Buzkashi

The national sport of Afghanistan explained.

Buzkashi, Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis (Persian: بزکشی buzkaši: goat grabbing) (Uzbek, Tatar, Turkmen: kökbörü, kök "blue" + börü "wolf", Kazakh: көкпар, Kyrgyz: улак-тартыш) is a traditional Central Asian team sport played on horseback. The steppes' people were skilled riders who could grab a goat or calf from the ground while riding a horse at full gallop. The goal of a player is to grab the carcass of a headless goat or calf, and then get it clear of the other players and pitch it across a goal line or into a target circle or vat.

The game is known as Buzkashi in Afghanistan and among Persian-speaking populations of Central Asia. While Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan refer to the game as Kok-boru or Oglak Tartis. It is a National sport in Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan.
Even though it is known as a popular Afghan sport, Buzkashi began as a sport of the steppes. It is a popular game among the south Central Asian nomads such as the Hazaras, Tajiks, Uzbeks, Kyrgyz, Kazakhs, and Turkmens. The Turkic name of the game is Kökbörü. Kök = "blue", börü = "wolf", denoting the grey wolf - the holy symbol of the Turkic people. Other Turkic names of the game are Ulak Tartish, Kup Kari, Kök Berü, Ulak Tyrtysh. Kökbörü is the most popular national sport of Kyrgyzstan. In the west, the game is also played by Kyrgyz Turks who migrated to Ulupamir village in Van district of Turkey from the Pamir region.

Competition is typically fierce, as other players may use any force short of tripping the horse in order to thwart scoring attempts. Riders usually wear heavy clothing and head protection to protect themselves against other players' whips and boots. Games can last for several days, and the winning team receives a prize, not necessarily money, as a reward for their win.

The game consists of two main forms: Tudabarai and Qarajai. Tudabarai is considered to be the simpler form of the game. In this version, the goal is simply to grab the calf and move in any direction until clear of the other players. In Qarajai, players must carry the carcass around a flag or marker at one end of the field, then throw it into a scoring circle (the "Circle of Justice") at the other end. The riders will carry a whip, often in their teeth, to fend off opposing horses and riders.

Buzkashi is often compared to polo. The similarities and differences are both fairly obvious: both games are played between people on horseback, both involve propelling an object toward a goal, and both get fairly rough. However, polo is played with a ball, rather than a headless animal; and mallets are used to propel the ball. Moreover, polo requires more teamwork, whereas buzkashi, although contested by teams, is more of a free-for-all contest. Polo matches are played for fixed periods totaling about an hour; traditional buzkashi may continue for days, but in its more regulated tournament version also has a limited match time.

The calf in a Buzkashi game is normally beheaded and disemboweled and has its limbs cut off at the knees. It is then soaked in cold water for 24 hours before play to toughen it. Occasionally sand is packed into the carcass to give it extra weight. Players may not strap the calf to their bodies or saddles. Though a goat is used when no calf is available, a calf is less likely to disintegrate during the game.

Serious Buzkashi players train intensively for years, and many of the masters (called chapandaz) are over forty years old. Playing well also requires specially trained horses that know to stop still when a rider is thrown and to gallop forcefully when their rider gets hold of the calf.These horses can sell today for as much as US$ 10,000 to 15,000.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzkashi

Category:

Travel & Events

Tags:

• Buzkashi
• Afghan
• Afghanistan
• Farsi
• Afghani
• Dari
• Tajik
• Hazara
• Mazar
• Uzbak
• Uzbek
• Pashto
• Pashtoon

[babakam]

Nice video and thanks for uploading. But may I suggest to replace the background music as its style is from a different region i.e. south Afghanistan and does not go up well with a game from the North and I am sure a background music from the same north region will make the video more harmonious and naturally sweet.

[nilufar420]

hey thanks for sharing your idea :)

[Zammboor]

So you prefer your animal wrapped into a neat shape, stuffed, stitched & ready to go? I believe you call it football & basketball?

Coming from the land of the world biggest consumers and wasters that sure is a bold statement. Leather jackets, leather couches, leather car seats, leather masks for your gimps..the list goes on.

We might kill goats but your country kills babies.

[NDHYAFR]

please respect to other cultures, the goat is already dead before starting the game, and they eat it together winner and loser.

[ShamaliwalTajik]

If people think afghans are barbarians for playing this game, where does that leave the spanish? Have you seen what they do to bulls? They kill them slowly for amusement. Have you seen Chinese people kill animals for fur, or what about american celebrities organizing dog fights? You people need to study your own cultures before you criticise others!

[KCSchnubi]

Buzkashi for olympic games!

[humaenterprize]

very well done . good introductory, good music. keep upthegood job .

[ShamaliwalTajik]

I don't know why so many people are calling afghans savages for playing this game, animals suffer mistreatment EVERYWHERE. Besides the calf is killed beforehand! What about the chinese skinning dogs alive? What about American celebrities organising dog fights, what about French people eating horses? Savagery is a human characteristic!! F**king keyboard warriors!

[GettysburgWarrior09]

Americans used to throw around pig skins. how is this any different? They gut the animal, usually a calf because it doesn't fall apart as easily as a goat. They decapitate it and sever the limbs at the knees. They also soak the carcass in water for 24 hrs and stuff it with sand to give it more weight. I find no brutatlity in this, the animal is prepared honorably. And they do not eat the carcass after the game. That wouldn't be a very tasty meal.

[AFG7869]

listen people, mr. zamboor is absolutely right

those people saying, awe look at that poor goat! would u get your heads outta your asses? cmon people, look at the western and european countries with everything leather and fur; nxt someone says look at what they do to that poor goat, just imagine how many animals are killed just to make one fur coat, or pants made of lizard skin.

[afghotboy]

i love the music

[ZIVONZivon]

Love Afghan culture, Buzkashi the Afghan National sport should become international and played in Olympics, may be with a fake calf or goat though, lol

[mattjjenkins]

oh dear! Please people, respect other cultures! America: Your intolerence of others is one of the main reasons so many people hate you guys. Try to be understanding, compassionate and caring. It costs so little and will benefit you greatly. Others: Try not to hate them. They just need to learn, and they are not all as dumb as some of those posting comments...

[maiacoschi]

i want this sport in my country. is it possible imported the Buzkashi in iitaly?