Nazuk, the first Balochi novel, written by Sayad Hashumi and first published in 1976, is set in the coastal town of Makkuran during the quasi-colonial period of the 20th century. The work centres on its protagonist, Nazuk, thrice married and thrice widowed as her husbands die at sea while fishing. As a result, she is stigmatised by her community of fishers as a “husband-killer.” She marries for a fourth time on the condition that her new husband must not work at sea.
The novel depicts Nazuk’s resilience in the aftermath of the deaths of her first three husbands. It traces the trauma she endures from one loss after another, and shows how she struggles to survive, raise her children and withstand the taunts of the community. Simultaneously, Hashumi vividly portrays the corruption, mismanagement and moral decay among those in power. Overall, the novel documents an entire social ecosystem, reflecting the realities of fisherfolk life.
– Fazal Baloch
An excerpt from Nazuk
EARLY IN THE NIGHT, the wind began to sweep across the land, growing stronger after the moon rose. As the moon climbed higher, its pale light seemed to quicken the wind. By the third cockcrow, the fishermen came to call Captain Mereen.
At first, no one stirred. But when they called again, Nazuk woke with a start and sat up, listening. She recognised the voices of members of Mereen’s crew and remained quiet. She listened to the wind whistling through the straw walls, the restless sea and the roar of the rising tides.