Pakol-A Traditional Pashtun Head Wear

Busy Chitrali Bazaar, Peshawar, Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Every society evolves over a period of time. A particular society develops conditions to make living easy and comfortable. They develop tools and wearing materials that could best suit their particular circumstances. These things over period of time and through trials and errors becomes recognition of a particular people set up. These things add beauty and diversity to the peoples of the globe. On the other hand they become a source of income and continuation in the process of societal evolution. The collective wisdom of the people can also be gauged from these traditional wearing materials and other tools of using. 

In the following write up I am trying to find out the possible origin of a popular head wear called Pakol.  

It is difficult to determine specific origin of Cultural and traditional things as they are evolved over ages. Various methods could be applied to possibly determine it to a particular people set up.

Pakol a traditional headwear, used in the areas inhabited by the Pashtuns. Pashtuns are spread over a vast territory comprising of various tribes and inhabit different geographical tracks of land. The various landscapes of the people have evolved different sub cultural patterns. Apart from Pashtuns tribes other non-Pashtuns tribes are living for centuries in the heart land of Pakhtunkhwa. 

The use of Pakol is common in all male Pashtuns. To determine its origin we have to rely on best guesses and the determinants that could result in the creation of Pakol. The people of Chitral proudly claims it their creation. They base their claim on the following arguments;

1.      The cultural use of Pakol in Chitrali society

Pakol has been using in a distinct way in Chitrali society. When someone is appearing before elders or some superior authority one has to wear the Pakol. Otherwise it will be considered a disgrace. It is an obligatory in this context. Apart from that roaming without Pakol has negative connotation amounting to arrogance. This cultural trait of using Pakol is associated only in Chitrali society. So it can be easily gauged that how deep the use of Pakol is embedded in the Chitrali Society.

2.      Another argument that Pakol has been originated in Chitral is that the wool that is used in the making of Pakol was traditionally found only in Chitral. The lamb wool of the area was best for making such stuff. The argument that the pakol has been originated in Nooristan, Afghanistan, Chitrali reject the argument altogether. “The wool in Nooristan and other places are hard and best for producing handmade carpets. Pakol requires soft wool and they are produced in Chitral. The kind of lamb is not found around”, says a merchant from Chitral.

3.      The area of Chitral remains cut off and historically it had little interactions with the outside world. The culture and people of the area are unique and shows little impacts of the adjoining areas, historically. This isolation has made them independent in terms of way of life. Their dresses, religion, language are therefore so different.

4.      As there happens to be intense cold so they have developed dresses that could best protect them against the hostile weather. Pakol is an item in their combination of dressing up. Shooqa and Choogha-long overall type coats- are worn by the male and Raghz by women are made of the same wool of which Pakol is made.

5.      As no other item of head wearing is found in Chitral so it can be determined that the Pakol is in use there centuries back.

6.      There is a market/bazar by the name of Chitrali Bazar in Peshawar. The bazar is in place there from about 150 years. All the shopkeepers are from Chitral. The bazar is famous for Chitrali Pakol. It is another argument that can claim that the Pakol has been originated from Chitral.

There are different kinds of Pakol, vary from region to region. A detailed study could be carried out on its variation and style.

The author can be reached at muhammadrome@gmail.com
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