Representations of Drought in Brahui Literary Narratives: An Ecocritical Study

Abstract

This paper examines the representation of drought in Brahui literary narratives through an ecocritical lens, with particular emphasis on Brahui folk poetry. In the ecological context of Balochistan’s arid landscape, drought—known in Brahui as Dukkaal—has historically influenced patterns of nomadic movement, pastoral livelihood, and collective memory. Brahui folk poetry serves as an important cultural medium through which environmental crises and human vulnerability are expressed and preserved. Drawing on selected poetic examples from compiled collections of Brahui folk poetry, this study analyzes how drought is represented as both an environmental phenomenon and a socio-cultural experience. The poetic narratives reflect the lived realities of nomadic communities and shepherds whose survival depends on seasonal rainfall, grazing land, and livestock sustainability. Recurring literary images of barren fields, water scarcity, dying animals, displacement, and emotional suffering demonstrate a deep ecological awareness embedded in oral tradition. Using ecocriticism as a theoretical framework, the study argues that Brahui folk poetry functions as an archive of environmental memory and indigenous ecological knowledge. These narratives articulate the interdependence between human life and the natural environment while documenting local responses to climatic uncertainty. The analysis highlights how environmental sensitivity is expressed through metaphor, symbolism, and collective storytelling. By situating Brahui folk poetry within contemporary ecocritical discourse, this research contributes to the understanding of indigenous literary traditions as sources of environmental knowledge and cultural resilience. The study underscores the significance of oral literature in preserving ecological consciousness and documenting historical experiences of drought in the region.