Akazai

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Akazai is a Pakhtoon (or Pashtoon; Pashtun) tribe hailing from northern Pakistan. Specifically, it is a subdivision of the Isazai clan within the larger Yousafzai tribe. The Yousafzai tribe is widely recognized as one of the most influential, renowned, and esteemed Pashtoon tribes. [1] Military historian Colonel Harold Carmichael Wylly offers a personal perspective on the vast Yousafzai tribe, stating:

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"The Yousafzai is an agriculturist, generally a fine, well-limbed man of a good physique and appearance with great deal of race-pride, well dressed and cheery, while his hospitality is proverbial". [2]

Origin

The Akazais are considered to be a tribe among The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes, a division of the Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe. [3] They are the descendants of Aka, the son of Isa (Isazai), and the grandson of Yusuf/Yousaf/Yousafzai. [4] The Akazais are further divided into four sections with each section having two or more sub-sections. [5]

Sections and sub-sections

Sub ClanSectionSub-section (Khel)
AkazaiAziz KhelDarja Khel, Sain Khel, Kala Khel and Rasul Khel
 Barat KhelBiba Khel, Chamba Khel, Khan Khel and Shahi Khel
 Painda KhelAwal Khel, Jogi Khel and Lal Khel
 Tasan KhelAkozai, Ghazi Khan and Mamuzai

Demographics

The Akazai tribe (approximately 35,000) occupies the western slopes of a mountainous region known as Tor Ghar (meaning "Black Mountain"). Akazais also inhabit a portion of the crest of Tor Ghar on the northern side of Hassanzais. On their eastern side is part of Agror, to the north are Chagharzais (Nasrat Khel and Basi Khel) while to the west is the famous Indus River. The southern face of Machai Sar ("Peak"), which is the highest peak (9817 feet) of Tor Ghar, belongs to the Akazais. The main Akazai villages are Kand (Upper and Lower), Bimbal and Bilianrey. Other villages are Darbanrey, Kanar, Bakrey, Laid, Lashora, Bakianra, Moraata, Torum, and Larey. During the period of Sikh rule and up to 1868, Akazais held the village of Shatut in Agror valley (Tehsil Oghi). [6] For better prospects of life, Akazais migrated to adjoining area and cities within Pakistan.Those Akazais who migrated from Tor Ghar are now living in Tehsil Oghi (adjoining Tor Ghar), Pakhal Valley and Konsh Valley - Chinarkot Mansehra district, Malikpura - Abbottabad, Khalabat Township, Haripur, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Burhan in District Attock. [ citation needed ]

Fighting against the British

During the British Rule 1858 to 1947, Tor Ghar had never been under its administration. The Akazais, along with the Hassanzais, were very active in fighting against the British. [7]

The fighting character and bravery of the tribe was described by Sir William Wilson Hunter as follows: [8]

The Campaign of 1863 taught us to our cost that an expedition against the Fanatical Encampment may mean a war with a coalition of 53,000 fighting men of the bravest races in the world. The inaccessible character of the country renders the temper and the internal relations of the tribes a matter of uncertainty with our Frontier officers; and whenever the Rebel Settlement suffers a defeat, it has merely to fall back deeper into the recesses of the Mahában.

The Indian-British government sent five major expeditions to Tor Ghar to suppress The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes at different times: [6]

After the creation of Pakistan on 14 August 1947, Tor Ghar was given the status of Tribal Area under the administration of the provincial government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (North West Frontier Province).

Culture and Traditions

Like all other Pashtuns, Akazais have maintained their cultural identity. They strictly follow the code of ethics of Pashtunwali, which comprises Manliness, Goodness, Gallantry, Loyalty and Modesty. Akazais have also maintained the Pashtoon customs of Jarga or Jirga (consultative assembly), Badal (justice or revenge) Nanawati (delegation pleading guilty), Hujhra (large drawing room) and Melmastya (hospitality). [12]

Language

Pushto is the basic language of Akazais. Having less interaction with other people/languages due rugged nature terrain and less roads; the Akazais of Tor Ghar speak the purest form of Pushto. Akazais who migrated to other areas have adopted local languages like; Hindko in Hazara Division.

Recent Developments

On 28 January 2011, Tor Ghar became the 25th District of Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa. [13] Judba is the district headquarters of this newly created district with following tehsils:

Most of the Akazai areas come under the Kandar Hassanzai tehsil.

Related Research Articles

The Yusufzai or Yousafzai, also referred to as the Esapzai, or Yusufzai Afghans historically, are one of the largest tribes of ethnic Pashtuns. They are natively based in the northern part of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to which they migrated from Kabul during the 16th century, but they are also present in parts of Afghanistan, including Kunar, Kabul, Kandahar and Farah. Outside of these countries, they can be found in Ghoriwala District Bannu, Balochistan Sibi (Akazai), Chagai (Hassanzai) and Rohilkandh.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Agror</span>

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The Hassanzai is a sub-clan of Yousafzai, which is a Pakhtoon/Pashtoon/Pathan tribe. It is one of the divisions of the Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe. Yousafzai tribe is regarded as one of the most powerful, famous, and respected tribes of Pashtoons. Colonel H. C. Wylly (1858–1932) described these people in the following words:

The Yousafzai is an agriculturist, generally fine, well-limbed man, of a good physique and appearance with great deal of race-pride, well dressed and cheery, while his hospitality is proverbial.

The Chagharzais or Chagarzais are a division of the Malizai clan of the Yousafzai tribe. Colonel Harold Carmichael Wylly, 1858–1932, a British military historian described these people in the following words:

The Yousafzai is an agriculturist, generally fine, well-limbed man, of a good physique and appearance with great deal of race-pride, well dressed and cheery, while his hospitality is proverbial.

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References

  1. P.D. Bonarjee. (1899). A Handbook of The Fighting Races of India p.23.
  2. H.C. Wylly (1912). "From the Black Mountain to Waziristan". London: Macmillan. p. 56.
  3. Rose, H. A. (Horace Arthur); Ibbetson, Denzil; Maclagan, Edward Douglas (1911). A glossary of the tribes and castes of the Punjab and North-West frontier province. University of California Libraries. Lahore : Printed by the superintendent, Government Printing, Punjab.
  4. 1 2 3 Watson H. D. Ed, Gazetteer of Hazara District 1907. p. 164.
  5. J. Wolfe Murray. A Dictionary of the Pathan Tribes on the North-west Frontier of India
  6. 1 2 Wylly H.C. From the Black Mountain to Waziristan, Chapter - II pges (24 -53)
  7. "Digital South Asia Library". dsal.uchicago.edu. Archived from the original on 7 May 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.
  8. William Wilson Hunter (1872). The Indian Musalmans. Oxford University. Trübner and company.
  9. 1 2 3 4 "Expeditions Against the Frontier Tribes of the Northwest Frontier Province". www.antiquesatoz.com. Retrieved 4 September 2023.
  10. 1 2 3 Watson, H. D. Ed (1908). Gazetteer Of The Hazara District, 1907.
  11. A H Mason. Expedition Against The Hasanzai And Akazai Tribes Of The Black Mountain 1891.
  12. Singh, Surinder; Gaur, I. D. (2008). Popular Literature and Pre-modern Societies in South Asia. Pearson Education India. ISBN   978-81-317-1358-7.
  13. Tor Ghar: Kala Dhaka becomes 25th K-P district The Express Tribune. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.