The Lazy Cherub Enigma: Buzkashi and the Heart

Monday 1 September 2014

Buzkashi and the Heart

Buzkashi – otherwise known as “goat polo” is an ancient sport played by the nomads along Lake Song-Kol. It is described as being as close to warfare as a sport can be and involves using the headless, limbless carcass of a goat, sheep or calf as the ball. It is full contact bone breaking every man for himself as riders on horseback attempt to grab the carcass and run it to the opposite end of the field. It takes place in the late Autumn or Early Spring (planting and harvesting) or at a special occasion such as a wedding. But here, in our camp, for a mere $5 per person, we can have full honor of witnessing this blood sport for no other reason other than we can.

So many questions… The first being, the senseless sacrifice of an animal merely for sport. Now this is not a knock against tradition for I think we lack good ones these days – especially ones that challenge us in ways we never thought possible. But this

seems less about tradition and more about entitlement. Tradition dictates we would be here when it was meant to happen. White Tourist Privilege dictates we make it happen at our own whim. And it is our whim – people here are poor and live a hard life. So in the name of adventure tourism we ask for the decapitation and delimbng of a goat for our sporting pleasure.

Nomads living around Song-Kol live without sentimentality. They will gladly house you in their yurt and feed you a meal. But animal rights is not high on their list. You live and die off the land. It’s primal. It is in many ways beautiful in its barbarity and simplicity. Which brings me back to “The Game…”

When it was first broached, Ken without hesitation said “I am not interested in having an animal killed for sport.” We were in the definite minority. I said it just felt wrong to use a tradition as a tourist event to satisfy our need for entertainment. At what point does our need to see and experience the world become an intrusion? At what point do we stop being gracious visitors and instead become demanding children with more money that morality? Buzkashi was said to have been started by Ghengis Khan as a way to test his warriors superior horsemanship and brute strength. At a time when life was singularly about war it made sense. It makes sense even now for the people living in a harsh unforgiving environment. But does it make sense for us? What is our war? What is our fear? What is it that makes us feel we NEED this to happen because if not, we are somehow less than we were before we came?

It is never easy when your faith in humanity is tested and humanity loses. Bloodlust wins over humility and grace. With so much to see and experience in this land, the one thing needed by almost everyone was a death. A senseless needless death. A throat slit. A decapitation. Limbs cut off. Lifeless body tossed about battered and broken. All in the name of sport and good fun. I wonder… did those who witnessed this feel sated? Do they feel happier now than they did before? Do they feel they are better people? Does going home and sharing your story of “goat polo” make you a more interesting friend or lover? Death after all is still death. It is unavoidable. But it need never be a senseless death. And we should think long and hard when we have the power to impose Death. For how we use that power speaks volumes to who we really are…

A small boy sits in the distance with a blow torch and his puppy. He is burning the hair off the head and the limbs of the goat from the game. His family will then boil it and make gelatin. The carcass – battered and broken – is rumored to be stewed and eaten. Not by the spectators of course – they are dining on sanitized duck breast fillet.

Final Score – 0 for love 9 for entitlement.