Balochi is spoken in south-western Pakistan, south-eastern Iran, southern Afghanistan, the Gulf States and Turkmenistan. There are also communities of Baloch in East Africa and India, as well as in several countries of the West, e.g. UK and the USA. Balochi literature is also much rich and affluent. ―The Balochi folk literature, oral in rich character, provides support for the institutions and behavioral pattern of a deep-rooted culture. Balochi epic knit together a great mass of ancient tradition, customs, legends, prudential maxims and spiritual discourses. There are great reminiscences to the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharta or with Homeric Greek epics with Baloch war songs‖ (Dashti 2007: 5, 8).
The strongest things about the Baloch folk stories is that all of them either started during the period of Meer Chakar Khan or thereafter. No stories before that time has so far been discovered and all stories have been rendered in beautiful Balochi poetry.
The first recorded works of folk literature-epics, romantic ballads, lyrical and heroic poems depicting the legendary history and genealogy of the Balochi tribes dates back to the sixteenth century. The extant poems include: ‘Hani and Shah Murad,’ ‘Shahdad and Mahnaz,’ ‘Lallah and Granaz,’ ‘Bebarg and Granaz,’ ‘Mast and Sammo.’ They reflect the social structure of the traditional *Balochi society, its code of honour, and military skills. ―Hani, Mehnaz, Seemuk and Girannaz are not only major player in the Balochi literature but their poetry is evidence of their sadness. In the culture of previous era there were no prohibition and ban on women to express point of view through poetry They were suitable environment regarding freely expression of their feelings‖ (Buzdar 2012: 11).
In the sixteenth century the Portuguese invaded Persian Gulf region, including the Baloch coast of Makran. Mir Hamal Jiand, a head of Kalmat in the Makran resisted against then and finally arrested by them and they offered to marry with European girl. He refused to do so and he loves his inhabitant girls. Baloch poetess Bibi Khanun expresses hier view about dissimilarity of Baloch and European girl, in her poetry (Naseer 2007: 5, 8):
On the score that they do not wash their eyes,
Nor pronounce the name of God;
They devour handfuls of dates with flies,
Their shirts are cut above the knees,
And the naval is exposed to view l;
Neither their address to God is decent,
Nor (do they) recite the Muslim way prayer;
Hamal loves his native girls having intoxicating eyes,
They wear shirts and trousers,
And cover their heads with shawls.
Naseem Dashti wrote an article in ULUS Balochi about the contribution of Balochi short story writers during the period of 1951 to 1958. He disclosed the names of Banuk Tue Roohi, Banuk Rasheeda Mengal and Banuk Naz Malik Mengal as short story writer (Aseer 2012: 240). When we perceive the list of publications of Balochi Academy, Quetta, then found a name of Ubaida Qayum as author of Kaas Maas published in 1980, M. Sultana as author of Moreng, Moko, Benag-e-miksik in 1980, Bushra Qayum as writer of Zalbul-e-Kar-o-Kird in 1980, Zakia Sardar Khan as author of Sarmast-eBalochistan in 1965, Shaheen Roohi Bukhari as author of Sher-e-Balochistan and Dr. Zeenat Sana as author of Balochi Adab Mein Tanqeedi Jaiza in 2007. Balochi poetry books of Sitara Jabeen Muhammad Hasni and Professor Tahira Ehsas Jatak are under publication in Balochi Academy. Bibi Taj Bano is also an author of seven books in Balochi namely 1, Pand-e-Luqman 2, Pir Rakhialye Jawab 3, Aalim-Barzakh 4, Panj Ganj 5, Khutba Balochi 6, Wafat Nama-e- Anhazarat (Peace be upon him) 7, Alquma-e-Qisa.
Other women those are playing their role in promotion of Balochi literature are , Banul Dashtiari, Ain Ain Dashti, Gohar Malik, Sabeeha Karim, Zahida Raeesi, Sabeeha Mengal, Sadaf Mehr, Naseema Baloch, Robina Naz, Mah Jabeen Baloch, Fouzia Baloch, Mehlab Naseer, Mehnaz Baloch, Andleeb Gichki, Mehrang Baloch, Mehlab Baloch, Kareema Baloch, Rukhsana Dur Muhammad, Shakila Rehman, Madeeha Rasool, Banul Mehrdarzai, Shaheena Shaheen, Mahnoor, Shari Baloch, Amber Baloch, Banadi Baloch, Sana Baloch, Sadaf Suhail, Abida Sanam, Habiba Pir Jan, Ayesha Muneer, Gul Sameen, Sara Baloch, Sharifa Rashid, Faiza Sattar, Hani Baloch, Farzana Baloch, Shenela Muhammad Hassan, Razia Azizullah, Gul Naz Shabbir, Hani Hamal, Saqiba Baloch, Benzeer Baloch, Shari Rashid, Nageena Hamza, Shumaila Rafq, Nageena Noor and Nazenk Baloch.
This piece of writing is taken from Panah Baloch’s research paper ‘BALOCH WOMEN IN LITERATURE’
