Mir Al Bahar-Mohana Tribe - A Tribe Who spent Entire Life on Water

Saba Ghani

2 years of guide experience in Pakistan.

Overview

Mohana or Mohano, sometimes pronounced, are Sindhi tribes historically associated with fishing. Many Mohana prefer to call themselves Mir al Bahr, which means Lord of the Seas. They are found throughout the Indus but are specifically along the shores of Lake Manchar. In Balochistan, Mohana, commonly known as Meds, is in Makran. According to some traditions, the Mohana are descendants of the Scythians who lived on the banks of the Indus river, a thousand years ago. There are many Indus tribes mentioned in the different books.

Mohana people are not only fishermen but also seamen and navigators. Many people work on fishing boats in Karachi. They have many subdivisions, the most important of which are Karachi and Lyari. Despite a preference for inbreeding, each subsection intermarries. They also have close ties to the voyager community off the coast of Sindh, and the two groups often intermarry.

Some of the MohanaTribes in Punjab

Additionally, the Mohana tribe is also seen in Punjab. Especially in the Muzaffargarh, Rahim Yar Khan, and Rajpur districts along the Indus River. Compared to the Sindhi Mohana, many Punjabi Mohanas are sedentary farmers. They have a few clans in the Mohana tribe, named as follows:

Ichchhe
Manchari
Balhara
Nihaya
Khaura
Hir
Hussre
Kat-Bal

All these clans intermarried and consider equivalent . Most of the people in Ichchhe are now farmers, and their villages are along the Indus River. Balhara or Bilhara is now fully cultivated and developed. However, they own several villages in Chenab and Indus.

Mohana is a natural breed and rarely marries outside of their tribe. However, their customs are similar to the tribes of similar status found on the banks of the Indus, such as Jhabel and Mallaah, They speak Sariki to each other and Urdu to strangers.

What should the government to do improve the way of life

Simple people live simple lives. A little simplicity is no mean feat. Governments need to provide educational facilities for their children. Floating schools should be available on the river. Plus, more employment opportunities should be provided to inhabitants. But they need real support from the elites. It also highlights the growing problem of pollution in our country and its impact on our resources. Moreover, all food and shelter management agencies must do a little bit for these people so that they too can enjoy basic human rights in what we call democracies. Otherwise, all Pakistanis, senior or mid-level, will be held accountable on resettlement day.

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Mohana Tribe