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Kakay Zai / Kakazai / Kakezai :: Pathans ::
The word “Kakay” or “Kaka” means younger/little boy [1] and “Zai” means “offspring/children/sons of”[2] in Pashto. So, “Kakay Zai” or “Kakazai” literally translates into English as “offspring/children/sons of little or younger” boy/brother.
Kakazai/Kakay Zai/Kakayzai is an Afghan/Pathan[3][4] Tribe which hailed from Laghman[5], Afghanistan. They came to subcontinent (today’s Pakistan, India and Bangladesh) with the Afghan invading armies like Mehmood/Mahmud Ghaznavi[6][7][8] and later on settled in various parts of subcontinent.
Famous Afghan/Pathan historian Khan Roshan Khan has provided some background of Kakazai/Kakezai/Kakay Zai/Kakayzai Afghan/Pathan tribe in his famous book “Tazkara.” (Pages 176 - 181)
 Read Page 180-181 in Urdu |
 Read Page 178-179 in Urdu |
 Read Page 176-177 in Urdu |
During independence of subcontinent, Kakazai/Kakay Zai/Kakayzai tribesmen/villagers from Gurdaspur, East Punjab (settled in twelve villages, Babal Chak, Faizullah Chak, Sut Kohiah/Satkoha, Wazir Chak .etc near Dahriwal,[9] who used to cultivate land, but also considerable number of their young men fought in two world wars) fought bravely to aggressors. Though, initially, they were informed that their area is going to be in Pakistan making them quite relaxed, but in August 1947, they learned that their area would be a part of India.[10] They were caught unprepared and had to face one of the biggest tragedies of the history.[11]
Today, the majority of Kakazai/Kakay Zai/Kakayzai reside in Pakistan and Afghanistan, in the areas of Lahore, Sialkot, Dera Ghazi Khan, Quetta, Karachi, Kashmir, Isa Khel, Musa Khel, Kakazai (Pishin, Bloachistan) .etc. Consequently, their spoken languages include but not limited to Pashto, Punjabi, Siriaki, Balochi .etc
Some Kakay Zai/Kakazai Pathans may also like to add “Malik” with their first or last name.
Famous Kakay Zai/Kakazai Pathans include Navab Bahadur Yar Jang and Abdullah Malik.
Other combination of spellings include:
- Kakezai
- Kakayzai
- Kakazai
- Kakay Zai
- Kaka Zai
Notes:
[1]. http://www.khyber.org/culture/names/boynames.shtml
[2]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yousafzai
[3]. http://www.afghanan.net/pashto/pashtunwali/retrospect.htm
[4]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Pashtun
[5]. http://www.answers.com/topic/laghman-province
[6]. http://www.cyberistan.org/misub28294445.pdf
[7]. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mahmud_Ghaznavi
[8]. http://www.punjabonline.com/servlet/library.history?Action=History
[9]. http://www.mypind.com/vlgurd.htm
[10]. http://www.unc.edu/depts/diplomat/archives_roll/2002_01-03/
chester_partition/chester_partition.html
[11]. http://zararshaheedtrust.org/incident/inside/zarar.html
Sources:
Various
Related Link:
“Non-Pashto Speaking Kakazai/Kakay Zai Afghan/Pathans and Pashto-Speaking ‘Real’ Afghan/Pathans”
by Ali Khan
http://www.kakazai.com/2005/07/22/non-pashto-speaking-aghanpathans-
aghanpathans-and-pashto-speaking-real-afghanpathans/
Written by:
by Ali Khan
http://www.AliKhan.org
