PAKISTAN: MUSIC AND DANCE

Pakistan’s music has pretty much borrowed the musical traditions from everyone around it: from India and South Asia to Central Asia to the Middle East as well as various Western styles. 

 

And because Pakistan is in the middle of many religious hotspots (not to mention they created their country specifically as a Muslim state), it’s no wonder that religious music is a significant portion of their traditional music. One of the most widely known types of religious music is called hamd. While it’s mostly used with Islamic texts, it’s also used by Christians in Pakistan as well. Hamd is actually a type of sung poetry that is aimed at expressing the singer’s love for Allah (or God). Naat is a similar form, except that it sings praises and love to the Prophet Muhammad. Qawalli is a type of music from Chishiti Sufis used as devotional music. This music is supposed to bring people to a spiritual trance-like state, known as wajad.

In other traditional forms, one of the big ones is called ghazal. The word is related to the word “gazelle.” This musical style consists of a poetic style of rhyming couplets, even though there are many strict rules to the actual composition of it. At the heart of the ghazal, the lyrics essentially point to the idea that even though there may be a separation or loss of a lover, there’s still beauty in that love. Typically, women have been excluded from qawalli. Many women have formed their own “women-only” gatherings to perform naats in these women-only dance and music parties.

Instruments used in Pakistani vary between a number of percussion instruments, wind instruments, and both plucked and bowed string instruments. Here are a few instruments you’ll hear: tabla (a set of two drums), alghoza (a pair of 6-holed flutes, one used as a drone, the other used as the melody), sitar (a guitar like instrument with a 4-ft long neck attached to a gourd), siroze (a kind of stringed instrument), a dhol (two-headed drum), chimta (a pair of percussive fire tongs—yes, that’s right), ghara (a clay pitcher used as a percussion instrument), iktara (a one-stringed plucked instrument), rubab (plucked lute with frets on a hollow body covered in skins), sarinda (kind of similar to a rubab), sarangi (stringed instrument played with horsehair bow), and harmonium (three-octave keyboard instrument).

Folk dancing in Pakistan is often performed to celebrate the dynamics of life changing events: weddings, birth, deaths. When it comes to dances, each ethnic group has their own specialties and variations. Punjab dances include the bhangra (pretty well-known), the luddi (danced at weddings), and the giddha (uses hand-clapping). In Balochistan, you’ll find the jhumar (slower, rhythmic dance) and the chap (male palm-clapping dance done for weddings). Some Sindh dances are dhammal (done at Sufi shrines), ho jamalo (well-known at parties), and jhumro (done by town ladies to honor a good crop). 

When it came to modern music, Spotify had quite a few Pakistani artists. The first one I listened to was Ahmed Rushdi. It definitely reminded me of the musical styles of India in its vocal lines and instrumentation. The song “Ko Ko Koreena” was a really big thing when it first came out. In fact, it’s often considered one of the first “pop songs” in Pakistan. Nazia Hassan was another musician/singer from this early time period. Her music has more of a Western 1970s pop sound to it.

Ali Zafar’s music has a traditional sound on top of what sounds like a quasi-modern drum beat. It has elements of electronic music, which gives it a dance feel to it. I thought it was kind of catchy. Hadiqa Kiani is as close to what I came to as pop. Her music definitely has some traditional styles and instruments used in it, but it’s clearly influenced by Western pop music. She’s got a couple of slower songs, but I’d say that most are pretty upbeat.

One of the more popular musicians is Atif Aslam. His music is clearly in the rock category, although there are songs that span a range of what rock means: from Bryan Adams-esque to Green Day-esque. He had several songs that were pretty catchy. Faraz Anwar is another rock musician, but his music leaned more toward a Yngwie Malmsteen-style merged with quasi-gothic metal rock maybe? I’m not even sure what specific genre you’d consider this. But I definitely feel like I should be wearing a black T-shirt and that this is probably way better live.

I would confidently place Junoon’s music as indie rock. Still utilizing traditional drums and even some vocalizations (with quarter tones and trills), but still strongly steeped in rock form. Noori is another band I really liked. Still in the indie rock category, but their music sticks out to me for being seemingly more Western than other bands. Perhaps not quite as high on the technical aspect of music, but good to listen to nonetheless.

I did find a hip-hop group called Bohemia. They had some good rhythms and flow; I liked what I heard. Another rapper I came across is Adil Omar. He rapped in English. Definitely based on traditional music styles, but updated and mixed. I liked this. Whatever he did is working.

Up next: the food

AFGHANISTAN: MUSIC, ARTS, AND LITERATURE

Here’s one of my favorite things: ethnomusicology.  I actually have a degree in music from Indiana State University, and world music was one of my favorite classes.  Although I knew that every country has its own music, there were parts that were somewhat “outside the box” of the Western music that we are more familiar with. It really opened my eyes to what music really is.

MUSIC:  When it comes to Afghan music, there are many similarities to the music of India and of Persia. The Afghans have taken certain musical styles and instruments and made it their own by making some subtle changes. One instrument that is popular in Afghan music is a drum called the tabla.  There are two drums played together, similar to bongos, where the smaller one is usually tuned to a pitch (usually tonic, dominant or subdominant) and the larger one has more of resonating bass tones.  

The rubab is a small stringed instrument that is similar to a lute. Now, I’m not a string person (yes, I know the piano has strings, but I normally can’t see them, so it doesn’t count), so I’m reaching beyond my scope of knowledge here. But there are a ton of strings on the rubab: three melody strings, three drone strings and 11 or 12 resonance strings that are plucked. Beyond that, it’s a mystery. But I love the sound.

One of the traditional dances is called the attan. It has its roots in Zoroastrian culture, and started out as a folk dance, but was adapted into the Islamic culture of Afghanistan. It’s danced to the music of drums, usually a dhol (a traditional double-headed drum), during times of celebration. Different areas have their own versions of the dance.

They do have their own pop music that became popular starting in the 1950s. And in some multi-cultural areas, like in Kabul, you’ll even find Afghan hip-hop. It’s not too bad if you’ve got an open mind. I even liked some of the songs I’ve heard. Too bad I can’t find it anywhere in the US. At least not where I’ve looked yet.

ART:  If you look at architecture in Afghanistan, you’ll find remnants of several cultures and peoples that have lived or occupied the area at one point in time or another, mainly Persian, Arab, Indian, and Buddhist architectural styles across the country. Unfortunately, years of war have destroyed a lot of historical buildings and sculptures. The Afghans are also known for their jewelry, especially pieces made from gold. Because of its location along the Silk Road, the Afghans also learned how to develop ceramics from the Chinese, and you’ll find ceramic tile art as well as pottery. Afghan blankets are also popular and can be seen all over the world along with Afghan rugs.  

 

LITERATURE: Most early literature and poetry had been passed down verbally in the traditional sense because many people at that time could not read or write. (Literacy still happens to be a problem today in Afghanistan.)  There are several poets who are listed as being influential, including Khushal Khan Khattak who is often thought of as a national hero. Folktales are a popular form of teaching history, beliefs and life lessons. During the their many times of war, most poetry and literature tends to center around Islam and freedom and bringing the people together as Afghans. There are a few modern authors who have become popular, namely Khaled Hosseini, whose book “The Kite Runner” was a best-seller and motion picture. I’ve not read it yet, but it’s been on my list for a while now.

The arts show a sense of the soul of the nation and who has influenced it. Although this is a country that struggles and has struggled in the past, it knows who it is at the heart of it all. You can sense that struggle and the effects of occupations and wars in its literature; you can sense the influence of their neighbors and friendships in their music and rich history through their art.

 

Next up, it’s time to eat.

Resources:

Wikipedia articles: “Khaled Hosseini,” “Music of Afghanistan,” “Tabla,” “Rubab,” “Attan”

Afghanistan’s Web Site – Literature: http://www.afghanistans.com/information/people/Literature.htm

Afghanistan’s Web Site – Art and Architecture: http://www.afghanistans.com/information/people/ArtArchitecture.htm