The Marri are a Balochi-speaking tribe of the

Baloch people The Baloch ( ) or Baluch ( ; , plural ) are a nomadic, Pastoralism, pastoral, ethnic group which speaks the Western Iranian, Western Iranic Balochi language and is native to the Balochistan region of South Asia, South and Western Asia, encompas ...

, who inhabit a large arid region in northeastern

Balochistan, Pakistan Balochistan (; ; , ) is a province of Pakistan. Located in the southwestern region of the country, Balochistan is the largest province of Pakistan by land area but is the least populated one. It is bordered by the Pakistani provinces of Khybe ...

. The Marri area is bounded to the west by the plains of

Sibi Sibi (; ;) is a city situated in the Balochistan (Pakistan), Balochistan Subdivisions of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. The city serves as the administrative headquarters of the Sibi District, district and Sibi Tehsil, tehsil of the same name ...

. To the north are the

Kakar The Kakar (Pashto: کاکړ) is a Gharghashti Pashtun tribe, based in Afghanistan, parts of Iran, and northern Balochistan in Pakistan. Origins of the tribe Kakars are descendants of Dani (or Daani) who was the son of Gharghasht. Gharghasht wa ...

and Loni tribes of the

Pashtuns Pashtuns (, , ; ;), also known as Pakhtuns, or Pathans, are an Iranian peoples, Iranic ethnic group primarily residing in southern and eastern Afghanistan and northwestern Pakistan. They were historically also referred to as Afghan (ethnon ...

; to the east lie the lands of the

Khetrans The Khetrans are an ethnolinguistic group primarily native to Barkhan in Balochistan and Dera Ghazi Khan in Punjab, Pakistan. The total population was estimated to be about 150,000 in 2017, at least two-thirds of which are speakers of their nativ ...

, to the south the

Bugti Bugti ( ) is a Baloch tribe found in eastern Balochistan, Pakistan. , it was estimated to comprise over 180,000 people, mostly living in the Dera Bugti Dera Bugti ( Balochi: , Urdu: ) is a district within the Balochistan province of Pakistan ...

tribe. Traditionally, the Marri people, like other Baloch tribes, were

nomad Nomads are communities without fixed habitation who regularly move to and from areas. Such groups include hunter-gatherers, pastoral nomads (owning livestock), tinkers and trader nomads. In the twentieth century, the population of nomadic pa ...

s and earned their livelihood from grazing animals and fighting and raiding. Many of them hold key high positions in Pakistan both in Provincial and Federal levels of Government.

Early history

The early history of the Marri centers around the Mir Chakar Khan, the folk hero of many Baloch romances and leader of the Rind tribe. After his quarrels with the Lasharies, and after he had been driven out of

, Mir Chakar went to what is now the present Marri country near the Manjara River. The particular spot where Bijar Khan parted ranks from Mir Chakar is known as Bijar Wad into the present day.

Sub-Tribes and Clans

* Bijarani: Kalandarani, Salarani, Sumrani, Phirdadani, Mandwani, Rahmkani, Pirdani, Khalwani, Kungrani, Shaheja, Phawadi, Kaisrani, further sub branches include : Fathekhanzai, Bevraghzai, Khudaidzai, Nehallanzai and many others * Ghazani: Bhawalzai, Mahandani,

Jarwar Jarwar () is a sub-tribe from the Gazini branch of Marri Baloch. Tribal Territories Many families of Jarwar still live in their native place near Kahan, Balochistan but they are now mainly split into various groups and living in various regio ...

, Chilgari, Churi, Zhing, LoriKhush, Tingiani, Aliani, Nozbandagani, Muhandani, lodhiani, murghiani, Mazarani, Ishphani, Badani, Langani, Mehakani, Shahani, Murghiani, and many others. * Loharani: Khunarani, sherani, muhamadani, gusrani, durkani, Jalambani, Jindwani, melohar, sarangani and many others.

Early history

Sub-Tribes and Clans

See also

References

Further reading