Ethnicity and Healing Rituals in Gwadar, Balochistan, Pakistan

This article explores the various specific healing rituals practiced by the African descendants known as Maids, Darzadegs, and Sheedis living in Gwadar, Balochistan. These people are strong believers in the supernatural powers of the land, wind, and sea. Along with humoral imbalances, they also believe in supernatural powers such as nazzar (the evil eye), jinns (demons, spirits), sehir (sorcery), and gwats (wind, or wind spirit), all of which attack a person by crossing the spiritual boundary between humans and spirits. The choice of healer and type of healing ritual depend on the nature of the illness, the cost, and the availability of the right healer. These healers, such as the gwati-e-mat (mother of gwats), the halipa (representative of a Sufi saint), the mullah (religious scholar), and the sahir (sorcerer), conduct special rituals using specific instrumental melodies, body movements, chants, trances, herbal medicines, and animal sacrifice. Some of these rituals are devotional in nature, while others are mystical and shamanic. They are performed for prevention, diagnosis, and healing. These rituals are expressions of Baloch identity and a form of group therapy and social entertainment, especially for women who have limited opportunities to express their emotions openly.