Traditions And Rituals Essay Examples

Most of the traditions followed in Pakistan are the combination of Arab, Persian and other Cultures. All different provinces have their own customs and traditions that are unique. These traditions constitute of marriages, eating habits of the residents and music and dances. All are beautiful and very colorful and pleasing (as same as the different languages spoken in Pakistan). The tradition of respect and honor given to the elderly is very fascinating. People of Pakistan are very simple and humble and most of the residents are middle class.
Talking about the marriages in Pakistan, these are the most colorful and attractive event in the lives of the people. The marriages are mostly arranged and the tradition of letting the elders take the decision is common in Pakistan. The trend in the recent time is changing but not in a very great pace. The marriages are full of fun, dances, music and beautiful traditions. The wedding (rituals) are very lovely and take four to five days to reach the wedding day .
The food of Pakistan is known for the spice and oil. The food is different from the Indian food and includes the meat, beef and chicken. The food forbidden by Islamic teachings are not used and eaten by Muslims. Different dishes are known all over the world such as Biryani, Mithai, Lassi and many others. The Sports are the source of joy for the Pakistani's e.g. Kabaddi and Kushti enjoyed in the interior Punjab and other places. Dances are also very interesting and colorful. Different provinces have their own traditions and local dances. The "Bhangra" of Punjabi's and the Sindhi Dance of the province Sindh are famous all around Pakistan .

Beliefs, Attitudes and Values

The beliefs, values and attitudes are considered as the most important parts of the personality in Pakistan. In the very early age, the child is taught of the values and beliefs. As the majority of people living in Pakistan are Muslims, the child is told about the does and don'ts of the religion. The teachers and parents know about their responsibilities and are good in doing so. The children learn from the practices of their parents and the teachings of the teachers. The parents ask their children to learn and follow the teachings of Islam. Children recite the Holy Quran and try to offer their prayers with their fathers and mothers in the "Jumma Prayers" and at home. Most of Pakistani's live in combined family system and the children learn to respect the elders from the very starting. Most of the youngsters are humble and obedient, they respect their families and people around them .

Religions followed

Pakistan is an Islamic Republic and of the total population 96.4% of the people are Muslims (Sunni 85-90%, Shia 10-15%). The other religions followed in minority are the Christians, Hindus and Sikhs that constitute a total of 3.6%. The Ethnic groups within Pakistan are Punjabi 44.68%, Pashtu (Pathans) 15.42%, Sindhi 14.1%, Sariaki 8.38%, Muhajirs 7.57%, Bloch 3.57% and others are 6.2% (https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/pk.html). This is a CIA government based library that provides with the facts and figures about the countries all over the world .

Political and Legal System

The legal systems are followed according to the teachings of Islam. The legal systems and rules of marriages, contracts (Business and others), occupancies and others are formed with the guidelines of the Islamic Sharia teachings. The latest constitution was endorsed on the 12th of April 1973 the parliament passed it on the 19th of April 1973 and was enforced on the 14th of August 1973. The Pakistani law is influenced by the law of British India and thus it can be considered to be influenced by the "Common Law of England and Wales".

Art, Music and Literature

The traditional literature is known as the richest form of art. Allama Iqbal known as the "Poet of the east" was the renowned of poets that inspired the people. The writers have adopted the way motivated the people to take a stand for their survival and the formation of their homeland (Pakistan). Music is also known all over the world (Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Atif Aslam and many others). The folk songs are very sweet and different provinces have their own languages and their own folk songs. Pakistani artists are known for the sculptures and paintings. The arts have progressed well as popular expressions of the people of this region. The "Truck art" of Pakistan is renowned all over the world.

Others

The way Pakistani's value the Islamic teachings is fascinating. The Banking Sector which was previously based on interest is converting to the Islamic Banking. Many banks have flourished within the region and the people prefer using the services provided by the Islamic Banks. The government has established infrastructures in many areas to cater the tourists.

Conclusion

The customs and traditions of different countries play a vital role in understanding the mental approach of the people. Also the importance must be given to the study of demographics and political structure.

Dominant Culture in Pakistan

The dominant culture in Pakistan consists of many aspects. One of the aspects is that the marriages are organized in a beautiful manner that it contains some music and lots of food. People love to attend marriages at large and there are lot of food items in marriages such as salads, juices, cold drinks and tea. In most of the cases the bride and groom meet at the time of wedding and the engagement ceremony are not organized at large. Pakistan have culture that enjoy o have foods at large. Pakistani foods are oily and spicy. Fashion music and dance are enjoyed by Pakistan at high level but it reflects the culture and traditions of different people of Pakistan living in different societies .
Balochi dance is common in Baluchistan and the Balochi people enjoy the dance if they live in other areas of the country. In less developed areas dance is enjoyed by men particularly because of the aspects of culture woman could not dance freely in some areas. Singing is very popular in Pakistan. National songs are enjoyed by the people at large because it encourages patriotism to the nation .
Cricket is being played and watched all over Pakistan. In the early decade when there was no television, people use radio to listen commentary. In the modern era people love to watch live cricket matches on big screen and enjoy party time with friends. These are some things that are followed all over Pakistan but there are some cultures that are followed in different areas. However, many things and cultural values are being adopted by the civilized areas of Pakistan that are followed globally .

Impact of Pakistani Culture

It is crucial for exports to analyze the culture of the country in which they have to export goods and services. In the global world the requirement is understand the norms and values of the people to introduce the product to that country. Pakistan has wide range of market that consists of various types of customers with different preferences. Some people belief to have cheap products while other wants the quality product to be consumed by them. Culture and traditions are analyzed in order to make a business plan that what and how to be exported to Pakistan
Different Qualities of Product (Consumer preferences are different in Pakistan so to capture the market quality and type of the product should be diversified)

Goat, cow and chicken (Regularly used in the country. In the season it is also used for slaughtering)

Home appliances (Widely used in houses to make the life easier and the demand is quite effective)
Musical Instruments (People love to enjoy music at large)
Automobiles (People use cars and tractors for business purposes)
Mobile Phones (Demands of smart phones is more in the civilized areas of Pakistan)
Food products (People love to eat oily and spicy food so the food products should be of that type)
Above mentioned products shows the demand of the products that are widely used in Pakistan. The country that wants to export Pakistan should consider the demands of the product in Pakistan. Preferences of consumers regarding culture, norms and values should be analyze completely while making the business plan. It is important to notice that the product should not contradict with the values and culture of the country.

Works Cited

Ali, Mehvash. Impact of Acculturation, Ethnic Identity, Religiosity, and Individual Difference Variables on the Subjective Well-being of Pakistani Muslims in the United States. Ann Arbor: ProQuest, 2006.
Mahmood, Sohail. Good Governance Reform Agenda in Pakistan: Current Challenges. New York: Nova Publishers, 2007.
P. Cohen, Stephen. The Idea of Pakistan. Washington D.C.: Brookings Institution Press, 2004.
Qadeer, Mohammad. Pakistan - Social and Cultural Transformations in a Muslim Nation. London: Routledge, 2006.
Selin, helaine. Parenting Across Cultures: Childrearing, Motherhood and Fatherhood in Non-Western Cultures. Berlin: Springer Science & Business Media, 2013.