PESHAWAR: The population of famous music street Banr in Mingora, Swat has been reduced to 40 families compared to more than 80 families in early 80s due to repression and militancy in the scenic valley, according to a recently held study.

“The few surviving artists in Banr music street needs official patronage and security for keeping the golden tradition alive, otherwise music will die forever in the valley,” the study says.

The study report on ‘Effects of repression and militancy on musicians and artists of swat valley’ has been compiled by Pakhtunkhwa Cultural Foundation (PCF).

The study, conducted during last year, will be published at the end of this month.

The study report, the first of its kind, claims that it would prove a crash course for researchers and music buffs to understand the gradual and systematic decline of music and art in Swat valley over the last years of repression, extremism and militancy.

Sharing contents of the study report, Mohammad Rome, executive director of PCF, told this scribe that total households of the musicians’ community of Banr were 85 in 1980’s with at least two female performers/dancers from each house, 25 master musicians and 60 professional singers.

“All the female dancers were also good at singing,” he added.

Currently, he said, Banr professional community households had fallen to just 40 with two female dancers from each house. He said that only seven families of them were carrying the music tradition forward.

Study says musicians and performers are in constant state of terror

He said that currently there were five harmonium players, two tabla players and five female singers only.

“The musicians were in the constant state of terror. Gone are the days when we used to participate in live concerts in Swat till late at nights. Open air performance is a far cry. We can perform only indoors and that too very rare,” the study states, quoting a budding female singer Kainat from Banr.

The study report relates that the wave of militancy and extremism changed the environment beyond recognition. It is suffocation all around.

Owing to particular situation in Swat, big public gatherings are allowed under special circumstances. In the city area, some performance events do take place, by the blessings of local administration. But going to the villages and deep in the valley the situation is altogether different.

Mr Rome said that PCF was working for free cultural expressions, envisioned a pluralist and a progressive society based on humanistic, social and cultural values.

The fundamental concern of PCF, he said, was to preserve and promote the local cultures, enabling the region to contribute positively to the human civilisation.

Mr Rome said that his organisation strived to develop an environment where all the communities representing different cultures could learn to respect and value each other way of life.

“Currently PCF is documenting the endangered culture of Kalash, Chitral and the traditional crafts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Fata and northern areas of Pakistan. PCF intends to research and document various aspects of cultures, tangible and non-tangible of the area,” he said.

He said that deteriorating environment compelled many a musicians, singers, performers and instrumentalists to quit their profession.

“There were 300 stores in Mingora. Short plays and visual songs were locally shot and released. A large number of releases were also coming in from the down districts. CDs stores were the first to come under attack from Taliban,” he said.

Mr Rome said that the CDs stores were burnt, blasted or threatened. So the business, during the crisis, closed completely. He said that after the crisis the CD business was facing a host of challenges.

“As no compensation was made by the government or any other agency, many of the CD stores did not reopen. Owners do not rent shops for CD business, due to the fear of militants,” the report reveals.

Mr Rome said that revival of music and art in Swat had yet to take place. He said that musical concerts and cultural activism that had gained momentum in the previous government of Awami National Party had been brought to a standstill in the province.

The previous provincial government, the study report says, had established cultural directorate and had done tremendous efforts to boost up cultural activities in the militancy-plagued province including Swat.

The study report says that open spaces for social and cultural gatherings were shrinking in Swat valley.

“The open spaces in Swat district have been shrunk. Musicians from Banr used perform live for tourists in those open spaces. These are now being frequented by local religious clerics where they conduct annual gatherings. Singers and instrumentalist feel sacred to go there for fear of resistance,” the study says.

Published in Dawn March 9th , 2015

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