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“TheKabuliwalarepresentsadilemmabetweenthestateandmigratoryhistoryoftheworld”–ShahMahmoudHanifi
TakingAfghanistanasanexample,ProfessorShahMahmoudHanifitalkstoChrisFinniganaboutthefundamentalquestionsposedbymigrationwithinSouthAsia.WithRabindranathTagore’slegendaryshortstorythe‘Kabuliwala’asareference,Hanifiexplainshowreligion,culture,commerceandpoliticshaveshapedpeople’sexperiencesoflivingandmovingaroundSouthAsia,andwhatlessonsthepastcanprovideforthepresent.
SheepherderinNorthernIndia|Credit:Unsplash,DanielBurka
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 1 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
InTagore’sshortstorytheKabuliwalaisamigrantfromAfghanistanlivinginKolkata.HowshouldwethinkofthisasanexampleofmigrationofAfghanstootherpartsofSouthAsia?
ThefirstpointisthatmobilityandmigrationareveryprominentthemesinthehistoryofSouthAsia.BymobilityImeaninternal,maybeurbantorural,ornorthtosouth,andthesekindsofmovementscanbeforavarietyofreasons:theycanbeforpilgrimagepurposes,cultural,religious,economic,political,trade,andpersonal.Infact,thatwashowtheMogulEmpirefunctioned.Itcirculatedadministratorsthroughthesystemtoengageandcontrolthismovementofpeople,goods,ideasetc.whichmeansmobilityisananchorthemeinSouthAsianhistory.
ExternalmigrationinSouthAsiacanbeoftwoverydifferenttypes.Thefirstisincomingmigrantsfromoutsideoftheregionandthesecondisoutgoingmigrantsfromtheregionleaving.TodiscusseitherformofexternalmigrationwehavetodiscusswheretheboundariesofSouthAsiaactuallyare,andinreferencetotheKabuliwalaitbecomesaquestionofhowAfghanshistoricallyfitintoIndia,inotherwords,isthisakindofnaturalinternalmovementorisitaformofmigrationwhereanoutsiderisbroughtin.
Differentdisciplinestendtodealwithquestionsofmobilityandmigrationdifferently.Iwouldsayanthropologistsprobablytendtodealbetterwithinternalmobility,suchrural-urbanandseasonalnomadicmovements.Historianstendtomoreeffectivelycapturebiggerpictures,perhapsmoregloballycontextualisedmigrations.TagoreleavesuswithgoodquestionsabouttheculturalplaceoftheKabuliwala,thelocationofAfghanidentityinrelationtotheIndianidentity,oridentities,andhowthesecommunitiestakeshapethroughvariousmigratoryandmobility-basedpracticesoverthelongueduree.
RabindranathTagore|Credit:CreativeCommons
WhywouldtheKabuliwalainTagore’sstoryleaveKabulforKolkataoveronehundredyearsago?Whatwouldhavebeentheirexperienceoncetheyhadarrived?
There’sareferenceinthestorytotheKabuliwalawhosenameisRahman,wherehecollects,ortriestocollect,adebt.Maybethiscouldbeaformofmoneylendingorjustdelayedpaymentforacommodity,oroneofmanyotherkindsofsocio-fiscaltransactions.Inthestory,thepersondidn’tpayupinatimelywayandtherewasaphysicalconfrontationandthat’swhatledtheKabuliwalatoendupinjail.Commerceandtradecontextualisethestory,andawidevarietyofcommercialtransactionswereprimaryreasonswhyAfghanswerefoundwellbeyondCalcutta/KolkatathroughoutSouthAsiainthetimeofTagore’sstory.
Infact,intheKabuliwalastorytherelationshipbetweentheKabuliwalaandthesmallgirl,Mini,iscontextualisedbytheformergiftingalmondsandraisinstothelatter.Indeeddriedfruitsandnuts(raisins,apricots,almonds,pistachios,forexample)werehistoricallykeycommoditiesmarketedbyAfghansinIndia.Andbecausecommercialexchangeisatwo-waystreet,sotospeak,itisimportanttorememberAfghanmerchantsalsofiguredintothe‘reverseflow’ofsuchascommoditiesastextiles,teaandsugarfromIndiaandSouthAsiatowardAfghanistanandCentralAsia.
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 2 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
TohistoricallylocatetheKabuliwalainIndiansociety,ithelpstounderstandwhenAfghanscameintohistoricalview.ThisisacomplexquestionthatinvolvesIslaminimportantways,especiallytheexpansionofIslaminSouthAsiathatisroutedthroughgeographicAfghanistanbeginningwiththeGhaznavidEmpireabout1,000yearsago.TheGhaznavidsinauguratedsystematicIslamisationprocessesinnorthIndia,involvingTurkicandPersiancommunitiesthatmovedthroughtheareanowknownasAfghanistan,scoopinguplocalAfghansandfunnellingthemintoSouthAsia.Thus,thedeephistoryoftheKabuliwalarevolvesaroundaboutamillenniumofvarioustypesofmilitary,political,administrativeandcommercialmigrationsofAfghansintoIndia.
Alicensetolive|Credit:NazesAfroz&MoskaNajib
Mostofthe5,000KabuliwalathatliveinKolkatadonothavepassports.Whatwouldbethereasonforthis?
5,000iswhatthenumbersindicate.Butwhatwehavetoremember,likeeverythingrelatedtoAfghanistan,thenumbersarealwaysfuzzy.Wejustreallydon’tknowhowmanypeopleareinAfghanistanrightnow,sobeingabletoestimatehowmanyleftandnowliveelsewhereisachallengetoo.But5,000isagoodestimateaccordingtothephotographersoftheexhibitionontheKabuliwala,MoskaandNazes.
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 3 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
ThisadministrativeproblemoftheabsenceofpassportshashistoricalrootsintheprogressivelyrigidborderisationofSouthAsia.TheendofthekindofmobilitywereadaboutinTagore’sshortstorybeginsinthe1920sand1930s.Atthistime,ofcourse,therearenewinternationalandglobalcircumstancesthatleavetheBritishrestrictingthemovementofmanymobileandmigratorypeoplesinSouthAsiawhilefacilitatingtheglobalcirculationofothergroupssuchasmartialandagriculturalcastes.DuringthetimeofTagore’sstory,individualsweremovingbackandforthbetweenIndiaandAfghanistanlesseasilybecauseofthepoliciesoftheBritish-installedandsubsidizedAfghanAmirAbdal-RahmanKhan,asexemplifiedbytheDurandLineof1893betweenAfghanistanandBritishIndia.Administrativelytheywouldstillhavebeenabletomovemuchmoreeasilyinthelate-nineteenththanintheearly20thcenturywhenAfghansfacedincreasingnumbersofrestrictionsaboutwheretheycouldgoandwhattheycoulddoinBritishIndia.BritishIndiandisarmamentpoliciesandpasturetaxeswerehugepointsofcontentionwithmigratoryAfghanswhoweresubjectedtoincreasingformsofcolonialsurveillanceandcoercionastheirmobilitywasincreasinglylimited.
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 4 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
Mini’sKabuliwala|Credit:NazesAfroz&MoskaNajib
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 5 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
WasKolkatathemaindestinationforAfghanmigrantsbeforetheBritishbeganrestrictingthefreedomofmovementinSouthAsia?
Ifwelookatthedemographyofthemigrantsinthefirstinstancealotofthehistoricalrecordsareofindividualmales,notinafamilyunit,butofindividualsmovingintoIndiaforseasonallabourandcommercialopportunities.ThereweretwotypesofAfghanlabourers:thosegoingbackandforthbiannually,andothersthatthatsettledmoreorlesspermanently.Well-establishedcommunitiesofAfghan‘Kabuliwalas’werefoundwellbeyondCalcutta,inotherplaces,suchasBombay/MumbaithatwasanotherprimaryurbanlocationwherelargenumbersofAfghanshavesettled
Inthatsense,it’sgoodtorecognizethatoverthelongterm,there’sbeenmultiplekindsofAfghancommunitiesformedthroughoutSouthAsiainlargecities,regionalorprovincialcapitalsandmarketcentres,andindeedinlower-tiersmalltownsandvillages–whetherthatmeansbringingfamilymemberswiththemorintermarryingwithlocalwomen.Intermarriagecanleadtoquestionsofcitizenshipandstatepaperworkthatspeakstotheimportanceofhowpeopletextuallyexperiencethemodernstate,andhowdocumentsandlackthereofcanstructuresocialandspatialarrangementsformigrantandhostcommunitiesinimportantways.
HowvisiblewouldtheseAfghanmigrantsbeinMumbai?
Historicallyquitevisible.MumbaihadabigindustrialbasefortextileproductionandthePathanChowkidarsoftheGirangoanmilldistrictinMumbailoomlargeinthecity’ssocialhistoryandheritagelandscape.InMumbai,theKabuliwalaswouldhavebeenseenassecurityguardsforthesemills.
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 6 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
Inadistantland|Credit:NazesAfroz&MoskaNajib
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 7 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
Theywouldn’tbeostracisedorseeninanegativeway?
Wellingeneral,yes,Afghanshaveabitofacultural‘other’dispositioninIndia.Theyareperceivedasoutsiders,whichmayindicatethatindeedAfghanistanisapartfromIndiainaculturalsense.I’mnotsureI’minapositiontogeneraliseaboutthis,asthere’ssomanyofthesecommunitiesinthesouth,forexampleinHyderabad,andinthenorthernfoothillsoftheHimalayas,inDeraDun,forexample.Theirexperienceswillbeverydifferent.Ithinkit’salsoimportanttoremembernevertogeneraliseaboutAfghanistanbecauseofitshugediversity.SoweneedtoappreciatethemultiplicityofeconomicandsocialnichesthatvariousgroupsofAfghanshadinvariouslocationstoappreciatethecomplexityofthehistoricalexperiencesofAfghansinIndiabeyondTagore’sstoryaboutasingleKabuliwalainKolkataortheMumbaimillPathans.Infact,it’simportanttoreferencetheelephantintheroomthatinvolvesthealmostfreeinterchangeofreferencestoPathans,Afghans,Pashtuns,Rohillas,Kabuliwalahas,etc.asiftheyformasinglecommunityacrossvastunitsoftimeandspace.
WhatdothesehistoricstoriesofmigrationofAfghansacrossSouthAsia,andparticularlyinthiscaseIndia,symbolise?Whatcantheyteachusaboutmigrationin2018?
TheexperienceoftheKabuliwalaspeaksinthecontemporaryperiodtohowmoststatesreallyarejustnotgoodatmanagingmigrationthroughtheirterritory.TheKabuliwalarepresentsadilemmabetweentheterritorialethosofthenationstateandthemigratoryhistoryoftheworldthathasbeenpredictedonmobilityandconnectionsandculturalhybridity–thingsthatnationsandnationalismaresomehowafraidofforwhateverreason.
What’sreallyimportantisinfactthatthesemobilegroupsaren’tinherently‘troublesomepeople’,‘criminaltribes’,orthekindsofpeoplethatshouldbeperceivedas‘anti-statepopulations’.Tagore’sstoryandtheexperienceofAfghansinIndiamorebroadlydoesn’thavetobeseeninproblematictermsasoneentirelypredicatedonstrangeness,difference,othernessandviolence.Bymaintainingtheirculture–traditionalformsofdance,traditionalformsofeating,clothing–andatthesametimeadoptingelementsoflocalmusical,sartorialandculinaryculturaloptions,theKolkataKabuliwalasshowuswhendistantpeoplescometogetherandculturesmeetandchangeitdoesn’thavetobeanegativeorthreateningthingformembersofeithergroup.
Thisarticlegivestheviewsoftheauthor,andnotthepositionoftheSouthAsia@LSEblog,noroftheLondonSchoolofEconomics.Pleasereadourcommentspolicybeforeposting.
ReadaninterviewwithMoskaNajib,thephotographerofFromKabultoKolkata:OfBelonging,MemoriesandIdentity,whichwillbeexhibitedattheBruneiGalleryatSOASuntil15December2018.Admissionisfree.Open:Tuesday–Sunday:10.30–17.00,LatenightThursdayuntil20:00.Closed:MondaysandBankHolidays
ShahMahmoudHanifiisProfessorofHistoryatJamesMadisonUniversity.HeistheauthorofConnectingHistoriesinAfghanistan(2011)andMountstuartElphinstoneinSouthAsia:PioneerofBritishColonialRule(2018).
ChrisFinniganistheEditoroftheSouthAsia@LSEBlog.
South Asia @ LSE: “The Kabuliwala represents a dilemma between the state and migratory history of the world” – Shah Mahmoud Hanifi Page 8 of 8
Date originally posted: 2018-10-29
Permalink: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/2018/10/29/the-kabuliwala-represents-a-dilemma-between-the-territorial-ethos-of-the-nation-state-and-the-migratory-history-of-the-world-professor-shah-mahmoud-hanifi/
Blog homepage: http://blogs.lse.ac.uk/southasia/
