Social Organisation Awaran
Introduction
The society of Awaran district is patriarchal, deeply rooted in the tribal system. The people feel secure in their tribes. The chief of each tribe is known as Sardar. His position is unassailable and the particular group to which the Sardar belongs forms a small aristocracy taking special precedence in the tribe. Within the tribe the precedence of each clan, section, and sub-section is marked and defined and the head of each such group takes precedence within his group. Below these status positions, equality is the rule.
The food habits of the area are similar to those encountered in other areas of the division. The majority of the people have only two daily meals. One in the morning, between 10 and 12 a.m. and the other at sunset. The former is called Saeara and the latter Sham. During the spring, when milk is abundant, many of the flock owners have only one solid meal in the evening and mainly milk at noon. Only well-to-do people take Nihari (breakfast) in the early morning which in summer consists of bread and curd and in winter of dates and butter. Leavened (khamiri) and unleavened (Patisi) cakes baked on a stone griddle (tafu) are made of wheat. The unleavened cakes are more common. Travellers and shepherds eat kurnu made by wrapping dough around a heated stone and putting it in the embers. They also eat shiti which is baked by putting the dough under hot ashes and embers or heated sand. The people of Mashkai like to eat dates. The poor of Jhal Jhao often substitute juar for wheat.
The Brahvis always dress traditional style; a loose white shirt, a pair of trousers of the same texture, and a flat cap; the shepherds sometime wear a white flat shirt. A woman’s dress ordinarily consists of a long shift (Kus) reaching the ankles, a pair of trousers (Shalwar), and a wrapper (Gud). The poor do not generally use the trousers. The shifts and wrappers of the upper class are sometimes made of silk.
The people of Awaran are very co-operative. They take care of each other, especially within their tribe, at different occasions such as marriage and death. They also assist each other in cash and kind, but there is no formal co-operative organisation in the area.
Conclusion and major Development Issues
Awaran is a tribal society where women do not have equal socio-economic opportunities. They have no say in important decisions of their life. The society here is predominantly patriarchal and monogamy is the most common mode of marital life.
The people do co-operate in formal or informal ways, hence, community participation can be a viable mode for development activities. In many cases interpersonal conflicts are solved with the help of elders in the community.
Although most of the working children are involved in activities which actually help their families, their work still should be seen as child labour as it prevents them from getting education. There is more need for informal and vocational education.