Social values of Palasi society
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Palasi Society
As defined in the World Bank's Environmental Assessment Source Book (IBRD 1991a, page 114),

“…the people of Palas qualify as both 'indigenous' and ‘tribal’ and also include ethnic minorities”.

The people of Palas also meet most of the characteristics of tribal people’s as defined in the World Bank's Operational Directive 2.34, namely:

“they are geographically semi-isolated; they are only partly acculturated into the societal norms of Pakistani society; they are only partially monetized, production is largely for subsistence; they are ethnically distinct from the national society; they are non-literate and without a written language; they are linguistically distinct from the wider society; they identify closely with one particular territory; they have an economic lifestyle largely dependent on the specific natural environment of Palas; and they have loose tenure over their traditional lands (no settlement has taken place).

The Household
Village in the valley
The smallest unit of a Shin organization is the household. Any household or family is linked more or less to ten chains or clusters within his organizational circles from home to the establishment of a larger group, which gives references to his identity. In simple words it may be called lineage. It is called caste (zat) in Kohistan and "Tabar" (family/household).

On every level the organizational circles are autonomous in running their matters and to the extent of the ‘Khel’ (i.e. lineage which is now called caste) all people are blood related and anything from ten to twelve generations makes one Khel. Organizationally up to this extent, the people physically or financially help each other much more and they stay united against their external enemy.

Interior view of a local home

The mother-in-law generally specifies the internal jobs of the household and if she is absent then things are taken care of by the other women of the house. A new bride faces many difficulties in accommodating with the women already present in the new family. The bride could be conceived of being a lucky woman or a curse for the family depending on the situation. Serving of food is done by mothers-in-law and food is served to elder men first, then to children and finally to daughters-in-law and other women.

Generally, the men and boys get better food. The reason for this is that healthy males are considered more likely to protect the family and provide for them.

The dress has also been found better with the men second best is that of the mother and then those of the other women. If there is only one daughter-in-law and one mother-in-law in the family, the daughter-in-law would be assigned the tougher jobs and the mother-in-law would do the ones which take less energy. The tough jobs include getting maize ground at the water mills, fetching fuel-wood from the forests, churning milk, clearing dung, mud plastering, dish and clothes washing, agricultural tasks and shifting domestic items during seasonal migration.
 
 

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      Kinship System  
     

Among the Shins, genealogy is determined from the father’s line. A joint family system is practiced. The people are organized in terms of caste and tribal circles and their kinship system is solid and active. There are profound local terms used for various relationships.

Among the Shin tribes, the relationships are identified by two main references: by breast milk and by blood. The blood means father and the breast milk means those relationships that are established with regard to other women. The terminology of relationships exists both in writing and in oral form. There is diversity in the oral terminology used in daily life and there is some complexity also in certain relationship terms. They help understand the distinction in ages, the scope of communal obligations to one's relatives and their limitations, their duties and restrictions on account of the constructive liaisons found in the joint family system.

The internal domestic management and arrangements are in the hands of the oldest woman at home. She can be either a mother-in-law or a wife of an elder brother. The external matters are in the hands of the head of the household i.e. a man. Back to Top

  
      Polygamy  
Polygamy is common among the Shins, but there are some conditions for men to have a second marriage without a need for it. But most of the time, these conditions are overlooked and social problems can arise from this.

There is no restriction for marrying a second woman if the couple does not have male children. Similarly, there is no restriction on marrying a second woman if it is a widow of a brother. Back to Top
The Fire-Place
Palasi men sitting around fire-place, inside a hujraBack to Top

A fire-place holds an important place in the joint family system where every one gets a place to sit around it according to one's status. Moreover, certain responsibilities are performed over the fire-place, particularly of the ability and experience of a daughter-in-law and in reference to children; it is here where their training and guidance begins.