Baloch people in the United Arab Emirates
Regions with significant populations
Dubai · Abu Dhabi · Sharjah · Ras Al Khaimah · Umm Al Quwain
Languages
Balochi · Arabic
Persian, widely spoken as second/third languages
Urdu, widely spoken as second/third languages
Religion
Islam

Baloch people in the United Arab Emirates comprise residents of the United Arab Emirates whose ancestral roots lie in Balochistan. The Baloch are one of the oldest migrant groups in the country.[1]

History

Outside Balochistan, the largest Baloch diaspora communities reside in the Persian Gulf region, particularly Oman and the UAE. Many of the Baloch have been settled in the region before the formation of Pakistan and the UAE,[1] forming part of the local Bedoon community.[2] The Balochistan region lies on the Iranian plateau, located across the Persian Gulf. Due to the proximity between both regions, Baloch settlers have been in contact with the Persian Gulf since centuries. The Baloch are mentioned in Arabic chronicles dating back to the 10th century. The majority of Baloch migrants originate from the southern Makran coast.[3]

Baloch who resided in the Trucial States prior to 1925 or before the formation of the union were offered the Emirati citizenship as per Article 17 of the United Arab Emirates Citizenship and Passport Law of Year 1972.[4]

Demographics

The number of Baloch in the UAE is estimated to be anywhere from 215,000 to 468,000.[5][6] The population has grown since 2006 when it was around 100,000.[3] A number of Baloch serve in the UAE's armed forces.[7]

The Baloch are divided into numerous tribes. These tribal networks extend into typically large connected families.

Culture

The Baloch speak Balochi. The Gulf dialect of Arabic is also natively spoken by those who have been settled in the region for generations. [5] A Balochi literary society under the name Balochi Labzanki Sarchammag is active in the UAE. In Balochi folklore, the Gulf is frequently referenced as a land of opportunities and employment. Poetry, lullabies or songs sung by women at weddings for instance contain references to the economic prosperity offered in Dubai. Some Baloch speak Persian and Urdu as languages from countries such as Iran and Pakistan.

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Information desk for Pak Baloch community". Khaleej Times. 2 July 2012. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  2. ↑ "Bidoon celebrate UAE National Day as Emiratis". The National. 24 November 2013. Archived from the original on November 26, 2013. Retrieved 10 June 2015.
  3. 1 2 Hoath, Nissar (25 April 2006). "Sharjah-Balochistan flights to start in May". Gulf News. Retrieved 23 July 2016.
  4. ↑ "UAE Citizenship and Passport Law of Year 1972, Article 17". Archived from the original on 2018-08-05. Retrieved 2018-01-23.
  5. 1 2 Carina, Jahani (1989). Standardization and Orthography in the Balochi Language. Almqvist & Wiksell International. ISBN 9789155424879.
  6. ↑ "Balochi, Southern". Ethnologue. Retrieved 18 May 2015.
  7. ↑ Jahani, Carina (2003). The Baloch and their neighbours: ethnic and linguistic contact in Balochistan in historical and modern times. Reichert. ISBN 9783895003660.
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