“Do you enjoy residing here far from the city, or you cannot afford to migrate from here?” Kamalan asked Naku Amin. He looked deep into Kamalan’s eyes, laughed and said, “We enjoy living here (on our soil).”
Kamalan Bebagr, a name among the top filmmakers in Balochistan, has contributed in several filming projects, including documentaries and Balochi movies. In the very recent, he has uploaded travel documentaries where he visits far flung areas and document their lifestyle, culture, practices and, above all, their love and connection with their land and the past – something getting rare in cities and several villages these days, particularly in Makuran.
His recent documentary, filmed in Zaamuran’s Niwaanu (Kech), titled as “Kuhaani Niyaama” (Between the mountains), begins with showing a village, same like the ancient Baloch villages, and a shepherd grazing his goats – giving his documentary a pure Baloch touch, something Kamalan is very expert at. It ultimately grabs the viewers’ attention because such a scenario is very rare in the present, that too followed by the flute sound, giving the documentary a deeper Baloch feeling.
Naku Amin narrates the story of their arrival to Niwaanu, recalling that he was only 8 when they shifted. During this portion, what Kamalan has showed his viewers was a barren land with dead date trees, resembling a burning, desolated Balochistan where human life has been severely affected by various means. Amin continued that they grazed goats, but when doors opened for the gulf, like others, his elder brothers also sold the goats and went to the gulf, resulting their settlement to Niwaanu. “We tried to hire a shepherd for the goats, but it could not work out,” he said, and continued, “If you do not look after your assets yourself, no one else can do it for you that way.”
“Degre Mulk Wash Na En Kurbana” (Other’s land is not suitable, my dear) were Nako’s words to Kamalan when he memorized how in 1980, he went to Bahrain and stayed there for seven years. “I did not know earlier, though Baloch people say that other’s land is not even good for kingship.”
Upon this, Kamalan intervened and asked, “What is there in your own land?” indicating towards the barren and desolated Baloch land. “No matter it has nothing, but it still is the best.” He continued that if the land is yours, you enjoy every bit of it, adding that if someone had never been to the foreign countries, for them, the outside world is way more relaxing than their own. Regretting the loss of Baloch lives in Oman and pointing out to their graves, Naku said in agony, “It (Oman) is not our country.”
While discussing on the social issues of the area, Naku felt deeply sorry saying that they were short of representatives. Owing to poor roads, and a lack of facilitations, patients suffered a lot in emergency cases, usually resulting in deaths or severity in the pains. Same with the schooling system. “It has only been three years since our primary school has been upgraded to a middle section, with so many vacant posts of teachers,” Naku said, adding that once he saw an interview of a local parliamentarian claiming that he had brought development in Buleda. “I could say nothing but SHAME.”
He also stresses on social evils saying that one would not get as much food available as cigarettes and other drugs. He exemplified his friend who once used to sell such things, and when he became old, all his eight sons were drug addicts. “I visited him once and he said that though he had a lot of money, but now that he was old, all his sons were like this – drug addicts,” Naku said he regretted his act of selling such things. The other dealers do not know, but it will be a headache for them, or any other of their family member someday very soon. “This money, remember me my son: this money of drugs will take away from a person their dignity,” Naku stressed.
All the way through the documentary, Kamalan showed us Niwaanu in full swing. From desolation to the water flowing down the village, the grazing goats, the mountains and the streets of the village. Everything was as pure as ever, with a background flute sound. Perhaps, one biggest reason of Kamalan’s success in the world of filmography is his unique touch of the Baloch codes and ethics and his revival of the ancient Baloch practices with his modern cinematographic skills.
Nako also shed light on two important points: one, he advised Kamalan and all the other viewers to know the worth of your fellow nationals. It is them who will come forward in the time of need. Two, the outsiders will never be your own. In fact, on his own land, Naku is frequently asked of his movements, including his harassment in ways like “we have not seen you here before” which is opposite. “I should ask them of their movement on my soil and that their faces are new to me.”
“A person who takes up a gun should have a consciousness behind its carrying,” Naku Amin said, when he was asked if the people from the other end (Baloch) ever faced him during all this time. Naku recalled an incident when he met with two young militants, who, as Naku says, asked him, “To eda eda yala ey?” (Why are you roaming here?). A person taking up arms should not be immoral in their words or actions. He should know why he holds it. Seems like this question from someone at the Baloch end was more troubling for him than that of the other end.
“It is my land and that is my home; I am not “Yala” here.” – Naku Amin said, echoing the word “Yala” (Roaming).
