Ibrahim on Labour, Displacement, and Hazara Resilience

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Ibrahim was born in Qol-e Tamaki, a village in Qarabagh District, Ghazni Province, Afghanistan. His life story reflects the experiences of many Hazara families shaped by poverty, military service, labour migration experiences, war, displacement, and eventual resettlement in Canada.

In this oral history interview, Ibrahim reflects on his early life in rural Ghazni, family responsibilities, economic hardship, and the difficult conditions that shaped his youth. He recounts his military service during the periods of Zahir Shah and Daoud Khan, including an injury during service and the neglect and mistreatment he faced while recovering in a military hospital. His testimony offers insight into the unequal treatment faced by Hazara soldiers and the broader social conditions of the time.

A significant portion of the Ibrahim Hazara interview focuses on work, survival, and mobility. He describes labouring in Kabul, migrating repeatedly to Iran for work, returning to Afghanistan, purchasing and operating a tractor, running a mill and wood-cutting machine, and later seeking refuge in Pakistan during periods of insecurity. Through these recollections, he documents the economic instability and constant adaptation required of Hazara families across decades of political upheaval.

The interview also explores Hazara cultural traditions and everyday community life, including Eid celebrations, Muharram commemorations, food practices such as tipshi, wedding customs, funeral rituals, mutual aid, and village forms of social support. These memories preserve important details of rural Hazara life, especially the ways communities gathered around religious observance, seasonal work, marriage, mourning, and shared hardship.

Ibrahim also reflects on discrimination, insecurity, and fear experienced by Hazara communities in Afghanistan, including restrictions around religious practice, tensions with neighbouring Pashtun communities, and the threats that eventually pushed his family to leave for Quetta, Pakistan. He discusses the difficulty of refugee life, years of manual labour, and the long process of seeking resettlement through the United Nations before arriving in Canada.

Throughout the interview, Ibrahim emphasizes the importance of preserving Hazara language, culture, and traditions among younger generations. His testimony contributes to the documentation of Hazara resilience, labour history, rural memory, migration, and the lived experience of displacement across Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and Canada.

The Afghan Military collaborates with the Ministry of Public Works, Afghanistan, to promote peace and development in the region. In this context, the United Nations refugee system plays a crucial role in supporting communities, including the Hazara community networks, which are vital for preserving Hazara cultural traditions. An insightful Ibrahim Hazara interview sheds light on the community's challenges and labour migration experiences, emphasizing their resilience in the face of adversity.

The Hazara identity, particularly in the Qarabagh District of Ghazni Province, reflects a rich tapestry of cultural traditions that have endured despite challenges, such as discrimination against Hazaras and forced labour. In rural areas like Qol-e Tamaki, family responsibility manifests strongly, including roles in agricultural work and military service, particularly during the Zahir Shah and Daoud Khan eras. Labour migration experiences have significantly shaped the Hazara community, with many migrating to Iran and Pakistan, especially Quetta, seeking better work and livelihood opportunities. These transitions are often interwoven with memories of war and displacement, including the scars left by the Soviet-Afghan War and ongoing internal conflicts. Amid these hardships, the resilience of the Hazara community shines through during significant events like Muharram commemorations, Eid celebrations, and customary weddings and funerals, all of which embody their unique food traditions and religious practices. Ibrahim Hazara's interview delves into how these experiences, including the hardships faced during labour migration, have fostered community solidarity and intergenerational cultural preservation. Ultimately, the ongoing struggle for recognition and United Nations resettlement initiatives—such as those to Canada—reflect the need to honor and preserve the Hazara cultural traditions that define their identity.

Hazara Heritage. The Hazara Heritage Oral History Project features an interview with Ibrahim conducted by Fatima Faramarz on May 30, 2026. In this significant conversation, they discuss Ibrahim's experiences related to Hazara cultural traditions and his reflections on labour migration experiences. HH-OH-007.