Norouz - Happy New year from Central Asia

Norouz (also spelled Noe-Rooz, Norouz, Norooz, Noruz, Novruz, Noh Ruz, Nauroz, Nav-roze, Navroz, Naw-Rúz, Nevruz or Nowrouz is the traditional new year holiday in Iran, Azerbaijan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, parts of India, and among the Kurds. It is also celebrated in Turkey and various countries of Central Asia including Tajikistan.

While Islam has a strong influence on Tajik people so do a number of older religious traditions including Zoroastrianism. Navruz has its origins in a festival celebrating the spring equinox, which Zoroaster rededicated to Asha Vahistra and fire. It is determined according to the Iranian calendar (also known as Persian calendar or the Jalaali Calendar) is a solar calendar currently used in Iran and Afghanistan. It is observation-based, rather than rule-based, beginning each year on the vernal equinox as precisely determined by astronomical observations from Tehran and Kabul.

Below are a few pictures taken while walking around Dushanbe during the holiday. Tajikistan is a VERY poor country. There were many on the streets begging.

Throw the Dead Goat Game - Buzkashi

Dushanbe, Tajikistan

To celebrate the New Year I went to see a game of BUZKASHI. This is an ancient game that is not like polo. The only similarity is you have riders on horses. We left Dushanbe early in the morning for the foothills of the mountains about 25 km away – not quite sure where the game was but my driver was confident that we’d find it. All we had to do was follow the traffic when we got closer. The road became a trail as we approached the foothills but there was a steady stream of cars, trucks, and men on horses on this potholed road. When we got to road’s end there were already about 100 vehicles stopped everywhere – no organized parking – just leave your car in the middle of the trail (not a road at this point). We then walked the remaining kilometer.

There we already probably about a thousand people there sitting on the hilltop overlooking what would become the playing field. There were many men on horses – both dressed in traditional costume. Buzkashi horsemen wear thick hats, quilted dresses, long boots and wind strong scarves around their waists. This was a big day as there were riders from Afghanistan here.

It is played with the body of a decapitated goat weighing about 70kg –that is the ball. Traditionally, a calf is beheaded, the legs are cut off at the knee and its entrails are removed. The carcass of the calf is then soaked in cold water for 24 hours before the game so that it may be tough enough to withstand the tugging that takes place. When there is no calf available, a goat is used instead.

Buzkashi, which in Dari means goat-grabbing, is an ancient sport said to have started as an exercise to train Uzbek cavalrymen to pluck prisoners from a raging battle. Another theory about the origin of the game is that it dates back to Afghan antiquity and the name means "goat killing" as it was derived from hunting mountain goats by champions on horseback. Two ancient breeds of horses originating from Afghanistan are used in this game. The "qataghan" is a sturdy pony known for strength and endurance. The other is larger and is raised in the steppes of Faryab and Balkh. Only male stud horses are used in the game. Buzkashi horses require special training in order to be successful in the game. Should the rider be thrown or dismount, the horse waits. A trained horse will gallop with terrific speed as soon as the horseman snatches the goat carcass.

Rules? I couldn’t see any rules to this game. Two teams of 10 riders each charge up and down an uneven and irregular field grabbing and yelling at each other while they attempt to grab the body of the goat and race away with it. There appears to be a winner as one of the mounted riders claims a carpet from the “judges” perched on top of a truck at the far end of the field.

This is not a game for the weak. Younger boys are not allowed to participate in such races because race horses are not saddled. Some ride their mounts bare-back and others use a thin saddle blanket. Horsemen are frequently carried away and in their excitement they will bump, hit and jar opponents. When they return, they are usually bruised or have a broken limb. The game is often played for very high stakes and it is taken very seriously. It is not uncommon for riders to continue in the game with cracked ribs, broken limbs and various head injuries.