May 30, 2026
Dawlat Bakhiri was born in 1962 in the Kerman area of Panjab District, Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, where he spent his childhood within a farming family deeply rooted in Hazara society. In this oral history interview, Bakhiri reflects on family history, community life, migration, cultural traditions, and the experiences that shaped his understanding of Hazara identity across multiple countries and political eras.
The interview begins with Bakhiri tracing his family's genealogy and recounting stories passed down through generations. He describes how his ancestors experienced displacement during the reign of Amir Abdul Rahman Khan and eventually returned to their ancestral lands in Bamiyan. He recalls the generosity and reputation of his great-grandfather, whose charitable acts became closely associated with the family's identity within the region. These family narratives illustrate how oral history preserves both personal memory and collective Hazara heritage.
Bakhiri provides a detailed account of everyday life in rural Hazarajat before the years of conflict. He describes agriculture, water-powered mills, animal husbandry, seasonal labour, and village cooperation as the foundations of community life. He explains how neighbours shared responsibilities during weddings, funerals, harvests, and religious ceremonies, creating strong networks of mutual support that sustained rural communities across generations.
A significant portion of the interview focuses on Hazara cultural traditions and seasonal celebrations. Bakhiri recalls Nowruz, Eid al-Fitr, Eid al-Adha, Muharram commemorations, horseback competitions, Buzkashi, storytelling, winter gatherings around the traditional sandali, and the springtime custom of Kampirak, drawing connections between these traditions and the preservation of community identity. He also discusses local foods, handicrafts, carpet and felt making, embroidery, woodworking, and blacksmithing, illustrating how everyday practices contributed to cultural continuity.
Throughout the interview, Bakhiri reflects extensively on the historical discrimination experienced by Hazara communities. He describes recurring conflicts with Kuchi nomads over land, water, and grazing rights, unequal access to government institutions, and the broader political marginalization of Hazaras within Afghanistan. Rather than focusing solely on conflict, he emphasizes the resilience of local communities and the importance of solidarity, education, and collective responsibility in overcoming adversity.
The interview also documents Bakhiri's migration journey. Leaving Afghanistan as a teenager, he travelled through Pakistan, Iran, Syria, and Lebanon before arriving in Canada in 1988 through the United Nations refugee resettlement program. He recounts the challenges of displacement, refugee life, employment, family separation, and adapting to new societies while maintaining connections to Hazara culture and community.
After settling in Toronto, Bakhiri became actively involved in building Hazara community institutions. He discusses his participation in establishing one of the first Afghan community mosques in Toronto and contributing to early Hazara community organizations dedicated to cultural preservation, education, and community development. These experiences demonstrate how newcomers worked collectively to create lasting institutions that continue to support Hazara Canadians today.
Reflecting on the present, Bakhiri expresses pride in the growing confidence and educational achievements of younger generations of Hazaras. He encourages youth to pursue education, preserve their language and traditions, strengthen community organizations, and continue documenting Hazara history so that future generations understand both the hardships and resilience of their ancestors. For Bakhiri, oral history serves not only as a record of the past but also as an act of cultural preservation and intergenerational responsibility.
Hazara Heritage. Hazara Heritage Oral History Project. Oral history interview with Dawlat Bakhairi conducted by Fatima Faramarz.May 30, 2026.HH-OH-008.
Persian Transcript
Audio Recording
Muslims in Canada Archives (MiCA)
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