Brahui, why should it be saved?

Brahui,

Why should it be saved?

By Azhar Abbasi

What is Brahui?

Brahui is a North Dravidian language spoken by around 2.6 Million mainly in Pakistan. It is most closely related to the Kurux and Malto languages. Unlike most Dravidian languages, Brahui is not spoken in southern India or Sri Lanka but in Pakistan. Aside from Brahui being a linguistic anomaly, its geographical location means it is surrounded on all sides by foreign languages, putting it at an increased risk of decline and extinction.

Brahui is Isolated from other Dravidian languages.

What Threats Does Brahui Face?

Many Brahui people, who are primarily farmers and herders, rely on bilingualism in nearby languages such as Sindhi or Balochi due to inadequate educational and economic infrastructure and their nomadic lifestyle. Consequently, Brahui is considered less prestigious and is less likely to be learned by future generations. Additionally, if individuals relocate to larger cities, the likelihood of the language being passed down decreases as future generations have limited exposure to it.

Why should Brahui be Saved?

Brahui is an incredibly intriguing language as it is the only one of its type to have survived to this day. Brahui also carries with it several Oral traditions and folk stories unique to it as well as the use of rare instruments like the Dumbra, and Puznic which would otherwise be lost. Pakistan has also adopted several UN declarations such as the CSICH, and ICCPR that safeguard the rights of indigenous minorities like the Brahui, however, Pakistan has yet to deliver on these promises.

What is currently being done to safeguard Brahui?

Some efforts have been taken to preserve Brahui mostly through creating a written form of the language that speakers can communicate in instead of other languages. The most prominent examples of this are the creation of the Brahui language board and "Talar" a newspaper in the Brahui language. However, attempts like these may continue to be ineffective due to a lack of institutional change as many Brahui cannot read their language. Standardizing Brahui also faces the challenge of whether the Latin Alphabet be used or the Arabic one.

Talar, The only Brahui language newspaper

What does Brahui Sound Like?

During the interview, a Brahui Native speaker shared insights about his upbringing, education, and family's land history. He recounted how he had to send his children to urban areas for schooling due to limited educational opportunities in his hometown. Sadly, migrations like these have contributed significantly to the decline of the Brahui community.

Click for the Saraiki translation