Barakzai
Bārakzai (Pashto: بارکزی ) is a Pashtun tribe in Afghanistan and in Pakistan.
Contents |
[edit] History
Barakzai (translation: sons of Barak) is a common ethnic name among the Pashtuns of Afghanistan/Pakistan and it means ("sons of Barak" in Pashto). Barakzai is also a Pashtun tribe in Pakistan, and more predominantly, in Afghanistan. There are seven distinct Pashtun tribes named Bārakzai, with the Zīrak branch of the Abdal Tareen or Bor Tareen - Tareen - Durrani tribe being the most important and largest tribe with over 4 million people.[1]
According to Hyat Khan's history of Afghanistan, from their progenitor Bor Tareen, otherwise known as Abdal, are descended two main divisions: the Zirak and the Panjpai. The term Abdal, however, gradually superseded Bor Tareen and came into special prominence when Ahmad Shah Abdali, commonly known as Durrani, began his career of conquest. The Achakzais are strictly a branch of the Barakzai but Ahmad Shah Durrani, himself an Abdal Tareen, fearing the growing numbers of the Barakzai, separated them from the parent stock,[citation needed] since which time they have remained distinct.
[edit] See also
[edit] Languages
The principal language of Barakzai is Pashto. Formerly, Persian was used as the language for records and correspondence; until the late nineteenth century tombstones were also inscribed in Persian. The language of the Barakzai tribes in Pishin, Quetta, Gulistan and Dukki (Distt. Loralai) is just like the language spoken in Kandahar. Those who have settled away from Pishin speak local languages (Pushto), such as Multani or Sraiki in Multan, Hindko in Hazara, Urdu in Bhopal and Sindhi in Sind. Barakzai, a dialect of Pashto, is the language spoken by Harnai Barakzai.
[edit] References
- ^ Balland, D.. "BĀRAKZĪ". Encyclopædia Iranica (Online Edition ed.). United States: Columbia University. http://www.iranica.com/newsite/articles/unicode/v3f7/v3f7a059.html.
