Women constitute the backbone of Pashtun society and social organisation. Their role is not only limited to home management, they have played a significant role in all fields throughout history. They have stood in the battlefield with men to defend the motherland and if we look into Pashto literature we find a significant contribution of women and their role in society.
Landey, Tapey and Naarey are three forms of unwritten Pashto folk literature, more than half of this fine and heart-rendering poetry is the work of women.
Landay is a traditional Afghan poetic form consisting of a single couplet. The most enchanting landey have been sung by Pashtun women in battlefields and during episodes of love, such as:
پاس په کمر ولاړه ګله!
نصیب د چا يې؟ اوبه زه در خېژومه
Oh flower on the mountain peak,
It is I who water you, God knows who would own you.
Pashtun women also used landey in the battlefield. We come across events in our national history where the singing of a single landey by a woman has proven to be more effective than weapons.
In the battle of Maiwand, when Pashtuns prepared to fight for their country, a Pashtun maiden proudly sent off her lover to the battlefield and dispatched this message to the commander of this patriotic war:
پر ایوب خان مې سلام وایه!
دا دئ جانان مې کومکي در ولېږنه
Convey my greetings to Ayub Khan,
I have sent off my lover to lend a hand.
When the young Pashtun returns triumphant from war, his lover greets him as such:
د خېره راغلې! په خېر راشې!
چې د دښمن په مخ کې خړ نه شوې مئينه
Welcome! Welcome home, thank God,
You were not humbled before the enemy.
[See photos for more landeys]
Other parts of folk literature are Naara in stories and Gharra in the national dance called Attan and Sundarey (songs) recited in weddings. Most of the Naaras and wedding songs have been authored by women. We’ll look into those in future posts. Stay tuned!
Artwork by minnamamik
Source: Prof Habibi articles
Pashtunology