Drum and pipe band

00:03

Pakistan's Northwestern Frontier.  Where man are men, and goats are nervous.  Where the flannelled fools run around in the midday sun- a legacy of the British Raj.  But a far more ancient sport has been introduced to these parts from northern Afganistan.  Buzkashi, quite literally, ‘goat-grabbing'. 

The goats can now relax. Today a decapitated calf is the victim of choice. A four legged football in a game that resembles rugby on horseback.

Rider

00:38

Rider:  It's a very tough game - some hands and heads might be broken... there might even be a death.

Corcoran:   Do you enjoy hurting your opponents? Do you enjoy hurting the other players on the other team?

00:52

Rider:  Yes! They will suffer - not us! If someone falls from his horse nobody will help.

Preparation for match/pipe band

01:17

Corcoran:  A Buzkashi match is a rare event in Peshawar that rates an appearance by the local bagpipe band.

02:28

Refugees from the endless war in neighbouring Afghanistan brought the game here. And judging by their flag, would take it all the way to the Sydney Olympics, given half a chance.

Buzkashi match

Music

01:53

Corcoran:   Believe it or not, there are rules. Two teams of horseman compete for possession of a 30 kilo carcass.

To score, they carry it around a marker flag at the other end of the field, returning to the goal circle for the touchdown.

02:22

As you've probably gathered, Buzkashi is a bloke thing. Women and girls are kept off in the distance.

But it's discrimination with a certain logic, as occasionally there's an unexpected element of spectator participation.

02:39

And to liven things up, there's also a running commentary.

02:44

Commentator:  Once a rider came to the playing field - but he was too full of pride and he just faded away... You can applaud now!

Match continues

03:05

Corcoran:  The exact origins of Buzkashi are vague. According to legend, it was invented by Genghis Khan, as a training routine for his hordes, enabling them to gallop through enemy camps at high speed, snatching women, livestock and whatever else they could get their hands on.

03:27

These days, players and officials seem to get their hands on plenty of cash from admiring fans. Perhaps there is a future for Buzkashi in the Olympics after all.

03:42

The horses are trained to bite and kick.

And the blows and falls are hard and frequent.

Khair

04:08

Corcoran:  To the victors go the spoils, and one extremely tenderised carcass. Undisputed man of the match is Khair Mohammad, who scored four goals.

04:19

Khair:   My horse was very good, and I played well. I am happy.

Corcoran: And not far away, a proud father, who is a retired Buzkashi champion.

Father:.......

Corcoran: How do you think your son performed today?

04:44

Father:........

Teams eat meal

04:57

Corcoran:  Magnanimous in victory, the winners invite the other team around for a little post match get together. The main course, the calf they fought and fell for.

05:08

Abdul:   I fell from my horse and I hurt my nose.  The second time my horse fell down  and I hurt my leg.  I still have a pain in my leg.

05:24

Corcoran:   Match promoter, Haji Abdul, is proud of his players, still riding despite the odds. Tough mountain people from the north of Afghanistan sho were among the first to join the Mujahadeen when the Soviets invaded their country 21 years ago.

05:42

Haji Abdul:  When the Russians came to Afghanistan

Haji Abdul/Teams watch TV

they were against Buzkashi, and against our horses.  They eliminated our horses as the Holy War against the Russians was started by these players and horse riders.

06:04

Corcoran:    For the one million Afghan refugees still in Pakistan, Buzkashi is more than a game - it gives them a sense of national identity, an anchor to their fading memories of home in happier times.

06:21

Haji Abdul:  Even here, we Afghans are keeping our courage, values and traditions. We want to keep our culture alive even if there is only one Afghan left.

END

06:45

BUZKASHI POSTCARD

Reporter

MARK CORCORAN

Camera

RON EKKEL

Editor

STUART MILLER

Producers

IAN ALTSCHWAGER

Presenter

Jennifer Byrne

Studio Director

Janie Lalor

Studio Cameras

Mark Cronin

Peter Dawson

Studio Sound

Bruce Wheatley

Vision Mixer

Martin Keyes

Technical Producer

Alf Samperi

Floor Manager

Stuart Stanger

V/T Post-production

Andrew Barnes

Production Assistant

Tracey Ellison

Associate Producer

Martin Butler

Producer

Haydn Thompson

Executive Producer

Peter Hiscock

©  Australian Broadcasting Corporation 2000