Baluchi Language : Moving Beyond Dialectical Differences
Speaking Baluchi in my hometown Kohlu (Balochistan) was not as difficult as it appeared during my university days. I had the opportunity to meet brothers from Turbat, Khuzdar, and many other areas of Balochistan. Through this interaction, I discovered that different shades of the same language began to appear.
Unfortunately, youth often resort to force rather than reason, and so everyone was determined to prove that their use of Baluchi words was correct and superior to others. However, an educated person in the twenty-first century knows how to learn and unlearn things. It took us, the Baluch brothers, a long time to realize that our differences were causing friction. Whenever we talked, the conversation would become heated, egos would take over, and we would end without a conclusion.
For a long time, I listened to Mast Taukali's poems with my heart, thinking that only people from Koh Sulaiman spoke Baluchi so beautifully. But then I began to listen to the poetry of other amazing poets like Atta Shad and Mubarak Qazi, and I started attending gatherings with the Buzdar brothers. I even learned some Brahvi words from the Brahvi brothers. I searched for things that unite us and things that divide us. Balochi is like a mother language, and we are all her children. Children may have differences, but that does not mean we should magnify them to the point of separation.
When I listened to Mast Taukali's poems, I carried his blessings with me. He is an outstanding poet and philosopher, but being limited does not enhance the human mind. After listening to Qazi Sahib's and Atta Shad Sahib's beautiful poems, I noticed that my own words became more beautiful too. My thoughts, feelings, and love for my Baluch brothers grew at the same time. The topic had shifted from "dialect" to "language."
I realized that Baluch brothers who have the opportunity to share classes or meet in schools and colleges should learn each other's dialects and unique words instead of criticizing each other. As we travel, we should try to learn new Baluchi words. Baluchi is a very diverse language that is not restricted to a single region. Therefore, before criticizing someone's regional Balochi dialect or words, a young person should consider that such criticism may be dominated by dialectical ego. Criticism is impossible until we fully understand something or see it from every angle. Our elders, who have mastered this language, have the right to criticize.
