High on his horse: Banned under the Taliban, the popular Afghan sport of buzkashi is more than just a game -- it's a metaphor for the cultural and power relationships among Afghans. The rules are simple: Two teams vie to carry a headless goat (or calf) around corner posts and back into the center circle in which it was first placed, all the while steering their horses away from the whips of the opposing side. Above, an Afghan rider rears his horse during a buzkashi game in Kabul on April 5, 2008.
SHAH MARAI/AFP/Getty Images
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CALLIELO
2:25 PM ET
February 2, 2010
What's missing.
If we're going to characterize buzkashi as a metaphor for social and political life in Afghanistan, it's worth noting what's invisible in these photographs: the women.
DUDE13
6:27 PM ET
February 2, 2010
Goats, Calves, People…
The writers didn’t mention that the game was originally played with live human captives—I’m not sure: does this add or subtract from the socio-political metaphor? Regardless, very cool photos.
BOLTON26
9:40 AM ET
February 5, 2010
wild west - wild east
bit like modern day cowboys! 0844 numbers sameday setup
BEYAZ
6:38 AM ET
February 13, 2010
Anyone for a week-long forum
Anyone for a week-long forum game of goat grabbing (buzkashi)? I’d say Hilary and Obama better buy a couple horses and dizi izle start betting on the winner…
ETHANBROWN
4:44 AM ET
February 19, 2010
I wonder how tradition/sport
I wonder how tradition/sport all started. Also, do you have any idea about the ruling of this game? Just curious, I never thought there's a sports like this in Afghanistan. Ethan Brown