History of Buzkashi and the Central Asian Tradition

Introduction

Buzkashi is one of the most distinctive Central Asian equestrian sporting traditions, with continuous documented practice from medieval Central Asian steppe origins through the modern Afghan, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Uzbek national Buzkashi traditions. The Buzkashi tradition has been shaped by medieval Central Asian Turkic and Mongol steppe equestrian tradition, traditional Central Asian Islamic Sufi tradition, traditional Central Asian khan and amir patron tradition, and modern Central Asian state national sporting tradition. The modern Central Asian Buzkashi landscape is anchored by the Afghan Buzkashi Federation (the principal Afghan Buzkashi sanctioning body, subsequently substantially disrupted following the August 2021 Taliban return to power), the Kyrgyz Republic Kok Boru Federation (the principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru sanctioning body), the Tajik Buzkashi Federation, the Kazakh Kokpar Federation, the Uzbek Kokpar Federation, and various other Central Asian national Buzkashi federations. The Buzkashi tradition encompasses approximately five Central Asian nations: Afghanistan (Buzkashi), Tajikistan (Buzkashi), Kyrgyzstan (Kok Boru), Kazakhstan (Kokpar), and Uzbekistan (Kupkari).

Central Asian Steppe Origins

Buzkashi extends from medieval Central Asian steppe origins. The principal medieval Central Asian Turkic and Mongol steppe equestrian tradition produced foundational Central Asian equestrian sporting tradition. The medieval Central Asian steppe nomadic Buzkashi tradition extends from the principal medieval Central Asian Turkic and Mongol steppe equestrian tradition. The 13th century Mongol Empire (under Genghis Khan and successors) substantially extended the principal medieval Central Asian equestrian tradition. The continued Central Asian steppe Buzkashi tradition through subsequent centuries has continued. The principal traditional Central Asian Islamic Sufi tradition extends from the 8th century Arab Muslim Central Asian expansion through subsequent centuries. The continued Central Asian Islamic Sufi Buzkashi tradition has continued through subsequent centuries. The traditional Central Asian khan and amir patron Buzkashi tradition extends from the principal Central Asian khan and amir patron cultural tradition.

Afghan Buzkashi National Sport

Afghan Buzkashi has been the principal Afghan national sport tradition. The Afghan Buzkashi tradition was declared the principal Afghan national sport. The continued Afghan Buzkashi national sport tradition has continued through subsequent decades, despite various political disruptions including the 1979-1989 Soviet-Afghan War, 1992-1996 Afghan Civil War, 1996-2001 Taliban regime (which banned Buzkashi as un-Islamic), 2001-2021 NATO-Afghan war and Afghan reconstruction period (during which Buzkashi tradition was substantially restored), and the August 2021 Taliban return to power (subsequent to which Buzkashi tradition has been substantially disrupted with some Buzkashi tournaments continuing in various Afghan regions). The Afghan Buzkashi tradition includes the principal traditional Afghan Buzkashi modalities: tudabarai (the traditional Afghan Buzkashi modality with the goal of carrying the goat carcass beyond a marked boundary) and qarajai (the modern Afghan Buzkashi modality with the goal of carrying the goat carcass to a marked circle goal).

Naghd Bardar Masters

The principal Naghd Bardar (the principal Afghan Buzkashi master title) tradition extends from the principal Afghan Buzkashi cultural tradition. The principal Naghd Bardar masters include various extraordinary Afghan Buzkashi players including Habib Akrami (the principal Afghan Naghd Bardar master across subsequent decades), and various other principal Afghan Naghd Bardar masters. The principal Afghan Buzkashi master tradition extends through subsequent decades. The principal Afghan Buzkashi master cultural prominence has continued through subsequent decades. The continued Afghan Buzkashi master tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The principal Afghan Buzkashi master and patron relationship tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The continued Afghan Buzkashi patron tradition (with various Afghan khan, amir, and warlord patron Buzkashi sponsorship) has continued through subsequent decades.

Kyrgyz Kok Boru Tradition

The Kyrgyz Kok Boru tradition extends from the principal Kyrgyz medieval Central Asian steppe equestrian tradition. The principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru tradition involves the principal team-based equestrian Buzkashi modality (with two opposing teams attempting to carry the goat carcass to opposing marked circle goals). The principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru tradition was substantially extended by the 1991 Kyrgyz independence following the Soviet Union collapse. The Kyrgyz Republic Kok Boru Federation (the principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru sanctioning body) has continued through subsequent decades. The principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru tournaments including the World Nomad Games (the principal Central Asian multi-sport competition for traditional Central Asian nomadic sports, held at Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan since 2014) have continued through subsequent decades. The 2014 first World Nomad Games at Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan extended the principal Central Asian World Nomad Games tradition. The 2018 third World Nomad Games at Cholpon-Ata, Kyrgyzstan extended the principal Central Asian World Nomad Games tradition. The 2022 fourth World Nomad Games at Iznik, Turkey extended the principal Central Asian World Nomad Games tradition. The 2024 fifth World Nomad Games at Astana, Kazakhstan extended the principal Central Asian World Nomad Games tradition.

Tajik, Kazakh, and Uzbek Buzkashi

The Tajik Buzkashi tradition extends from the principal Tajik medieval Central Asian equestrian tradition. The continued Tajik Buzkashi tradition through subsequent decades has continued. The Tajik Buzkashi Federation has continued through subsequent decades. The Kazakh Kokpar tradition (the Kazakh equivalent of Buzkashi) extends from the principal Kazakh medieval Central Asian steppe equestrian tradition. The Kazakh Kokpar Federation has continued through subsequent decades. The Kazakh Kokpar Federation has continued to organize the principal Kazakh Kokpar tournaments. The Uzbek Kupkari tradition (the Uzbek equivalent of Buzkashi) extends from the principal Uzbek medieval Central Asian steppe equestrian tradition. The Uzbek Kokpar Federation has continued through subsequent decades. The Uzbek Kokpar Federation has continued to organize the principal Uzbek Kupkari tournaments. The continued Central Asian Buzkashi tradition through subsequent decades has continued.

Buzkashi Technique and Equipment

Modern competitive Buzkashi involves the principal goat or calf carcass (the traditional Buzkashi target object, weighing approximately 20-30 kg). The principal traditional Central Asian Buzkashi rules involve riders (chapandaz in Persian and Dari, also called chovendoz) attempting to carry the goat or calf carcass from the principal starting circle to the principal target circle or beyond a marked boundary line. The competitive Buzkashi structure involves either the traditional tudabarai modality (with the goal of carrying the goat carcass beyond a marked boundary line) or the modern qarajai modality (with the goal of carrying the goat carcass to a marked circle goal). The principal Buzkashi equipment includes the principal Buzkashi rider clothing (with the traditional Central Asian kalpok hat, traditional Central Asian chopan coat, traditional Central Asian leather boots, and various traditional Central Asian wear), the principal Buzkashi horse training (with extensive Central Asian Buzkashi horse training tradition), and the principal Buzkashi whip (qamchi). The continued Buzkashi equipment manufacturing tradition has continued through subsequent decades.

Buzkashi Cultural and Political Significance

Buzkashi cultural significance extends substantially beyond the competitive Buzkashi tradition. The principal Central Asian khan and amir patron Buzkashi tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The principal traditional Central Asian Buzkashi political significance (with extensive Central Asian political leader Buzkashi sponsorship tradition) has continued through subsequent decades. The continued Central Asian Buzkashi traditional cultural identity tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The principal Central Asian khan, amir, and warlord patron Buzkashi sponsorship tradition has continued through subsequent decades. The principal Afghan Buzkashi cultural and political significance has continued through subsequent decades, despite various Afghan political disruptions. The continued Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Uzbek Buzkashi cultural and political significance has continued through subsequent decades. The Buzkashi tradition has continued to be one of the principal Central Asian national sporting cultural identity markers across Central Asia.

Buzkashi in Western Cultural Reference

Buzkashi has been substantially referenced in Western cultural tradition. The principal Rambo III (the 1988 Sylvester Stallone film about the Afghan Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War) Buzkashi scenes extended the principal Western Buzkashi cultural reference. The principal Rambo III Buzkashi scenes filmed in Israel substantially extended the principal Western Buzkashi cultural prominence. The principal Joseph Kessel's Les Cavaliers (The Horsemen, the 1967 French novel about Afghan Buzkashi) extended the principal Western Buzkashi cultural reference. The principal John Frankenheimer's The Horsemen (the 1971 American film adaptation of Joseph Kessel's Les Cavaliers starring Omar Sharif) extended the principal Western Buzkashi cultural reference. The continued Western Buzkashi cultural reference has continued through subsequent decades. The 2008 Sebastian Junger and Tim Hetherington's Restrepo documentary Buzkashi scenes extended the principal Western Buzkashi cultural reference. Various other principal Buzkashi cultural references including the principal National Geographic and BBC Buzkashi documentary tradition have continued through subsequent decades.

The Future of Buzkashi, Conclusion, and Sources

The future of Buzkashi faces significant questions in the third decade of the twenty-first century. The continued Afghan, Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Uzbek Buzkashi development, World Nomad Games continuation, broadcast development, globalization of the Central Asian Buzkashi talent pool, and traditional Central Asian Buzkashi preservation will continue to shape the Buzkashi landscape. The Afghan Buzkashi tradition under the August 2021 Taliban return to power has faced significant disruption, with the Taliban regime substantially restricting various traditional Afghan Buzkashi events. The continued Tajik, Kyrgyz, Kazakh, and Uzbek Buzkashi governance development through subsequent decades will continue to shape the Buzkashi tradition. World Nomad Games, principal Afghan Buzkashi tournaments (when permitted), principal Tajik Buzkashi tournaments, principal Kyrgyz Kok Boru tournaments, principal Kazakh Kokpar tournaments, principal Uzbek Kupkari tournaments, and other principal Central Asian Buzkashi tournaments will continue through subsequent decades. Individual Buzkashi figures will continue to shape the Buzkashi tradition. Yet the basic principle of Buzkashi — the fundamental Central Asian equestrian sporting tradition that has underpinned the Central Asian sporting cultural identity since the medieval Central Asian steppe emergence — has shaped the Central Asian sporting cultural tradition for more than 800 years and continues to be one of the principal Central Asian sporting cultural identity markers. Sources include: G. Whitney Azoy, Buzkashi: Game and Power in Afghanistan (Waveland Press, 3rd ed. 2011); Pierre Centlivres, Buzkashi: Histoires d'un jeu (Payot, 1986); BBC Sport coverage, bbc.co.uk/sport; World Nomad Games archives.