The Marri are a
Balochi-speaking tribe of the
Baloch people
The Baloch or Baluch ( bal, بلۏچ, Balòc) are an Iranian peoples, Iranian people who live mainly in the Balochistan region, located at the southeasternmost edge of the Iranian plateau, encompassing the countries of Pakistan, Iran, and Afgh ...
, who inhabit a large arid region in northeastern
Balochistan, Pakistan
Balochistan (; bal, بلۏچستان; ) is one of the four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It shares land ...
. The Marri area is bounded to the west by the plains of
Sibi
Sibi ( Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name.
Etymology
The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu la ...
. To the north are the
Kakar
The Kakar (Pashto: کاکړ) is a Gharghashti Pashtun tribe, based mostly in Northern Balochistan, Pakistan and Loy Kandahar in Afghanistan.
Legendary origin
Kakars are sons of Gharghashti who was the son of Qais Abdul Rashid.
In Herat, the Ka ...
and
Loni
Loni is a somewhat popular female name related to the given names Leonie, Lonna (or Lona) and Lonnie.
It may refer to:
People
* Loni (Pashtun tribe), a branch of the Durrani tribe in Pakistan and Afghanistan
** Arman Loni (1983-2019), Pashtun ...
tribes of the
Pashtuns
Pashtuns (, , ; ps, پښتانه, ), also known as Pakhtuns or Pathans, are an Iranian ethnic group who are native to the geographic region of Pashtunistan in the present-day countries of Afghanistan and Pakistan. They were historically re ...
; to the east lie the lands of the
Khetrans
The Khetran are a Baloch tribe found primarily in the northeast of the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Their area is a large hilly tract in the Sulaiman Mountains comprising the whole of Barkhan District as well as small parts of neighbouring ...
, speakers of an
Indo-Aryan language,
Khetrani; to the south the
Bugti
Bugti ( bal, بُگٹی ) is a Baloch tribe found in eastern Balochistan, Pakistan. , it was estimated to comprise over 180,000 people, mostly living in the Dera Bugti region of Pakistan. They are in turn divided into the Rahija,Marhita, Perozani, ...
tribe.
Traditionally, the Marri people, like other Baloch tribes, were
nomads
A nomad is a member of a community without fixed habitation who regularly moves to and from the same areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the popu ...
and earned their livelihood from
grazing animals. Today, the Marri
tribe
The term tribe is used in many different contexts to refer to a category of human social group. The predominant worldwide usage of the term in English language, English is in the discipline of anthropology. This definition is contested, in p ...
is modernized, and only a few groups are left with a distinct cultural identity.
Early history and folklore
The early history of the Marri centers around the
Mir Chakar Khan, the folk hero of many Baloch romances and leader of the
Rind tribe. After his quarrels with the Lasharies, and after he had been driven out of
Sibi
Sibi ( Sindhi: سيوي ur, ) is a city situated in the Balochistan province of Pakistan. The city is the headquarters of the district and tehsil of the same name.
Etymology
The origin of the town's name is attributed to Rani Sewi, a Hindu la ...
by the
Arghuns, Mir Chakar took refuge in what is now the present Marri country near the Manjara River.
Shortly after raids, the main body of the Rinds migrated to the country east of the Indus. However, a small section of the Puzh Rinds detached itself from Mir Chakar and elected to remain behind in the Sewistan Hills. The leader of this section was Bijar Khan, accompanied by Ali Khan, Mando Khan and Kalu Khan, a blacksmith (Lohar), a gardener called Kangra, and a negro (Sedi) named Shaheja. These men were the founders of the Marri tribe, which consolidated in the first quarter of the sixteenth century.
The particular spot where Bijar Khan parted ranks from Mir Chakar is known as Bijar Wad into the present day.
Constituent groups
The Marri tribe consists of the following subtribes (as recorded in 1940):
*Ghaznni (which, in turn, is made up of the Thingiani, Badani, Mandani, Chhalgari, Zhing, Langani, Aliani, Mazarani, Nozbandgani, Lori Kush, Bahwalanzai, Murgiani, Isfani and Jarwar)
*Bijarani (with subsections Pawadi, Kungrani, Shaheja, Kalwani, Kalandrani, Salarani, Somrani, Pirdadani, and Ramkani)
* Loharani (with the three subsections of the Mohamadani, Sherani, and the eponymous Loharani)
The Marri are a Balochi-speaking tribe of the Baloch people, who inhabit a large, arid region in northeastern Balochistan, Pakistan. The Marri area is bounded to the west by the plains of Sibi, to the north are the Kakar and Loni tribes of the Pashtuns, to the east lie the lands of the Indo-Aryan speaking Khetrans, while to the south are found the Marri's traditional enemies, the Bugti Baloch.
The Marri tribe consists of the following sections (as of 1940): Ghazeni (which in turn is made up of the Bahawalanzai, Nozbandagani, Murgiani, Samwani, Lodhiani, Aliani, Ispani and Langhani, possibly others), Bijarani (with subsections Tingiani, Mazarani, Kalandrani, Kaisrani, Rahmkani, Piradani-Marri, Salarani, Somrani, Kalwani, Shaheja, Powadhi and Kungrani, Loharani (with the four subsections of the Mohamadani, hijbani, Sherani, and the eponymous Loharani, ).
See also
*
Marri-Bugti Country
Marri-Bugti Country (Marri and Bugti Country) was a tribal region during the period of British colonial rule in Baluchistan. Marris and Bugtis are the strongest Baloch tribes in the Balochistan. The Marris occupied in the north, while the B ...
References
Further reading
*
PAK Institute for Peace Studies 19-04-2006: Baloch Insurgency – A backgrounder
{{Authority control
Social groups of Pakistan
Baloch tribes