Minority Ethnic Communities in Northern Ireland
.
PEOPLE OF PAKISTANI ORIGIN
BACKGROUND
The majority of Pakistanis living in U.K. originate from the Mirpur District, north of Punjab and are Mirpuris. Some people come from the Punjab province and are Pakistani Punjabis and a small number originate from the North West Frontier Province who are known as Pathans. There is a small Pakistani community of approximately 700 people living in Northern Ireland a number of whom have settled in the Craigavan area.
LANGUAGE
Mirpuri
This is a dialect of Punjabi spoken by those people originating from the region of Mirpur.Punjabi
Spoken by Pakistani Punjabis.Pashto
The first language for people originating from the North West Frontier. Pashto is very different from Punjabi.Urdu
This is the administrative language of Pakistan. A few Pakistanis speak Urdu as their mother tongue but for most it is a second language spoken in addition to their own regional language.Both Punjabi and Urdu are written in the Arabic Script from right to left.
RELIGION
Almost all Pakistanis are Muslims. As Islam is central to lifestyle and governs almost every aspect of life, a separate section has been allocated to this religion. Please refer to this for more information pertaining to religion, diet and practices.
DIET
The main staple cereal is chapattis. Milk, yoghurt, pulses, curries and fresh fruit feature in the Pakistani diet. For religious dietary restrictions see the section on Islam.
DRESS
Traditional female dress consists of the shalwar and Kameez, a pair of loose fitting trousers and knee length tunic. A dupatta or chadar which is a long scarf is used to cover the face in the presence of men. Young females are usually expected to conform to this dress code at puberty. Trousers or thick tights are often worn from a very early age as legs must be covered.
Under strict Muslim law, all females must keep their arms and legs covered after the onset of puberty when in the company of males - other than their father or husband. It is also customary for them to decorate their hands with henna during religious festivals or when they go to weddings.
LIFESTYLE, CUSTOMS AND RELIGIOUS PRACTICES
Childcare
As breastfeeding is both a cultural and religious requirement, all Pakistani women will breastfeed unless there is a specific reason for not doing so. Babies will be breastfed up till the age of two and it is the norm for weaning to commence later than is the practice in the west.
Culturally-Based Behavioural Patterns
In school, it maybe noticed that some Muslim pupils will avoid direct eye contact with staff and will tend to look downwards when being spoken to on a one-to-one basis. This is not an indication of rudeness or guilt but an indication of politeness, respect or deference.
In some Pakistani families, the elder brother(s) may take over many of the responsibilities of the father and may reprimand younger brothers or sisters, if need be. They will also attend parents' evenings instead of the father, in many cases.
Puberty
The usual age for transfer from primary to secondary school is eleven which roughly coincides with the onset of puberty when segregation of the sexes becomes of paramount importance if the girl is to enjoy an unsullied reputation, essential tor a good marriage.
Some parents find the prospect of steering a teenage daughter through the minefield of a western adolescence so daunting that the girl is returned to Pakistan to live with relatives until she is of marriageable age.
Marriage Early marriage is common and girls are trained from a young age in domestic skills and child care.
CONTENTS
.
.
