Nanawate

Nanawate (Pashto: ننواتی) is the Pashtun tribal ceremony of pardon begging and seeking forgiveness followed by the obligatory acceptance of the truce offer by the victim. This practice is conducted through an assembly of tribal elders, called a jirga.

The ceremony begins when the par'h (blamed accused) sends Nanawate to his victim. The tribal jirga then makes a prikra (decision) that relatives of the par'h are to send a delegation to the victim’s house. The delegation is usually comprised of elders, close relatives of the offender, a female relative of the offender with a copy of the Quran, and a Mullah who bring a psa (sheep) and flour to the victim’s house. Once at the door of the victim's house the sheep will often be slaughtered.

Once inside the house, the delegation will seek pardon on behalf of the offender. The victim or victim’s relatives pardon the offender according to the tribal principals of Pashtunwali, and the two parties are reconcile. This reconciliation is called rogha. [Building a Post-War Justice System in Afghanistan [http://www.institute-for-afghan-studies.org/Contributions/Projects/Ali-Wardak/Law%20and%20Social%20Change%204.doc Customary Law and Jirga] Retrieved on May 23, 2007] Not granting forgiveness is acceptable in the case of an assault on Namus (i.e. on a woman).

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