Hostname: page-component-68945f75b7-jkr4m Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-09-04T21:30:23.558Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

African Winds and Muslim Djinns. Trance, Healing, and Devotion in Baluchistan

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 March 2019

Extract

During their migration from West to East, the Baluchis absorbed numerous ethnic groups. The most exogenous elements in this assimilation process were the Africans who live today in large numbers notably in Karachi. These Africans are so well integrated that the Baluchis often deny their foreign origins. They say that Baluchis had settled in Zanzibar and in Tanzania since an unknown time, and that their descendants had come back to their country of origin physically and culturally affected by this sojourn. They brought back with them customs, chants and exotic dances, and spoke only Tanzanian. Such explications speak to the ability of the Baluchis to integrate ethnic groups of all origins (Brahu'is, Sindi, Makrâni, Jatt, etc.) regardless of race, while adopting elements of their culture. They prefer to forget sometimes that there are descendants of slaves among them, but they do remain aware of the African origin of certain traditions, notably evident in the zâr and lewâ musical rites.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © 1997 By The International Council for Traditional Music

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References Cited

During, Jean 1989a Emotion and Trance. Musical Exorcism In Baluchistan. In Caton, M. and Siegel, N., ed., Cultural Parameters of Iranian Musical Expression. Los Angeles (3646).Google Scholar
During, Jean 1988b Musique et Extase, L'Audition Mystique dans La Tradition Soufie. Paris: Albin Michel.Google Scholar
During, Jean 1989 Musique et Mystique dans les Traditions de l'Iran. Paris: IFRI-Peeters.Google Scholar
During, Jean 1992 Balouchistan: Musique d'Extase et de Guerison. Paris: OCORA. C580017-18 (CD and booklet).Google Scholar
During, Jean 1999? Music, Trance & Therapy in Baluchistan. Garland Encyclopaedia (forthcoming).Google Scholar
Hassan, Scheherazade Q. 1980 Les Instruments de Musique en Iraq et leur Role dans la Societé traditionnelle. Paris.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mas'udie, M.-T. 1985 Musiqi-e Baluchestan. Tehran: Sorush.Google Scholar
Nâseri, ‘A. 1979 Farhang-e Mardom-e Baluch. Tehran.Google Scholar
Riâhi, A. 1977 Zâr o Bâd o Baluch. Tehran.Google Scholar
Sâ'edi, Gh. M. 1975 Ahl-e Havâ. Tehran.Google Scholar
Sâ'edi, Gh. M. 1994 Ahl-e Havâ, la gente del vento. Introduction and translation by F. Ferraro. Napoli.Google Scholar