Author: Naeema Arch’ad, Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan
Email: naeemaarchad@gmail.com
Published: July 5, 2024
https://doi.org/10.22492/ijcs.9.1.01
Citation: Arch’ad, N. (2024). The Culture of Qalandar Pakhivas Community of Lahore: A Case of Marginalisation. IAFOR Journal of Cultural Studies, 9(1). https://doi.org/10.22492/ijcs.9.1.01
Abstract
The Qalandar Pakhivas, a native ethnic minority from central Punjab, Pakistan, is one of Lahore’s sixteen remaining Pakhivas (gypsy) communities. They are now confronted with discrimination from more affluent neighbourhoods and the urban authorities. However, the community has rejected any outside change with equal or even greater vigour. They are attempting to safeguard their identity and preserve their autonomy by upholding their traditional historical values. This study sought to investigate why the Qalandar Pakhivas community is commonly represented as one of the most reviled and marginalised ethnic minorities in contemporary Pakistani culture. Although various studies have documented their lives, most have concentrated on collecting demographic, statistical, or census-related information. In Pakistan, analysing their exclusion and marginalisation within multimodal frames has received less attention. This study employed a qualitative approach to research. Primary data was obtained through ethnographic methodologies, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions, and interviews with key informants.
Keywords
Qalandar, gypsy, marginalisation, Pakistan, ethnography