Pakistani Society & It’s Sociological Concepts
Assignment 2
Topic: Pakistani Culture is value orientated culture.
Submitted to: Ma’am Rashda Butt
Submitted by: Muzammil Fayyaz
Major: English Language & Linguistics
Semester: 1 Pakistani Culture is Value Oriented Culture
Introduction:
Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, defined by everything from language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts.
Sir Edward B. Tylor's definition of culture (1871);
“Culture is that complex whole which includes knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, law, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by [a human] as a member of society.”
…show more content…
The society and culture of Pakistan comprises numerous ethnic groups: the Punjabis, Kashmiris, Sindhis in east, Muhajirs, Makrani in the south; Baloch, Hazaras and Pashtuns in the west; and the Dards, Wakhi, Baltis and Burusho communities in the north.
Characteristics of Pak Culture:
Every great nation enjoys its own culture. Similarly, Pakistani culture is very distinct due to its Islamic nature and rich historical background. Pakistani culture has the following characteristics: Islamic Ideology:
Pakistani culture is actually a part of the contemporary Islamic civilization which draws its value and traditions from Islam and rich Islamic history. Majority of population comprises of Muslims and follows teachings of Islam, i-e., belief in one Allah, Prophet Hood of Hazrat Muhammad P.B.U.H, brotherhood, equality and social justice etc. Islam is religion of peace and patience. Pakistani society is very cooperative. National calendar is marked by religious days which are observed with great
…show more content…
These values are something which are given due significance. This culture revolves around the religion which teaches equality. Pakistan’s culture is very diverse. Cultures have strongly been influenced by surrounding cultures of India, Central Asia and the Middle East along with other places. Pakistani society is largely multilingual and multicultural and also a value oriented culture as it follows the principles of right and wrong that are accepted by an individual or a social group. It has its own perfect values which help us to live satisfactory
Culture by definition is the set of shared attitudes, values, goals and practices, as well as customary beliefs, social forms and material traits that characterize a racial, religious or ...
I do not consider myself Paki-American. I am too "Americanized" to be Pakistani. (although by birthright, I am American), and I am not quite up to par with the American way of life. So what does all this have to do with my culture, what does a label really matter to cultural identity? It matters much. I believe that this seemingly trivial confusion over labels reveals the even greater confusion that surrounds my cultural identity: Am I a bridge between these two multifaceted cultures, or have I become a mosaic displaying colors from here and there, and elsewhere too? Perhaps both, and I could be a colorful bridge, or perhaps neither. Whatever the case, I cannot seem to separate these absolutely disparate realities within me. Their forces are still clashing, coming together within me, creating a wonderful confusion out of me. I believe that to truly analyze my culture, the roots of this confusion must be explored. In the span of this essay, I must try to encompass the widths of two worlds, their unique interactions within me... which I hope constitute what is called culture.
Culture is the knowledge of the different groups of people, which include their languages, religions, values, cuisine, ideologies and social objects. Culture is very important because
Everybody has their own definition of Culture – and when this word is used generally, most audiences have a rough idea of its meaning. Culture usually refers to the beliefs, ideas, languages, rituals and traditions by certain communities, that are passed from generation to generations continuously over the past many centuries. In society, two cultures cannot be same if one is located on the west coast and the other one is all the way to the East. As we compare, the American and Indian cultures have very vast differentiation between them. While the culture of America is a mixture of different cultures since each immigrant internally packed his or her previously known culture, but sooner they will become Americanized, but on the other hand the Indian culture is unique and has its own values. India is a captivating country full of humble traditions, lively festivals, and honest beliefs. India has an enormous bundle of religions and languages with Hindi and Punjabi are the most popular in most of the cities. The vast geographic location of India, and America have contributed to the rise of new cultures; each characterized with different style of marriages, education system, and family relationship.
The only experience I had with this culture that I can remember was when I was about fourteen years old and was flying with my aunt and uncle to Colorado and there was a Muslim on our flight. This was right after 9/11 so my initial thought was to be afraid and to not trust them at all. This for me was the longest flight of my life because the entire time I felt as if the end was near just because someone who was a little different from me was on the same plane. It wasn’t until meeting both of my oncologists this past year who are both Middle Eastern that I begin to see the culture as a whole from a different perspective. They truly changed my outlook overall out look on the Middle Eastern culture because they showed me that they are everyday people just like you and me who do things a little differently but just because of that shouldn’t change that they are people who deserve to be treated like everyday people regardless of there of there culture. Its because of people like this that I have encountered during my journey of cancer that I give thanks to God for this experience and the people that he has allowed me to meet and learn
Pashtunwali dates back to the pre-Islamic era in history and is a code the Pashtuns follow regardless of any difference in geographical location. The social code produces loyal and devote people as well developing high-class male models, which they believe to be far greater than that of Western culture (Dyk 2011). The foundation of Pashtunwali is based on justice, self-respect, hospitality, forgiveness, love, tolerance, loyalty, equality and independence. Of all of those traits listed none is more important to the Pashtuns than honor (izzat). Honor is what makes a person a Pashtun and part of their community; however, if he or she loses their honor they are not given rights, protection or support from the community. Due to the repressive nature of Islamic radicalism, many Westerners would be shocked to find that there is a culture, which is severely independent and values individual liberty. This is due to Islam religion dominating a large portion of the Afghan culture for centuries. Surprisingly, the Islamic identity of the Pashtuns is only one thousand years old. This may explain how the religion corrupted Pashtunwali, since it is reportedly five thousand years old. Pashtunwali provided guidelines, which helped make a peaceful and hospitable Afghanistan. An example of this hospitality is seen through reports of the accommodation of Jews and Christians. This holds true to the Pashtun’s ethics when they recognize both these religions to be part of "the book". The new image of the Pashtuns contrasts these characteristics due to the fascism of the Taliban's perverted Deobandi-Wahhabist Islam. This form of Islam had been exported from Pakistan and was remotely known in Afghanistan. Upon the Soviet invasion, in 1979, the Pashtun code ...
The narrative of Qurratulain Hyder’s River of Fire(1998), narrates the account of Indian subcontinent’s cultural history through episodic narrative sweeps, ranging from 4th century B.C to 1950s and articulates according to Kumkum Sangari “ the grand nationalist visions of a pluralist civilization”, through the experiences of Gautam Nilambar, Hari Shanhar, Abul Mansur Kamaluddin and Champa, who reappear during the Magadhan period, Sultunate period Nikhat Taj identifies history as an “important organizing principle” in the novel, which Hyder employs to “construct her notion of identity of India”. Hence,in a way exactly at a time when the Urdu novel is taking a nationalistic turn,Hyder’s River of Fire attempts to critique the nation-state and highlights the importance of the artificiality of Indian national divide itself,the novel thus becomes the critique of the nation-state. Hyder’s novel however does not mobilize difference in articulating the nation,it rather invokes the mythologies of similarities and common interest to articulate the Hindu-Muslim relationship. It is this thing that makes the novel an unusual work of its time:it refuses to imagine the nation-state as one expects of a traditional Indian or Pakistani novel.
Sikhism is greatly engaged with modernity. This engagement began with their background with colonization. The history greatened with their want for liberation from the colonial status, their struggle through the partition period, and the want for the spread of Sikhism to countries around the world. This sense of modernity is prominent today as Sikh religious leaders and scholars debate interpretations of the Sikh tradition with those who don’t follow the Sikh religion or culture. The people of Punjab have made a compelling contribution to society, notably in India.
Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving. Culture is the systems of knowledge shared by a relatively large group of people…Culture in its broadest sense of cultivated behavior; a totality of a person’s learned, accumulated experience which is socially transmitted, or more briefly, behavior through social learning (http://www.tamu.edu/faculty/choudhury/culture.html).
The Ways in Which Culture and Identity are Presented in Search for My Tongue and Presents From my Aunts in Pakistan
Situated in the heart of the South Asian sub-continent, it is a country with its own fascinating history and cultural heritage. Pakistan was the site for one of the world's earliest human settlements, the great prehistoric Indus Valley Civilization, the crucible of ancient empires, religions and cultures. Pakistan traces its history back to 2,500 years B.C. when a highly developed civilization flourished in the Indus Valley.
What is culture? Culture refers to the cumulative deposit of knowledge, experience, beliefs, values, attitudes, meanings, hierarchies, religion, notions of time, roles, spatial relations, concepts of the universe, and material objects and possessions acquired by a group of people in the course of generations through individual and group striving
Pakistan culture is said to be the value oriented culture because all of the traits of morality and values which are essential for a society, worthy to be called human society are present in our culture. Pakistan has certain laws and legal regulations which are influenced from its culture and which govern the social justice in society, protects the rights of minorities and provide equal opportunities to the individuals in society for growth and development. We respect our elders and love our children, because these are the values attached to our culture.
The term “culture” refers to the complex accumulation of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and provide a general identity to a group of people. Cultures take a long time to develop. There are many things that establish identity give meaning to life, define what one becomes, and how one should behave.
Culture is the totality of learned, socially transmitted customs, knowledge, material objects and behavior. It includes the ideas, value, customs and artifacts of a group of people (Schaefer, 2002). Culture is a pattern of human activities and the symbols that give these activities significance. It is what people eat, how they dress, beliefs they hold and activities they engage in. It is the totality of the way of life evolved by a people in their attempts to meet the challenges of living in their environment, which gives order and meaning to their social, political, economic, aesthetic and religious norms and modes of organization thus distinguishing people from their neighbors.