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Afridi

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For other uses, see Afridi (disambiguation).
Afridis
اپريدي
آفریدی
File:Afghan Tribal Flag - Afridi.jpg
Modern amalgamation of Afridi tribal flags.
Total population
~70,000[1]
Regions with significant populations
 Pakistan~50,000[2]
 Afghanistan~10,000[1]
Languages
Vernacular: Pashto
Diaspora: Urdu
Religion
Sunni Islam
Related ethnic groups
Khattaks · Orakzais · Wazirs · Mehsuds
and other Karlan Pashtun tribes

The Afridis (Template:Lang-ps Apriday, plur. اپريدي Afridi; Template:Lang-ur) are a Pashtun tribe based in present-day Pakistan, with substantial numbers in Afghanistan. The Afridis are most prominent in Pakistan's Federally Administered Tribal Areas, inhabiting about 1,000 square miles (3,000 km²) of rough hilly area in the eastern Spin Ghar range west of Peshawar, covering most of Khyber Agency, FR Peshawar and FR Kohat.[2] Their territory includes the Khyber Pass and Maidan in Tirah. Afridi migrants are also found in India, mostly in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Jammu and Kashmir.[3]

The Afridis are historically known for the strategic location they inhabit, and for belligerence against outside forces; battling the Mughal dynasty's armies throughout Mughal rule.[1] Their later clashes against British expeditions comprised the most savage fighting of the Anglo-Afghan Wars.[4] After independence, Afridi tribesmen also helped attack Jammu and Kashmir for Pakistan during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947.[5] Today, Afridis make use of their dominant social position in FATA and areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by controlling transport and various businesses, including trade in arms, munitions, and other goods.[1]

Etymology and origins

The Afridis, classically called the Abaörteans (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˌæbə.ɔːrˈtiːənz/; Template:Lang-lat), have their original homeland in the Spin Ghar, a mountain range on both sides of the Durand line, located east of Kabul and west of Peshawar. The great Sanskrit grammarian and historian Pāṇini, who himself hailed from the nearby Shalatur, a village located near the confluence of the Kabul and Indus rivers, mentioned the names of tribes such as the Aprits (identified with the modern Afridis) and the Madhumants who inhabited the northwestern areas, in his Ashtadhyayi in the 5th century BC.[6]

The famous historian Herodotus mentions a region bordering on the banks of the Indus occupied by a people called the Pactyans who were divided into four tribes, one which were the Aparthea or Aparutai, likely to be the Aprit mentioned by Panini.[7] The Pactyans were overwhelmingly Hindus[citation needed]. They laid claim to an inaccessible upland area and forced passing invaders to pay toll tax[citation needed] for passage towards India through the Khyber Pass. Olaf Caroe and Aurel Stein are reported to have suggested that the Afridis may be the original inhabitants of the Gandhara area (which they still inhabit).

According to Pashtun folklore, the Afridi tribe traces its origin back to the eponymous ancestor of all Pashtuns, Qais Abdur Rashid, through his youngest son, Karlan. Thus, the Afridi tribe are one of the Karlani tribes, who had a formidable reputation as warriors.

Theory of Afridi descent from Israelites

See also: Theory of Pashtun descent from Israelites, Ten Lost Tribes, and Bani Israel

The Afridis and other Pashtuns of Afghanistan and Pakistan have also been alleged to be the descendants of the lost Jewish tribes such as the Efraim[citation needed]. However, DNA and other research towards validating such claims has been inconclusive.[8][9][10]

History

Resistance against the Mughals

Afridi fighters photographed by John Burke in 1878.

The Afridis were first mentioned in the memoirs of Mughal Emperor Babar, as a violent tribe in need of subduing.[11] The Afridis contolled the Khyber Pass, which has historically served as a corridor connecting the Indian subcontinent with Afghanistan and Central Asia. Its strategic value was not lost on the Mughals, to whom the Afridis were implacably hostile.[12] Over the course of Mughal rule, Emperors Akbar and Jahangir both dispatched punitive expeditions to suppress the Afridis, to little success.[13]

The Mughal effort to suppress the Afridis was greatly intensified under Aurangzeb. . Revolt was triggered when soldiers under the orders of the Mughal Governor Amir Khan allegedly attempted to molest women of the Safi tribe in modern day Kunar. The Safi tribe retaliated and killed the soldier. This attack provoked a reprisal, which triggered a general revolt of the most of tribes. The Mughol King Aurangzeb ordered the Safi tribal elders to hand over the killers. The Safi, Afridi, Mohmand, Shinwari and Khattak tribe came together to protect the Safi men accused of badal. Attempting to reassert his authority, Amir Khan in orders of Aurangzeb led a large Mughal Army to the Khyber Pass, where the army was surrounded by tribesmen and routed. Afghan sources claim that Aurangzeb suffered a humiliating defeat, with a reported loss of 40,000 Mughal soldiers and with only four men, including the Governor managing to escape. In a Battle he lost his Dear and Trustworthy friends Emal Khan Mohmand and Darya Khan Afridi.Khushal greatly praised the bravery and courage of Darya Khan Afridi and Aimal Khan Mohmad who had destroyed the entire Mughal army in Khyber in 1672. As he said about his these two close companions:"Aimal khan and Darya khan from death God preserve them, Never have they failed me at the time of need"

Resistance against the British

The Afridis once destroyed two large Mughal army of Emperor Aurangzeb: in 1672 in a surprise attack between Peshawar and Kabul, and in the winter of 1673 in an ambush in the mountain passes.[14] The emperor himself had to lead an army into the mountains to suffocate the revolt and liberate the mountain passes, and even then another large army was "badly mauled" in Bajaur.[14][15] Allegedly, only five Mughals made it out of the battle alive.[16][17][18]

Clans

The British classified the Afridi in 8 different clans, with many subtribes in a hierarchical structure:[19]

  • Kuki Khel
  • Malikdín Khel
  • Qambar Khel
  • Kamar Khel
  • Zakha Khel
  • Aka Kel
  • Sepáh
  • Adam Khel

All of the Afridi clans have their own areas in the Tirah, and most of them extend down into the Khyber Pass over which they have always exercised the right of toll. The Malikdin Khel live in the center of the Tirah and hold Bagh, the traditional meeting place of Afridi jirgas or assemblies. The Aka Khel are scattered in the hills south of Jamrud. All of this area is included in the Khyber Agency. The Adam Khel live in the hills between Peshawar and Kohat. Their preserve is the Kohat Pass. In which several of the most important Afridi gun factories are located. The Adam khel Afridis are further divided into four clans.

The Khyber Rifles from 1895 comprising an all Afridi personnel.

Religion

All modern Afridis follow Islam. Their conversion to Islam is attributed to Sultan (Emperor) Mahmud of Ghazni by sources such as Ibbetson[20] and Haroon Rashid.[21]

Cuisine

See also: Pashtun cuisine

Meat is an important part of their diet which they eat in the form of kabab (minced meat fried in oil), lamb curry, chicken curry, goat curry and much more. The hotels in Peshawar Namak Mandi Bazar represent the traditional food of Afridis, especially Lamb Karahi. In vegetable cuisine bindi (okra), rajma (kidney beans), dal (lentils) and sag (spinach) are notable. Their desserts include kheer (rice pudding), meenchai (sugared noodles).

List of notable Afridis

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Afridi demographics in Pakistan and Afghanistan The excessive figure sometimes mentioned in Afghanistan reflects in a particular way the Afghan claim to Pashtunistan and actually represents an estimate of the whole of the Afridi tribe on both sides of the frontier.
  2. ^ a b Afridi demographics in FATA and FR Kohat
  3. ^ Study of the Pathan Communities in Four States of India, Khyber.org (retrieved 30 January 2008)
  4. ^ L. Thomas, Beyond Khyber Pass, London, n.d. (ca. 1925)
  5. ^ M.K. Teng (2001) Kashmir: The Bitter Truth Kashmir Information Network
  6. ^ page 64 India and Central Asia By J. N. Roy, J.N. Roy And B.B. Kumar, Astha Bharati (Organization), Indian Council for Cultural Relations
  7. ^ Pakistan and the emergence of Islamic militancy in Afghanistan By Rizwan Hussain Page 16
  8. ^ Amir Mizroch (2010-01-09). "Are Taliban descendants of Israelites?". The Jerusalem Post.
  9. ^ Sachin Parashar (2010-01-11). "Lucknow Pathans have Jewish roots?". Times of India.
  10. ^ Rory McCarthy (2010-01-17). "Pashtun clue to lost tribes of Israel". The Observer.
  11. ^ A. S. Beveridge, Babor-nama London, 1922 [repr. 1969], p. 412
  12. ^ History of Khyber Agency: Gateway to the Subcontinent, Office of the Political Agent, Khyber Agency
  13. ^ C.M. Kieffer, Afridi, Encyclopaedia Iranica
  14. ^ a b John F. Richards (1996), "Imperial expansion under Aurangzeb 1658-1869. Testing the limits of the empire: the Northwest.", The Mughal Empire, New Cambridge history of India: The Mughals and their contemporaries, vol. 5 (illustrated, reprint ed.), Cambridge University Press, pp. 170–171, ISBN 978-0-521-56603-2
  15. ^ Khyber Agency Khyber.org, 3 July 2005
  16. ^ Geoffrey Powell, J. S. W. Powell (1983), Famous regiments (illustrated ed.), Secker & Warburg, p. 69, ISBN 978-0-436-37910-9, The
  17. ^ Robert E. L. Masters, Eduard Lea (1963). Perverse crimes in history: evolving concepts of sadism, lust-murder, and necrophilia from ancient to modern times. Julian Press. p. 211. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  18. ^ Robert E. L. Masters, Eduard Lea (1963). Sex crimes in history: evolving concepts of sadism, lust-murder, and necrophilia, from ancient to modern times. Julian Press. p. 211. Retrieved 5 April 2011.
  19. ^ H.A. Rose, IBBETSON, Maclagan (1996). Glossary of the Tribes and Castes of the Punjab and North West Frontier Province (re-edition, first edited in 1919, 1911,1914 ed.). Asian Educational Services. pp. 252–253. ISBN 81-206-0505-5, 9788120605053. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: invalid character (help)CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Denzil Ibbetson, Edward MacLagan, H.A. Rose "A Glossary of The Tribes & Casts of The Punjab & North-West Frontier Province", 1911 AD, Page 217, Vol III,Published by Asian Educational Services
  21. ^ History of the Pathans By Haroon Rashid Published by Haroon Rashid, 2002 Item notes: v. 1 Page 45 Original from the University of Michigan
  22. ^ Farhat Taj Orientalism in civilisational narcissism "The fieriest clashes were led by Khushhal Khan Khattak, Aimal Khan Afridi and Darya Khan Afridi against the Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb."
  23. ^ Helen Ellis (July 2009) The Assassination of Lord Mayo: The 'First' Jihad? Australian National University
  24. ^ Michael Lambert (2009), The Kidnapping of Mollie Ellis by Afridi Tribesmen, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
  25. ^ Foreign Policy Centre (2006), On the Margins of History: The Baloch of Pakistan
  26. ^ ODI Records:- Fastest 100s
  27. ^ Sharma, Vishwamitra (2007). Famous Indians of the 21st century. Pustak Mahal. p. 60. ISBN 81-223-0829-5. Retrieved 18 September 2010
  28. ^ Zia-ul-Hasan Faruqi (1999) Dr. Zakir Hussain: Quest for Truth APH Publishing, India
Wikisource has the text of the 1911 Encyclopædia Britannica article "Afridi".
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