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Lesser known tribes of Indus Kohistan

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The Şiņ tribes

The Şiņs of the eastern part of Kohistan are geographically, by kinship, by tradition, language and culture are related to the Şiņs of Chhilas, Gilgit, Astor, Darel, Tagir, Haramosh, Gultari, Gurez, Dras, Soro and Baltistan. It is unanimously believed that these people came from Central Asia via Khyber to Pakhli above Darband and to Siran and then to Kohistan. Their initial inhabitation was the area between Kohistan and Chhilas upward beyond Darband and Siran valley. Their migration to Kashmir and Ladakh continued from two directions. One from Pakhli and Siran valley via Muzaffarabad and, two further north from current Kohistan and towards Jammu and Ladakh from there. Mohammad Hasan Hasrat has written:

     These people are Şiņ of Indo Aryan race. These groups are settled from Baltistan's area Khurman to the highlands of Himalayas in the south of River Indus at the last edge of Rondoo i.e. they all are settled at one and the same direction.

     Hasrat says that these people came in this region from the side of Broshal during the 10th century, for the second time during the 11th century and for the third time during the last three decades.

     The Şiņ tribes and groups who reached at the edges of Ladakh and River Kishan Ganga, had migrated earlier than the others. In Jammu and Ladakh, the term "Dard" has been used for them for some time. But as Dr. Leitner himself says, "The name 'Dard' was not claimed by any of the race that I met. (G.W. Leitner 1889,

Schomberg has written  rejecting the notion of Dard genealogy that:

"The initial difficulties have been increased by the use of the word Dard and Dardistan for the people and country, applied not merely to Gilgit but to the Indus Valley, generally between Ladakh and the Punjab. Suffice it to say that term Dard is  unknown to the people in this district and Dardistan is equally incomprehensible." (Schomberg 1933)

      Mohammad Shuja Namoos has written on the basis of the data collected by Drew, Moor Craft, Leitner and Biddulph that half of the population around Dras is of Şiņs'. In Poreg and Ladakh all three groups of Şiņ, YaŜkuņ and Doms are found. Severak groups came to Soro valley from Bunji (Gilgit). Drew wrote that in a few villages in Central Ladakh Bud Dards were settled who said that their ancestors had migrated from Gilgit. Those Şiņ Dards who are settled in Hano village, have forgotten their mother tongue and speak Tibbati language now. Larsen has mentioned some people in his book "Valley" who told him that their forefather had come there from Chhilas. But Stine has refuted his hypothesis. In my opinion, it is not a matter of wonder to reject it because in the past, the series of migrations have been going on. The author of this book has collected authentic data about such families that support the author of "Valley". It should be kept in mind here that the sub-groups and the tribes of Şiņ have been occasionally migrating to the north from the current Siran valley and Kohistan and to the valley of Kishan Ganga, Astor, Rondoo and Central Ladakh. The migration to Gurez valley via Muzaffarabad from Kohistan is proven from the Faqra (Şiņs) community of Palas who have been traveling back and forth until partition of the sub-continent.

      It won't be out of place to say here that from the very beginning these people were divided into two big groups. One of these two groups is the one that is settled in Kunar valley of Afghanistan, Dir Kohistan, Kalam Kohistan and in the area between Bankhar and Khandia in Indus Kohistan on one side. The other group is called Şiņ. They all are related genealogically. But they had either split from each other long ago or their migration may have taken place in different times.

      The Şiņs invaded YaŜkuņs in the north and expanded their settlements. They have been puŞiņg out the YaŜkuņs further to the north. Dr. Jettmar has doubted about it that the Şiņs were already spread in Kohistan and in the lower areas and further down up to Pakhli and that since it all was under Bilor Kingdowm, the Şiņs used this situation to advance and stretch their land.

      Major settlements of the Şiņ are not found in Nagir, Yasin, Ishkoman and Chitral. It indicates that these people migrated to this area via Khyber, stopped in the area upward from Pakhli and then moved further to the north.        There are a large number of Şiņ groups, tribes and branches. Following is a description about some of these important groups and tribes.

The (Şiņ) Daŗma/Daŗmae/Daram Khel

It is the largest tribe of the Şiņ group. It is interchangeably called Daŗma, Daroma, Darom or Daŗmai. It has seven sub-tribes. Of these, the people pertaining to Poensa and CeraT, are settled in Palas, Jalkot and Kolai. These Poensa and CeraT have at least fifty sub branches. Many people of these tribes live in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Hazro, Hazara, Chhilas, Juglot, Kargah Nala, Muzaffarabad and several other places. The people pertaining to two sub-tribes of the CeraT and Poensa are found in Astore, Gilgit, Thako, Buji and Gor. The people of another "Rom" or "Roma" (Rom means a group alliance of the population in a particular area sharing an exclusive control over internal matters and values without an external intervention) are settled in Baltistan. John Biddulph says that these people in Baltistan consider themselves belonging to the Şiņ of Gilgit and Astor and they are further distributed into four further sub-tribes namely sharshang, Gabor, doro and Yodyo. The people pertaining to the remaining sub branches of Daŗma are found in Muzaffarabad's valley namely Kel, Phulwai, Gurez valley and Talil. Gurez is known as GureN in Kohistan. Their elders say that they had migrated there from Gurayñ.

     The Daŗma people of Astor also say so about themselves. The author of this book has himself met with the Daŗma people of Kel and Phulwai who have certified the settlement and existence of Daŗma in the valley of Gurez. The existence of Faqira branch pertaining to Daŗma of Palas in Gurez has already been confirmed. These people would visit Palas to meet their relatives till the partition of Indian sub-continent. The Sorma people of Daŗma from Palas are found in Kargah Nala in Gilgit and Chhilas also who migrated there from Jalkot and Palas. The two sub-tribes of Daŗma in Kohistan namely CeraT and Poensa are further distributed into four sub-groups called Sorma, PhiRie or Phiria, Bhoe Mugla and derkhana. The Daŗma in Astor and Gilgit use the word "Wazir" also preceding to their names. These people were reputed in the local history for their wisdom. In the history they were known for being expert of Wesh system (land distribution). So the Swati people of Allai and Kata and Pukhtoons would take the well known Wesh expert in Palas, Khawas Khan, for carrying out their land distributions. They have been entangled in internal and external group feuds with each other.

The Şiņ Daŗma Tribe, Sub-tribes and Khels (brinches) in Indus Kohistan

 BoTa/Bota

     This tribe is known as BoTa in Chhilas and Bota in Jalkot and Palas. The Bota in Palas and Jalkot are a part of Khuka tribe of Şiņ. Description of this tribe is found in various books. It is the oldest tribe having settled in Chhilas.

      Khuka and Manka: These both are the old residents of Kohistan. They are in majority in Jalkot and Kolai while their population in Palas is one fourth. Until 1500 A.D the Khuka and Manka of all three valleys were united.

      Among them and the Daŗma, there is an equality. There are sheer majority in Kolai. Numerous of them are provisionally or firmly settled in Chhilas, Gilgit, Mansehra, Abbottabad, Haripur, Muzaffarabad, Hazro and Rawalpindi. In Palas and Jalkot their four "tabin" are known as charkha:Re, laghRa, KorTa and KhoTa.

      The Khuka and Manka in Gilgit had migrated there many centuries ago. They have been the helpers of Dogras and the English in Gilgit. They had played important role in establiŞiņg Dogra rule there. The British Political Agent in Gilgit, John Biddulph has stated in his book "Tribes of Hindu Kush" that the Government would give these people grants in return to their cooperation.

 The Şiņ Kukamanka tribe and Branches in Kolai Valley of Indus Kohistan

    It might not be inappropriate to describe here that about the two big groups on the western bank, Mani and Manzari extended from Bankhar to Khandia, it is commonly believed that they belong to Khuka and Manka and they had separated long ago. But there is no proof of it. However, Leitner and Biddulph have termed them Şiņ while they do not think of themselves Şiņ. An historical linkage may be searched for here in the words "Khuk" and "Khu". The Khuk are in Kohistan and the Khu in Chitral.

 The Şiņ Kuka and Manka Branches in Palas and Jalkot Valleys of Kohistan

Maloe

     Wazir Mohammad Ashraf has described in the 13th Edition of his thesis on "Şiņa Language and Literature" referring to Mohammad Hassan Hasrat about a Şiņ tribe by the name of Maloe.  These people are found in Bonji, Astor and Gilgit areas.

The Şiņs of Thako

     People of this tribelive in Tha:ko District Diamer. They are organized in the local economic ranges under "haiTi" system and are known as CeraT (in Kohistan also a sub-tribe is known as CeraT.). They are organized in "main haiTi", "kharini HaiTi" (sub-HaiTi) and "CokuTi haiTi" (three dimensional Haiti). There are around 11 sub branches of theirs at that place among whom one branch named "tarkhanie" is mentioned to be related with Daŗma. The names of some their sub branches have been mentioned belove

The Şiņs of Darel

     Not much information is available about the relationships of the main branch of the Şiņ tribe in Darel with the Şiņs. However, they are found in Gial, BhaguC, Samigal, lower Mankial and upper Mankial. Previously these places had a different name which shows that those names were given by their ancestors. The following names were told to me at the place of Gumari. These names show that these are the names of the old tribes. These people are associated with the community of YaŜkuņ, Kamiņ and Dom and economically benefit with all four castes in these ranges under "haiTi" system. All these four castes have the right to possession of the land, forests and other natural resources. Several sub branches of the Şiņs of Darel are found at various places. These branches are called "Tabar" by them which is equivalent to the "khels" among Pakhtoons. Their branches found in upper and lower Samigal are as follows:

      Their one branch is known as "kache" as given in the list. It is said that ""atle", "mane" and "kalamdarae" are its such branches. They are decendents of a Şiņ person, Kawati's sons named Atli, Man and Kalamdar.  

The Şiņs of Tagir or Tangir

     There are three tribes of the Şiņs of Tagir. In the way of the Şiņs in Darel, they are also organized in "Tabar" by race and in economic ranges under "hai/ti" system. The Şiņs of Darel and Tagir belong to the same branch. Like the Şiņs of Kolai, Palas and Jalkot, the Şiņs of Darel, Tagir, Harban and Sazin are internally the same and these people also believe it. But it is very hard to trace their exact genealogy. Their names are as below:

The Şiņs of Sazin

In Sazin also, Şiņs are in majority while YaŜkuņs and Kamiņs are merged into their organizational ranges. These people have four large organizational ranges or clans.

     By race, they are close to the Şiņs of Darel, Tagir and Harban. The names of their branches are "mirae", "sirge", noorne", "ziminae", "ushRe,  "ajRi" and "akhundae".

The Şiņs of Harban

Şiņs are in majority in Harban also. But the branches of YaŜkuņs and Kamiņs are also found here. They are organized in four cirlces or "haiTies". A few "maru:ts" and "Doms" also live in this area and they are not merged in their organizational units. Their organizational structure is like that of the tribes of Jalkot and Palas. These people are divided into four "hors" or ranges. They give the name of "Tabar" to their sub-branches.

The Şiņs of Basha

There are five branches of the Şiņs in Basha whose names are "qalmoe","baidile", "masharkhane", "yarkhane, and "shiriae". Of these "qalmie", "baidalie" and "yarkhane" are found in Harban also.

 The Şiņs of Thor

Şiņs are in majority in Thor. They belong to three large branches. They believe in being the decendents of three men named Jodro, Dodoko and Shal. These names of the "haiTis" of these people are Jalvi, Dodoki and Sarie after the names of their ancestors. A few branches of YaŜkuņ and Kamiņ are also merged in their "haiTis". Following are the names of the Şiņ branches available to me in Thor:  

 Machaaq or chaq machaaq

     It is an important Şiņ tribe and they are settled in the valley of Kunar in Chitral and Afghanistan. They believe that they migrated to those areas from Chhilas. Mr. Anayatulla Faizi has writtten that:

 "A Buddhist ruled Chhilas and the surrounding areas. He died without bearing a son and his rule shifted to the family of "boti. "boti" is a word equivalent to the local words of Amir, Wali or Mehtar in meaning. Their elder brother became a ruler "boTi" after the death of Chaq and Machaq died. His younger brothers did not acknowledge his rule and had a war with him. But Bote won the war. Chaq and Machaq escaped from Chhilas along with their army and families and decided to give up Chhilas for ever." (pp 258-259)

 Faizi says that Chaq's people settled at a place called Ishrit to the south east of Chitral and Machaq group settled at a place named Nargah in the gorges of Kachi Khani in the bottoms of Bishqar Gol valley to the east of Chitral."

     He further says that:

 "One branch of its tribe has migrated from here and settled at Sao in the Province of Kunar in Afghanistan. The Şiņs of Ishrit and Afghanistan have preserved their dialect by internal marriages and interactions. So in those area, Chhilasi Şiņa is spoken."

      In my opinion the quotiation of their war for the sake of becoming the "sardar" is not likely to be true because upto 1920 A.D no one  in Chhilas came up to become a ruler, nor is their any such mention of any one from Darel, Tagir and from Kolai to Basha either. There was no concept with the Şiņs of having a "sardar" in those days. But they followed a multi-centre (kasir-ul-marakzi) system which is opposit to "sardari" system (I could not get much information about them. I have relied on only Mr. Faizi's information.).

 Rom/Roma

     The people of this branch belong to the Daŗma tribe of Şiņs and are settled on the southern banks of River Shevak in Baltistan. The names of their sub tribes and sub-castes were not available.

 Talilae/Talocha

     This regional tribe of Şiņs is found in Talil valley. According to Dr. Schmidt, all the population is Şiņ here. The information about its sub-tribes was not available.

      There are many more other tribes of Şiņs besides these ones. For instance, in Ladakh the tribes found in Gurugurdu, Sanacha, Ardo, Darchak, Raha, Pandoor, Pander, upper Baldis and lower Baldis and so on. But the complete data about them could not be acquired. Drew believes that their ancestors had migrated to there from the areas of Gilgit. Information could not be acquired of amy Şiņ tribes and branches of Gilgit, Astor, Bunji, Broshal and Chaprot.

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