Cultural Resilience and Language Preservation: The Role of Pashto Tappa in Contemporary Pashtun Society

Abstract

This paper explores how Pashto Tappa, a traditional oral poetry form, has played a significant role in preserving the Pashto language, in the face of decades of wars, modernization, and globalization. Despite serious threats from foreign languages and decline in the use of Pashto, Tappa has remained relevant and holds strong cultural expression preserving both the language and culture. By employing a mixed-method approach, this research shows how Tappa preserves standard Pashto and supports the intergenerational transfer of Pashtun culture and language and adapts to contemporary society, making it an essential tool for language preservation in today’s modern world.