Cousin marriage, Agnatic Rivalry and Modernity among Pakhtuns A case study of District Mardan, KPK. Pakistan

Abstract

khtun society. The field data indicates a very high prevalence of cousins marriages in the locale as 72.5 % of marriages were cousin marriages out of 92.5% of all endogamous marriages. Patrilineal parallel cousin and matrilineal parallel cousin marriages were the most common type of cousin marriages both 14 % respectively of all endogamous union. This thesis is an attempt to understand the social and cultural structure of Pakhtun society with a special emphasis on cousin marriage and agnatic rivalry both apparently paradoxical to each other, yet co-exist in Pakhtun society for centuries. The study describes the changing dynamics of cousin marriage and Tarboorwali. In the literature Pakhtun ideal behaviour and society is presented as static one. Changes are inevitable and due to modernization, globalization, mass media, education and technological advancement, Pakhtun culture in area has undergone various changes that have impacted the lifestyle of inhabitants. It has helped to understand more fully the existence of cousin marriage phenomenon from the perspective of local community. The main reason of more prevalence of paternal parallel cousin marriage was that they were considered real relative and own blood (khpala weena) and there was a general belief that one‘s own blood has embedded sympathy for each other as compared to other relatives. Interestingly the maternal side is never considered as one‘s own blood but they do come in the line of priority after paternal side. People are of the view ―just like a paralyzed part of the body is carried by remaining body, it implies that handicapped or disable will not be abandoned by relatives‖. In Pakhtun society khpalwali or Khpalvi (close circle of relatives who participate in each other‘s event of their social lives and who extend help and come forward for the protection of any member as a one unit, this special type of relationship is called Khpalwali or Khpalvi) and Tarboorwali (agnatic rivalry) subsist side by side. If you give importance to enmity with your agnates than you are following Tarboorwali and if you subside your differences with your agnates and blood relatives than you are doing vi

khpalwali or khpalvi. Cousin marriage also transforms feeling of enmity of rivalry among agnates and blood relatives into azizwali (treating and feeling of all blood relatives as one unit) and khpalwali. This thesis is divided into nine chapters. The first chapter introduces the topic in a general perspective, states problem in a historical perspective, and then locate it in a theoretical framework. This chapter also includes objectives, significance, and model of the study and also elaborates the overall research methodology including various anthropological techniques. The second chapter is devoted to various theoretical perspectives that describe nature and extent of cousin marriage, agnatic rivalry and modernity in various societies with special emphasis on consanguinity and cousin marriages. Chapter three relates details of the area in general and the socio economic profile of target population in particular. Fourth chapter is about the historical perspective of cousin marriage in Islam and Muslim societies and religious regulation of Cousin Marriages in various religions and various historical periods. The causes and consequences of such marriages in Middle East societies are discussed from sociopolitical perspectives. Fifth and sixth chapters discuss the various rituals of marriage in Pakhtun society and the historical background of cousin marriages in the Pakhtun history respectively. The causes and consequences of cousin marriages are discussed in detail in the light of field data. The seventh chapter provides details related to Tarboorwali as a social institution and its functionality in Pakhtun society. The eighth chapter deals with the understanding of Pakhtun society through Pashto proverbs with special emphasis on Tarboorwali and cousin marriage, and ninth chapter is devoted to the understanding of the concept and phenomenon of modernity in Pakhtun society with special emphasis on Tarboorwali and cousin marriages. Las