| ID | 190221 |
| Title Proper | Seeking Protection and Reconciliation |
| Other Title Information | a Pashtun Legal Custom in Recorded Tribal Histories |
| Language | ENG |
| Author | Pelevin, Mikhail ; Mikhail Pelevin |
| Summary / Abstract (Note) | Available essays on Pashtunwali describe this system of customary laws and ethics for the most part as a static model of ideal conduct, without a diachronic perspective. Offering a historical approach to Pashtunwali, this article introduces and analyzes fragmentary data on the nənawāte custom from early modern Pashto sources—historiographical narratives of the Khatak chieftains in the Tarikh-i Murassaʿ (finished 1724) and the romantic poem Adam Khan aw Durkhaney (1706/7). Recorded cases of resorting to nənawāte, considered among the main pillars of Pashtunwali but still variously interpreted, prove that this is a complex legal custom based on the right to appeal for protection, mediation, and reconciliation. As a common means of dispute settlement, nənawāte originates with a binding request for help and favor in a conflict situation. The discussion of nənawāte is preceded by a brief overview of the existing scholarly definitions of Pashtunwali, underscoring its emic perception as an ethnic identity marker. |
| `In' analytical Note | International Journal of Middle East Studies Vol. 54, No.4; Nov 2022: p.687 - 704 |
| Journal Source | International Journal of Middle East Studies 2022-12 54, 4 |
| Key Words | Conflict Resolution ; Customary Law ; Pashtuns ; Pashtunwali ; Identity Markers ; Pashto historiography |