PASHTUN MUSIC
Pashtun mahali music includes different types of vocal and instrumental music styles. This type of music is also sometimes called kiliwali, meaning "of the village." Vocal music features poetry that is set to music, and Pashto poetry addresses an array of topics including war, love and separation, and patriotism.
A number of different song forms are played in Pashtun music. Tappa is a popular form of traditional Pashto poetry. It is an older style of poetry that is characterized by two lines of unequal meter. Tappa are sung at a variety of occasions from weddings to funerals, and poems can express a range of emotions and sentiments.
Landay is another popular form of traditional poetry that consists of a single unrhymed couplet. These poems cover topics such as sorrow, war, love and separation, and homeland. Landay translates to "short, poisonous snake," which can be read as a reference to the sometimes cutting and sarcastic tone of these short poems. Landay can be sung independently, or as a sequence of combined poems that are similar in topic.
Other types of poetry set to music include chaharbeiti, which is a poem comprised of four lines (known as beit) that covers topics such as love, war, and separation. Ghazal is originally an Arabic type of poetry that is made of rhyming couplets. Ghazal poetry draws influence from Sufism and discusses the pain of separation. Dastan is a style of oral epic poetry that is set to music, and ruba'i is another type of traditional poetry that consists of four lines.
When sung to musical accompaniment, Pashtun music is played by an ensemble of varying size and instruments. These ensembles can include a vocalist, rubab, sarinda, mangay, dholak or Pashto tabla.
Ustad Awalmir - Da Zamong Zeba Watan
Ustad Awalmir (1931-1982) was an Afghan poet, composer, singer, and musician. He was a major figure at the radio station in Kabul and was famous for his patriotic songs about Afghanistan. "Da Zamong Zeba Watan" translates to "Our beautiful homeland" from Pashto and is a song about the grandeur of Afghanistan and the beauty of its people.
Lyrics:
Da zemong zeba watan
Da zemong laila watan
Da watan mo zaan dai
Da Afghanistan
Da watan dai zaan zemong
Da watan imaan zemong
Waye pe khapooro ke dasee mashoomaan zemong
Da mo de baba watan
Da mo de dada watan
Pe mong bandee deer gran dai da Afghanistan
Zar ye de sendoonoo shem
Zar ye de dagonoo shem
Zar ye de khwarloono shem
Zar ye de degoonoo shem
Da zemong ashna watan
Darlamoshafa watan
Zergai me pre rokhaan dai
Da Afghanistan
Zergai me pre rokhaan dai
Da Afghanistan
Da zemong zeba watan
Da zemong laila watan
Da watan mo zaan dai
Da Afghanistan
دا زیمونګ زیبا وطن
دا زیمونګ لیلا وطن
دا وطن مو ژان دۍ
دا افغانستان
دا وطن دای زان زیمونګ
دا وطن ایمان زیمونګ
دا مو د بابا وطن
دا مو داد وطن
زر یی د سندونو شیم
زر یی د دګونو شیم
زر یی د خرلوانو شیم
زر یی د دګونو شیم
دا زیمونګ اشنا وطن
دارالانشاء وطن
زرغون مې پری روخان دۍ
دا افغانستان
زرغون مې پری روخان دۍ
دا افغانستان
دا زیمونګ زیبا وطن
دا زیمونګ لیلا وطن
دا وطن مو ژان دۍ
دا افغانستان
واي پۀ خپورو کې دسي معشومان زیمونګ
پی مونګ بندی هرن ګران دا افغانستان