Tajikistan: Buzkashi

Buzkashi, or as I call it the crazy headless goat game, is a favorite sport amongst the Central Asia crowd. It also happens to be the national sport of Afghanistan. If anyone is traveling to any of the -stan countries during winter/spring, I would highly recommend a trip to watch this game.

Before I moved to Tajikistan, I had no idea what Buzkashi was. I remembered reading about Buzkashi in the book The Kite Runner but as I found that book to be really sad, I tried to block out most things I had read. So when I arrived, everyone I met told me that Buzkashi is a must see event here. So, if you are interested in reading more about Buzkashi, please read further.

The Rules- To pick up a dead goat/calf and carry it across the goal line while sitting a top of a horse. I guess it can be played in teams, however the game I saw was an individual contest to pick up the goat and score.

The Carcass-Usually a goat or a calf that has its legs cut off at the knees, then disemboweled, beheaded, and soaked in cold water for 24 hours before a match. Sometimes sand is placed in the carcass to make it heaver and to keep it from being destroyed during the match.

Chapandaz-Someone that plays Buzkashi. They usually wear boots with big heels to help them from falling off the horse. They will wear shin guards and other protective gear because this game is pretty brutal. At the game I saw, there were at least 500 people on horse competing for the goat.

The Prizes-When you cross the line with a goat, you win! Apparently the worst prizes are in the morning. The man that won the first prize won 50 dollars. As the day goes on, the prizes were better. The prizes in the evening ranged anywhere from a camel to a horse.

The Audience-I didn't realize it until someone pointed it out to me, but there were NO women among the audience. There were thousands of people and the only women I saw were from my group, or the few women selling food. I especially stood out in my pink jacket.

No Boundaries-There was nothing to separate the field from the audience. There were a few times when the horses would come into the crowd. You had to jump quickly or you would be trampled to death.

All in all, it was a truly unique experience. This is the reason I came to teach abroad. I have included some pictures below.