The Madakhel is a

Pakhtoon 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 ...

/Pashtoon/

Pathan 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 ...

tribe. It is a division of the Isazai clan of the

Yousafzai The Yusufzai or Yousafzai ( ps, یوسفزی, ), also referred to as the Esapzai (, ) are one of the largest tribes of ethnic Pashtuns. They are natively based in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, to which they migrated to from Suliman mountains dur ...

tribe.

History

The Madakhels are from the family of

The Black Mountain (Tor Ghar) Tribes Black Mountain (Tor Ghar), is located in Hazara division of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Tor Ghar is Pushto word which means Tor (Black) Ghar (Mountain). It is also called Kala Dhaka, which means the same as its Pushto name; in Hind ...

. They are a division of the Isazai clan of the Yousafzai tribe. Madakhels are the descendants of Mada the son of Isa (Isazai) and the grandson of Yusuf/Yousaf/(Yousafzai). The Madakhels are further divided into four Sections; each Section having two or more sub-sections.

Sections and sub-sections

Geography

Madakhels are among the dwellers on the

Tor Ghar Torghar District ( ps, تور غر ولسوالۍ, ur, ) formerly also known as Kala Dhaka ( hnd, ) is the smallest district in Pakistan of Abaseen Division in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It was officially separated from Mansehra District in ...

. Madakhel country is on the northern slopes of the Mahaban Mountain down to the right bank of the Indus and is bounded on the north by the

Hassanzai 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 ...

s, on the east by the Indus, on the south and west by the Tanolis and Amazais. Most of the villages are on Mahaban Mountain, with two on the banks of the Indus. The easiest approaches to Madakhel territory pass through Hassanzai territory.

Culture and traditions

Like other Pashtoons, Madakhels maintained their cultural identity and individuality. They lead their lives in accordance with code of ethics of

Pashtunwali Pashtunwali or Pakhtunwali ( ps, پښتونولي) is the traditional lifestyle and is best described as a code of honor of the Pashtun people, by which they live. Scholars widely have interpreted it as being "the way of the Afghans" or "the code ...

, which combines Manliness, Goodness, Gallantry, Loyalty and Modesty. Madakhels have also maintained the Pashtoon customs of

Jirga A jirga ( ps, جرګه, ''jərga'') is an assembly of leaders that makes decisions by consensus according to Pashtunwali, the Pashtuns, Pashtun social code. It is conducted in order to settle disputes among the Pashtuns, but also by members of oth ...

(Consultative Assembly),

Nanawati Nənawā́te ( ps, ننواتې, "sanctuary") is a tenet of the Pashtunwali code of the Pashtun people. It allows a beleaguered person to enter the house of any other person and make a request of him which cannot be refused, even at the cost of the ...

(Delegation pleading guilty), Hujhra (Large drawing room) and

Melmastya Melmastyā́, or hospitality, is the requirement Pashtunwali places on all its tribesmen towards others, whether they are strangers or members of one's own tribe. Melmastyā́ requires hospitality and profound respect to be shown all visitors, rega ...

(Hospitality).

Language

Pushto is the basic language of Madakhels. Living away from urban centres and having less interaction with people from other languages, Madakhels speak purest form of Pushto. Due to migrations for better prospects of life and marriage in non-Pushtoon families, some Madakhels adopted other languages such as Hindko and

Urdu Urdu (;"Urdu"
'' Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (; ps, خېبر پښتونخوا; Urdu, Hindko: خیبر پختونخوا) commonly abbreviated as KP or KPK, is one of the Administrative units of Pakistan, four provinces of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, ...

.Tor Ghar: Kala Dhaka becomes 25th K-P district
The Express Tribune. 28 January 2011. Retrieved 12 November 2011.

Judba Judba (Urdu and ps, ) is the district headquarters of Torghar District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's Lis ...

is the district headquarters of this newly born district with following tehsils:- * Judba * Kandar Hassanzai * Mada Khel Most of the Mada Khel areas come under the Mada Khel tehsil.

References

{{Pashtun tribes Social groups of Pakistan Yusufzai Pashtun tribes