Cultural Survival and Historical Memory among Pakistani Meos: A Postcolonial Perspective
Keywords:
Mewati Community, Subaltern Studies, Criminal Tribes Act, Post-Partition Islamization, Cultural Syncretism, Digital Ethnography.Abstract
This study explores the sociocultural evolution of the Meo community in Pakistan, tracing their journey from a syncretic Hindu-Muslim identity in pre-partition Mewat to their fragmented existence in post-1947 Pakistan. The Meos are ethnic community largely migrated from Princely states Alwar and Bhartpur and Gurgaon, Punjab.[1]
Through historical analysis, ethnographic insights, and community narratives, the research examines how forced migration, state policies, and religious nationalism disrupted the Meos’ traditional systems like the Jajmani[2] economy and Pal-Gotra[3] social structure. Despite efforts to reclaim their heritage through cultural organizations, media, and political mobilization, the Meos face challenges in preserving their identity amid urbanization, assimilation pressures, and generational shifts. Critically, the study highlights the tension between their multicultural past and Pakistan’s homogenizing Islamic identity, revealing how systemic neglect and internal fragmentation have left the Meos navigating marginalization while striving to retain their unique traditions.
