Presentation - Pakhtoon American Community Association (PACA)

Dr. Raza-ul-Hasan
Pakhtoon American Community Association
2013 Pashto Conference
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What is Multi-media ?
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Status of Multi-media in Pashto language
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Importance of Multi-media for Pakhtoon
Americans
Process and Cost of developing a Pashto
Multi-media Product/project
Introduction
to Multimedia
What
is Multimedia
• Multimedia is a combination of text, art, sound,
animation, and/or video.
(Vaughan, Tay. New York : McGraw-Hill, c2010)
• Today, we will explore the following multi-media
in Pashto:
• Text
• Radio
• TV
• Internet
Situation of Texts in Pashto is
not good!
• Unfortunately, over the last 1200 years, little
scientific or research-oriented work is published in
Pashto.
• Mostly text (books) has been written on poetry and
religious matters.
• Only recently in the last 100 years, British Raj,
Pashto Academy, Peshawar University and post
911 American grants have enabled some well
researched publications.
• A lot more is needed. Comparing with other
nations, Pashtoons are behind at least 1000 years
Introduction to Multimedia
In the next slide, I
would like to show a
timeline of Pashto
books published over
the last 1275 years
Text
From
752
To
1206
1110
years
1206 1572
1572 1862
Period
Afghan Kings Time Period
King Shansaban(669 AD),
King Amir Folad(748 AD),
King Amir Karor(786 AD),
King Muhammad Suri (867 AD),
King Muhammad bin Suri(1020 AD),
King Abbas bin Shais bin Muhammad(1059 AD),
King Qutubuddin (1099AD),
King Azzuddin Ghori(1100 AD),
King Allauddin Husain(1151 AD) ,
King Ghiasuddin Sam(1202 AD)
King Shahabuddin Muhammad Ghori(1206 AD).
Sufis and Poets Time period
Such as Asad Sori, Malik Yar Gharsheen, Bakhtiar Kaki, and
Zarhon Baba
Reference:
M.Hassan
Khalil, 2012
Mostly
Poetry
&
few
Books
Mughal time period
Khushal Khan, Rehman Baba, Pir Rokhan’s Religious books in
Pashto. Khair Ul Biyan, Sirath ul Touheed
1858 1947 British Raj
165
Orientalists such as Major Rovery who wrote about the
language differences in Yousafzai and Qanhari Pashto. Or Sir
Oaf Carro – The Pathan
1955 2001 Pashto Academy, PhD
Thesis Peshawar University
2001 2013 Post 911
Drastic Increase in Budgets for work on Pashto language
Poetry,
Social &
Scientific
Research
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In 1935: All India Radio Peshawar was established
That provided a platform to people such as Amir Hamza Shinwari and
Samundar Khan Samundar – more than 300 dramas each.
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Popular dramas were Imposters of societies ‘‫ ’د اوچے خان‬which was highly valued by people of all
walks of life. ‫ ‘ داسمان منجھاری‬, '‫‘ قسمت او عقل‬
This assisted in creation of talent and publicizing their work. Both in poetry
and drama format.
Some of the other literary luminaries were Umar Nasir, Nisar Mohammad
Khan, Irfan Ullah Irfan, & Amin Ullah Amin
Additional Radio stations: Besides Peshawar, Radio Station Quetta, Khyber
Radio Jamrood, Radio Buraq, One o One, and Peshawar University. Broadcasts
from Russia, Germany, India, Iran, Afghanistan and most importantly US and
Britain in terms of BBC and VOA.
(Ref: Hanif Khalil, Pashot Adabi Zuban Ki Tehreq, 2009, University Book Publishers,,Peshawar)
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Played an important role but not too significant,
as few people have access to it. Plus limited
coverage has been given to Pashto segment
From Peshawar and Quetta, Salah-u-ddin,
Masood Ahmad Shah, Karim Khan and Syed
Toufiq Hussain played significant role in
produced Pashto dramas
In private channels Khyber TV now offers 24
hours transmission
In Afghanistan, TV channels such as Afghan Mili
TV, Shamshad TV, Taluh are transmitting Pashto
General
Tolafghan, Benawa and Talafghan, Khyberwatch, Pashto and Afghanan most widely read full
Pashto websites that includes articles, essays and books on almost every subject, and news.
Literary
Baheer, Lekwal, Hewad, Pashto Poetry and Dastanoona good source for classical and
modern Pashto poetry and prose.
Music
Mastana
News
Deewa, Ashna, Pajhwok and BBC have the most attractive websites of latest news. At
Pajhwok, you can read the same news both in Pashto and English. At BBC, you can read and
listen the same news.
Dictionary and grammer
Qamosoona provides only dictionaries. You can download useful English to Pashto and
Pashto to English dictionaries. Also visit Writing Pashto
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Pakhtoon Community arrived in US for
economic reasons, education & in some
cases asylums
The most important thing for them is to
settle down
Initially Language and Culture are not as
important but Religion is
However, they realize at some point that
culture is equally important
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Social contact
◦ During Khushali and Gham (Happy and Sad occassions),
social connections are needed. Especially during Gham (
better support is desired)
◦ Their need to talk in mother tongue is very strong
◦ They always reminisce about back home
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Pressure from Others while living in the USA.
◦ Always ask you where you are from.
◦ Those from Indo/Pak quickly call you you Khan.
◦ This causes you to look for and own your Pakhtoon
Identity
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There are different types/generations of
Pakhtoon Americans with different needs
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First ( Immigrants)
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Second (Children of Immigrants)
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Third (Grand children of First Generation = total
assimilation)
◦ Culture: Strong
◦ Religion: Strong
◦ Language: Strong
◦ Culture: Moderate
◦ Religion: Strong to Moderate. Depending on Parents
◦ Language: 80 percent loss. Some understanding of Pashto
◦ Culture: Weak
◦ Religion: Depends
◦ Language: Total loss of Pashto Language
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1st Generation
◦ Still have to live 30 to 40 years of their life times in this
country
◦ Strong desire to socialize with other Pakhtoons
◦ Topics of discussion in social gatherings always refer to
topics of interest from back home (Pakhtunkhwa and
Afghanistan)
◦ This group visits back home frequently
◦ They often call back home
◦ They stay in stay in touch with other Pakhtoons in the US
◦ This group sends back home financial support
◦ They stay in touch with back home relatives, culture, and
Pashto music and drama
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2nd and 3rd Generations
◦ Not much contact with Pashto Language and
Culture
◦ If some action is not taken, total separation
◦ They don’t talk well with 1st Generation
◦ Increasingly they don’t speak or have to speak
Pashto.
◦ Limited contact with Pakhtunkhwa and
Afghanistan
◦ They are losing Pashto. Hence, Pashto language
is becoming an endangered language in the US
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Make Pashto language easy for all three
generations
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Make events more catered to 2nd and 3rd
generations
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Create Pashto multi-media:
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Movies
Cartoons
Internet
TV/Radio
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Exists even for 1st Generation and educated
folks in Afghan-Pak
Multi-media initiatives can assist in
overcoming this problem.
Example: Teach Pashto via web, cartoon or
mobile application
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Create a Market for Pashto
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Support Pashto: Learn Pashto, Buy Books, or Finance a Pashto
media creation project)
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Begin with baby steps
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Baby steps are not easy. Be ready to overcome obstacles. Stay
focused on the goal. Try to achieve little objectives before going
to bigger goals.
In America, I suggest
◦ Initially: Create a Cartoon
◦ In the intermediate term: An interactive website that teaches Pashto
◦ In the long term: Launch a Radio and TV/Web channels
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Create a Script
Create Sound
Create Background
Create Characters (images)
Create storyboard
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tAzN0Zb0jtc
6.
Final compositing and after effects
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqGC2Qo5jI
Pre production Phase
Script
Sound recording
Storyboard
characters design
master background
We need to provide this
We need to provide this
16 hours effort for 1 one minute
3 hours per character design
6 hours per Background design
Production Phase
Animation
40 hours for 1 one minute
Post production Phase
Final Compositing
6 hours for 1 one minute
Rate quoted from an Indian Outsource professional. Charges
$ 10 per hour. For a sample go to
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MyqGC2Qo5jI
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We need dedicated individuals to give time
The community must realize Importance of
maintaining culture and language through Multimedia
We need to create a Market for Pashto Products.
The more people buy, the more products will
appear
Use your buying power. At least, once a year buy
a Pashto book or music