Preserving the Voice of the Mountains: Analyzing the Endangerment of Local Languages in Gilgit-Baltistan
By Faisal Mashroof
Gilgit-Baltistan is arguably Pakistan’s most breathtaking area in terms of geography and its inherent beauty. Here, the three most geologically significant mountain ranges—the Himalayas, the Handukuch, and the Karakoram—come together. Gilgit-Baltistan is a veritable paradise for climbers, hikers, and fishermen. Furthermore, with an extensive variety of rare plants and animals, the area boasts a rich cultural legacy. The region has long been the scene of military and political conflicts between the Chinese, British, and Russian empires. Through a popular local uprising against the Maharaja of Kashmir’s regime, the people of this region chose to join Pakistan as soon as British rule in the subcontinent ended in 1947.
There are nearly seven languages spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan, which has an overwhelming linguistic diversity. Shina, Balti, Burushaski, Wakhi, Khowar, Domaki, and Gujari are some of these languages. These languages symbolize the many communities’ solidarity, faith, and brotherhood. Gilgit-Baltistan’s elders and forefathers preserved these languages as a cultural legacy for generations. However, immigration is one of the primary causes of the culture’s recent decline due to local and global changes.
Even though residents use code-mixing and switch between Urdu and English with their native tongue, the local language of Gilgit-Baltistan is currently in danger. This is primarily because of recent immigration and the influence of other communities’ languages, such as Punjabi, Urdu, and Pashto. Another substantial issue is that the Gilgit-Baltistan government is not committed to encouraging the local language. They fail to establish strategies at the government level to do so, nor do they include it in the academic curriculum of schools or the national curriculum. Indigenous languages become marginalized by the media’s primary promotion of the dominant languages, such as English and Urdu. Almost all schools do not include Shina in their curriculum, leading to low literacy levels in the language. Instead, children learn English or Urdu as they grow up. There are very few or no educational resources and materials available in Shina. In official communications and education, regional languages are frequently disregarded in favor of Urdu or English.
Although Shina lacks a commonly used and standardized script, it is more challenging to properly document and teach the language. Oral tradition is used by the majority of native speakers. Proficiency in Urdu and English is associated with better employment opportunities, leading to Shina being perceived as “economically irrelevant.” Shina’s exposure and everyday usage are limited by its rare appearance in mainstream media (TV, radio, or print).
Another significant consideration is that many young people are less interested in using or learning Shina because they perceive it as a less respectable or “backward” language than Urdu or English. For education and everyday conversation, parents frequently give preference to Urdu or English, abandoning Shina in the process. Regional languages have been displaced by Urdu, Pakistan’s national language, and English, which is the predominant language in business and education. Furthermore, the language’s transmission has declined as a result of rapid migration from rural Shina-speaking areas to urban areas like Gilgit, Islamabad, or abroad. In urban areas, Shina speakers commonly adopt English or Urdu to blend in with the majority. In Gilgit-Baltistan, marriages between different cultures frequently culminate in children growing up in Urdu-speaking homes, which further hinders the use of Shina.
The fall of Shina has devastating repercussions. It puts indigenous knowledge connected to the language, oral traditions, and cultural identity at risk of dying. Additionally, there is a faster rate of linguistic diversity loss worldwide. Official recognition and integration into schools are essential for the continued survival of Shina. Script development, community projects, and media presence can all be very important for reviving the language. In the absence of these initiatives, Shina runs the risk of additional exclusion and ultimate extinction.
To conclude, the Shina language’s survival depends on everyone working together to recognize its cultural value and overcome the challenges causing it to deteriorate. Shina faces growing marginalization and possible extinction if proactive steps are not taken to promote and conserve this linguistic legacy. To make sure that this distinctive feature of Gilgit-Baltistan’s identity endures in the face of shifting sociolinguistic environments, it will be imperative to prioritize institutional support, community involvement, and educational programs. Protecting a significant portion of cultural legacy that reflects the history, customs, and identity of its speakers is the goal of Shina preservation, which goes beyond simply preserving a language.
