Dr. Raza-ul-Hasan

Pakhtoon American Community Association

2013 Pashto Conference

What is Multi-media ?

Status of Multi-media in Pashto language

Importance of Multi-media for Pakhtoon Americans

Process and Cost of developing a Pashto Multi-media Product/project

Introduction to Multimedia

• Multimedia is a combination of text, art, sound, animation, and/or video.

(Vaughan, Tay. New York : McGraw-Hill, c2010)

• Today, we will explore the following multi-media in Pashto:

• Text

• Radio

• TV

• Internet

What is Multimedia

• Unfortunately, over the last 1200 years, little scientific or research-oriented work is published in Pashto.

• Mostly text (books) has been written on poetry and religious matters.

• Only recently in the last 100 years, British Raj, Pashto Academy, Peshawar University and post 911 American grants have enabled some well researched publications.

• A lot more is needed. Comparing with other nations, Pashtoons are behind at least 1000 years

Situation of Texts in Pashto is not good!

Introduction to Multimedia

In the next slide, I would like to show a timeline of Pashto books published over the last 1275 years

From To Period

752 1206 Afghan Kings Time Period King Shansaban(669 AD), King Amir Folad(748 AD), King Amir Karor(786 AD), King Muhammad Suri (867 AD), King Muhammad bin Suri(1020 AD), King Abbas bin Shais bin Muhammad(1059 AD), King Qutubuddin (1099AD), King Azzuddin Ghori(1100 AD), King Allauddin Husain(1151 AD) , King Ghiasuddin Sam(1202 AD) King Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghori(1206 AD).

1206 1572 Sufis and Poets Time period Such as Asad Sori, Malik Yar Gharsheen, Bakhtiar Kaki, and Zarhon Baba

1572 1862 Mughal time period Khushal Khan, Rehman Baba, Pir Rokhan’s Religious books in Pashto. Khair Ul Biyan, Sirath ul Touheed

1858 1947 British Raj Orientalists such as Major Rovery who wrote about the language differences in Yousafzai and Qanhari Pashto. Or Sir Oaf Carro – The Pathan

1955 2001 Pashto Academy, PhD Thesis Peshawar University

2001 2013 Post 911 Drastic Increase in Budgets for work on Pashto language

Mostly Poetry

& few

Books

Poetry, Social & Scientific Research

Text

1110 years

165

Reference: M.Hassan Khalil, 2012

In 1935: All India Radio Peshawar was established

That provided a platform to people such as Amir Hamza Shinwari and Samundar Khan Samundar – more than 300 dramas each.

◦ Popular dramas were Imposters of societies ‘د اوچے خان’ which was highly valued by people of all

walks of life. قسمت او عقل , ‘ داسمان منجھاری' ‘

This assisted in creation of talent and publicizing their work. Both in poetry and drama format.

Some of the other literary luminaries were Umar Nasir, Nisar Mohammad Khan, Irfan Ullah Irfan, & Amin Ullah Amin

Additional Radio stations: Besides Peshawar, Radio Station Quetta, Khyber Radio Jamrood, Radio Buraq, One o One, and Peshawar University. Broadcasts from Russia, Germany, India, Iran, Afghanistan and most importantly US and Britain in terms of BBC and VOA.

(Ref: Hanif Khalil, Pashot Adabi Zuban Ki Tehreq, 2009, University Book Publishers,,Peshawar)

Played an important role but not too significant, as few people have access to it. Plus limited coverage has been given to Pashto segment

From Peshawar and Quetta, Salah-u-ddin, Masood Ahmad Shah, Karim Khan and Syed Toufiq Hussain played significant role in produced Pashto dramas

In private channels Khyber TV now offers 24 hours transmission

In Afghanistan, TV channels such as Afghan Mili TV, Shamshad TV, Taluh are transmitting Pashto

General

Tolafghan, Benawa and Talafghan, Khyberwatch, Pashto and Afghanan most widely read full Pashto websites that includes articles, essays and books on almost every subject, and news.

Literary

Baheer, Lekwal, Hewad, Pashto Poetry and Dastanoona good source for classical and modern Pashto poetry and prose.

Music

Mastana

News

Deewa, Ashna, Pajhwok and BBC have the most attractive websites of latest news. At Pajhwok, you can read the same news both in Pashto and English. At BBC, you can read and listen the same news.

Dictionary and grammer

Qamosoona provides only dictionaries. You can download useful English to Pashto and Pashto to English dictionaries. Also visit Writing Pashto

Pakhtoon Community arrived in US for economic reasons, education & in some cases asylums

The most important thing for them is to settle down

Initially Language and Culture are not as important but Religion is

However, they realize at some point that culture is equally important

Social contact ◦ During Khushali and Gham (Happy and Sad occassions),

social connections are needed. Especially during Gham ( better support is desired)

◦ Their need to talk in mother tongue is very strong ◦ They always reminisce about back home

Pressure from Others while living in the USA. ◦ Always ask you where you are from. ◦ Those from Indo/Pak quickly call you you Khan. ◦ This causes you to look for and own your Pakhtoon

Identity

There are different types/generations of Pakhtoon Americans with different needs

First ( Immigrants) ◦ Culture: Strong ◦ Religion: Strong ◦ Language: Strong

Second (Children of Immigrants) ◦ Culture: Moderate ◦ Religion: Strong to Moderate. Depending on Parents ◦ Language: 80 percent loss. Some understanding of Pashto

Third (Grand children of First Generation = total

assimilation) ◦ Culture: Weak ◦ Religion: Depends ◦ Language: Total loss of Pashto Language

1st Generation ◦ Still have to live 30 to 40 years of their life times in this

country ◦ Strong desire to socialize with other Pakhtoons ◦ Topics of discussion in social gatherings always refer to

topics of interest from back home (Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan)

◦ This group visits back home frequently ◦ They often call back home ◦ They stay in stay in touch with other Pakhtoons in the US ◦ This group sends back home financial support ◦ They stay in touch with back home relatives, culture, and

Pashto music and drama

2nd and 3rd Generations

◦ Not much contact with Pashto Language and Culture

◦ If some action is not taken, total separation

◦ They don’t talk well with 1st Generation

◦ Increasingly they don’t speak or have to speak Pashto.

◦ Limited contact with Pakhtunkhwa and Afghanistan

◦ They are losing Pashto. Hence, Pashto language is becoming an endangered language in the US

Make Pashto language easy for all three generations

Make events more catered to 2nd and 3rd generations

Create Pashto multi-media: ◦ Movies ◦ Cartoons ◦ Internet ◦ TV/Radio

Exists even for 1st Generation and educated folks in Afghan-Pak

Multi-media initiatives can assist in overcoming this problem.

Example: Teach Pashto via web, cartoon or mobile application

Create a Market for Pashto Support Pashto: Learn Pashto, Buy Books, or Finance a Pashto

media creation project) Begin with baby steps

Baby steps are not easy. Be ready to overcome obstacles. Stay

focused on the goal. Try to achieve little objectives before going to bigger goals.

In America, I suggest ◦ Initially: Create a Cartoon ◦ In the intermediate term: An interactive website that teaches Pashto ◦ In the long term: Launch a Radio and TV/Web channels

1. Create a Script

2. Create Sound

3. Create Background

4. Create Characters (images)

5. Create storyboard http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAzN0Zb0jtc

6. Final compositing and after effects http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqGC2Qo5jI

Pre production Phase

Script We need to provide this Sound recording We need to provide this Storyboard 16 hours effort for 1 one minute characters design 3 hours per character design master background 6 hours per Background design

Production Phase Animation 40 hours for 1 one minute

Post production Phase Final Compositing 6 hours for 1 one minute

Rate quoted from an Indian Outsource professional. Charges $ 10 per hour. For a sample go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqGC2Qo5jI

We need dedicated individuals to give time

The community must realize Importance of maintaining culture and language through Multi-media

We need to create a Market for Pashto Products. The more people buy, the more products will appear

Use your buying power. At least, once a year buy a Pashto book or music