Remembering Gujranwala: An Ethnographic Portrait of a Disappearing Punjabi Culture

Abstract

This ethnographic research examines the swift degradation of traditional Punjabi culture in the Gujranwala district of Pakistan, which can be attributed to the processes of urbanization, globalization, and the shift in intergenerational values. Employing a mixed-methods approach that combines the findings of surveys conducted among both urban and rural populations with extensive oral history research, this study provides evidence of a profound shift in the principal cultural practices. The findings of the quantitative analysis reveal a sharp drop in sociality, with younger urban generations increasingly isolated during celebration seasons and showing a strong affinity for Western clothing and food. These modern trends are juxtaposed with a richly detailed qualitative account of the intangible cultural heritage of the region, which describes intricate social practices, community-based governance systems (Panchayat), craft-based economies, and life-cycle rituals that had previously defined the everyday lives of the people. The findings of this study isolate the key factors that have contributed to the loss of cultural heritage, including the disruption of extended family structures, the depreciation of indigenous knowledge systems and occupations (Kumhar, Lohar, Julaha), and the replacement of traditional media with modern alternatives. The study concludes that this cultural transition is more than merely a shift in practice; it is, in fact, a profound disruption of social cohesion, collective identity, and local ecological knowledge. It urges immediate and intentional preservation strategies, hypothesizing that these cultural traditions offer critical templates for sustainable community living, mental health, and cultural resilience in the face of rapidly accelerating homogenization in the modern era.