Poetics of Identity: On entrepreneurial selves of Afghan Migrants in Pakistan

In Peshawar, evenings at tea houses in the ?market of storytellers? or Qissa Khawani Bazaar are busy. Located at the doorsteps of the famous Khyber Pass, Peshawar has historically acted as the main gateway between the Indian subcontinent and Central Asia. Qissa Khawani has always been the major market for traders in this geographical region. Indeed, the British Commissioner to Peshawar, Sir Herbert Benjamin Edwards (1853-1862), called it the Piccadilly of Central Asia (Tikekar, 2004). Every evening, tea houses would be buzzing with traders from all over Asia sipping freshly brewed green tea and relaxing. But the highlight of the evening was the storytellers called Qissa Khawans who would narrate many stories of interest to the traders. They used both prose and poetry to tell stories of traders? expeditions, their valuable items, and of far-away lands of treasures. Today, the same bazaars continue to be full of activity and their small streets have been transformed into a variety of interconnected specialised markets. There is a market for mobile phones, opening into a flower market adjoined by the sweets market, leading to a market for pet birds. One such narrow street is called Jangi Mohallah, ?the fighters? neighbourhood?. Until about three decades ago, the gangsters of Peshawar city used to settle scores there. It was a place for duels which were fought with large handmade folding knives. There is no sign of this today as the ever increasing population has taken over that ground. The u-shaped Jangi Mohallah is the hub of the printing and publishing businesses in the North West Frontier Province (Pakistan) ? the home to the Pashtun tribes. In this paper, the stories narrated by the Pashtun traders of Jangi Mohallah provide a window into their entrepreneurial identities. They stem from Afghan Pashtuns of Qissa Khawani speaking the language of Pashtu and upholding the values of the ?Pashtunwali?- a living and unwritten code of honour that ?regulates? everyday life. This paper thus engages with entrepreneurial life history narratives espousing the ways in which the identities of Afghan entrepreneurs adhere to the main Pashtunwali-tenets, if at all. The latter refer to an ideal self that has been orally transmitted through Pashtu poetry since ancient times. Afghan entrepreneurial identities tend to adhere to the core tenets of Pashtunwali. However, there are multiple uses of poetic tropes expressed in entrepreneurial life history narratives that tell us more about the subtle ambiguity and challenges that might be experienced when relating to the dominant influence of this code of honour. Thus, Pashtunwali values are very much lived and enacted in practice. This paper contends that they are inscribed as poetic tropes in main Afghan poetry shaping the moral compass that becomes central to one?s existence and mode of being an entrepreneur

Tradisi Barzanji Sya'ban Masyarakat Bugis Wajo Tanjung Jabung Timur

This study attempts to answer why Wajo Buginese practice reading barzanji Sya'ban, how it has been impIemented, and what values can be taken from it. Wajo Buginese believe that Sya'ban is the last month of the yea4 the time to poy the vow or the promise, and the time to convey gratitude to God (Allah). After doing all these, Waio Buginese will feel released, happy, and safe

Mapatoppo as a The Tradition of Using Attributes for Bugis Migrant Pilgrims

This study aimed to determine the reasons for migrant Bugis pilgrims to carry out the mapatoppo ritual, the mapatoppo process and the impact of the mapatoppo on the lives of migrant Bugis pilgrims. This research is included in qualitative field research. The research setting is located in Tanjung Jabung Timur Regency, Jambi Province with a focus on Kuala Jambi Subdistrict, especially Tanjung Solok Village and Kampung Laut Village as the base for overseas Bugis people. The research subjects in this study were the village head and his staff as many as 2 people, 20 people for haji and hajjah of Bugis migrants and 2 people as topanrita (ulama / ustadz) of Bugis. The results of this study found three main conclusions: first, the pilgrims were interested in performing the mapatoppo ritual because they considered the mapatoppo ritual as a symbol for wearing the pilgrims attributes officially. In addition, they also consider the mapatoppo ritual as a means of dipalecceki barakka (the process of transferring barakka / blessings from anre gurutta or sheikhs). Second, the mapotoppo process for the male congregation begins with the way they sit in a half circle in front of their sheikh. Then they are summoned before the sheikh one by one. Then they were asked to intend and then paired with a white rimless fezlike cap and surubeng by the sheikh. They do this in turn until it's finished. Meanwhile, the mapotoppo process for women congregation begins with the way they sit in a half circle in front of the sheikh's wife. Then they were asked to intend and they were taught to use talulung. After finishing using the talulung, then put trispak on top of the talulung. Then they are dressed in kabbe (skipping clothes). Third, the impact felt by pilgrims who have carried out the mapatoppo ritual is that they always wear Hajj clothing on official occasions and in everyday life. In addition, they also enforced againts not to work for 40 days. They just rested at home while worshiping and waiting for the arrival of their family and neighbor