ISLAMABAD: The Bareendo, Pakistan’s ancient clay wind instrument and the oldest surviving folk instrument of Sindh, was officially inscribed on Tuesday on the UNESCO's list of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in need of “urgent safeguarding.”
Shaped from clay and carrying a sound that drifts between breath and prayer, the Bareendo traces its lineage to the 5,000-year-old Indus Valley Civilization. For generations, its soft, meditative tones have echoed through winter gatherings, Sufi rituals, and rural celebrations, embodying Sindh’s spiritual and communal life.
But the tradition is now perilously close to fading. Only one master musician, Ustaad Faqeer Zulfiqar, and one master potter, Allah Jurio, remain as custodians of the instrument’s “complete knowledge,” leaving the craft and its music at risk.
According to the statement issued by Pakistan’s Embassy in France, the decision to include the Bareendo in the ICH list followed an “intensive consultative process” involving the Sindh government, Pakistan’s Mission to UNESCO in France, and UNESCO Headquarters.
The collaboration was grounded in a community-led initiative in Keti Mir Muhammad Loond village, where locals sought to protect the Bareendo as a living cultural heritage.
These efforts helped shape a comprehensive Four-Year Safeguarding Plan (2026–29). The plan proposes establishing a community music school, integrating Bareendo heritage into both formal and informal education, and using digital platforms to broaden cultural outreach, the embassy said.
The inscription was confirmed during the 20th Session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, marking a formal commitment to preserve the instrument and its tradition.
Welcoming the decision, Pakistan’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO Ambassador Mumtaz Zahra Baloch called the moment “a proud one” for the country and paid tribute to the communities who have “preserved this ancient instrument and music for generations.”
“Bareendo is not only an emblem of the Indus Valley’s cultural continuity but also a living expression of Sindh’s artistic and spiritual heritage,” Baloch said, adding that the UNESCO inscription reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to nurturing the nation’s diverse cultural traditions.
“We look forward to working closely with UNESCO to ensure that the knowledge, craftsmanship, and musical identity of the Bareendo are transmitted to future generations,” she said.
.jpg)
