Afghan Sport: Buzkashi

"The ancient game of Buzkashi is part of Afghan life and is offered as a primer to that end. It has little to do with politics but much to do with the spirit of the place."


Afghan men carry the carcass of a headless goat towards the goal during a traditional game of Buzkashi in Kabul, Friday, Feb. 28, 2003. Buzkashi means 'goat-grabbing' in the Dari language, which is widely spoken in Afghanistan. The object of the game is to try to snatch the 150-pound (nearly 70-kilogram) carcass from the center of the field and carry it to a scoring area.

A US Soldier in a Buzkashi match in Afghanistan