First Gojri Cultural Event in GB

FLI partnered with the Gojri Language & Culture Society (GLCS) to organize a literary event in Ghizer district of Gilgit Baltistan (GB) last weekend. This was first of its kind when Gojri speakers joined together to hold a poetry session in this part of the country. More than a dozen poets of Gojri language participated in the event who came from various parts of GB and presented their verses in their mother tongue. People from various organizations of Gojri community attended the event. The poetry program was followed by a musical program where singers sang Gojri songs and the session was appreciated by the participants. The main purpose of organizing the event in GB was to organize the Gojri speakers and sensitize them towards working for their language. On the other hand, they also aimed to show that Gojri language speakers are living in GB also who should be made part of all literary activities taking place in the region.

Gojri speakers claim there are thousands of their fellow speakers living in Gilgit Baltistan. Shahidur Rehman, a Gojri language researcher, who was one of the organizers of the event is of the view that due to scattered population, the exact number of Gojri speakers is hard to estimate but still they count in thousands.

Two folk singers who were invited to the event sang Gojri songs and received applaud for their performance. Shahidur Rehman said that the musical program rejuvenated the audience. He said that around 100 people gathered on a short notice of the event, spread through social media. The spectators included notables of the community, educated community members and those who are in politics. The event gathered people belonging to all walks of life, mostly youth who then took to the social media appreciating the event and desiring more events like this.

Gojri belongs to the central group of the Indo-Aryan language family and is closely related to Mewati, a language spoken in north eastern Rajasthan. Gojri is spoken in northern Afghanistan, northern Pakistan, and the former state of Jammu and Kashmir (Azad Kashmir and Indian Administered Kashmir).

FLI values to work with the community based organizations having a mandate to work for the languages and cultural strengthening as it gives our services a community ownership. We have trained many researchers from the Gojri community in the past who are taking the language development work ahead. We assure the community of our continuous support in future.