The Culture of Qalandar Pakhivas (Indigenous Gypsy Clan) Community of Lahore: A Question of Marginalisation

Conference: The Asian Conference on Media, Communication & Film (MediAsia2022)
Title: The Culture of Qalandar Pakhivas (Indigenous Gypsy Clan) Community of Lahore: A Question of Marginalisation
Stream: Critical and Cultural Studies, Gender and Communication
Presentation Type: Oral Presentation
Authors:
Naeema Archad, Lahore School of Economics, Pakistan

Abstract:

One of Lahore's 16 Pakhivas (gypsy) communities in Pakistan are the Qalandar Pakhivas, a native ethnic minority from central Punjab. They now deal with discrimination from the affluent neighbourhoods and urban authorities that seem impenetrable. However, the community will resist any outside change just as strongly, if not more so. They try to protect their identity and maintain their independence to uphold their traditional values.

My research attempts to explore how the Qalandar Pakhivas community is frequently portrayed in a unified manner as the most despised and marginalised ethnic minority in contemporary Pakistani culture. Although numerous studies have chronicled their lives, most have focused on gathering demographic, statistical, or census-related data. Analysing their exclusion and marginalisation in its various forms has received less attention.

This study used a qualitative research methodology. Primary data was collected through ethnographic methods, in-depth interviews, focus group discussions and interviews of the key informants.

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