sport

#1Pic1Day: Camel Fighting

Camel Fighting The Persian New Year of Naoruz is to signify the arrival of sun in north equinox, or the arrival of spring, and has been used as the day of New Year in Persian calendar since ancient time. Naoruz is usually on 21 March. The most vibrant place to celebrate Naoruz in Afghanistan is in the northern city of Mazar-e-Sharif. The Arab descendants there have tradition of holding camel fighting competition. Many of Afghan traditional games includes fighting, in local language is known as jang (“war”), like dog fighting, camel fighting, bird fighting, even egg fighting. Adu Unta Tahun baru Naoruz adalah penanda tibanya matahari di garis balik lintang utara, merupakan tahun baru dalam penanggalan Persia kuno, biasanya jatuh pada 21 Maret. Di Afghanistan, tempat paling ramai untuk merayakan Naoruz adalah di Mazar-e-Sharif. Masyarakat keturunan Arab di sana punya tradisi mengadu unta. Banyak permainan di Afghanistan yang bersifat mengadu, dalam bahasa setempat disebut jang (perang), seperti perang anjing, perang unta, perang burung, bahkan perang telur. [...]

March 18, 2014 // 0 Comments

#1Pic1Day: Buzkashi

Buzkashi Buzkashi, the national sport of Afghanistan, usually held in winter and around the Naoruz New Year celebration. Buzkashi is the ancestor of polo, of which the horse riders fight to get a headless carcass as the ball, and they have to bring the carcass around the ground to be the winner. This sport emphasizes on values of honesty, bravery, strength, and honor—all of which are the pride for the Afghans. Buzkashi, olahraga nasional Afghanistan, biasa dipertandingkan di musim dingin dan di tengah perayaan Tahun Baru Naoruz. Buzkashi adalah nenek moyang olahraga polo, di mana para penunggang kuda berebutan sebuah bangkai binatang tanpa kepala sebagai bola yang dibawa berkeliling lapangan. Olahraga ini mengutamakan nilai-nilai kejujuran, keberanian, kekuatan dan keperkasaan, menjadi peleburan semua nilai kebanggaan Afghanistan. [...]

March 17, 2014 // 0 Comments

#1Pic1Day: Olahraga Keperkasaan | Sport of Honor (Afghanistan, 2008)

Sport of Honor (Afghanistan, 2008) Buzkashi is the national sport of Afghanistan, and usually held amidst the Naoruz New Year celebration. Buzkashi is the ancestor of polo, of which the horse riders fight to get a headless carcass as the ball, and they have to bring the carcass around the ground to be the winner. This sport emphasizes on values of honesty, bravery, strength, and honor—all of which are the pride for the Afghans. Olahraga Keperkasaan (Afghanistan, 2008) Buzkashi adalah olahraga nasional Afghanistan, dan biasa dipertandingkan di tengah perayaan Tahun Baru Naoruz. Buzkashi adalah nenek moyang olahraga polo, di mana para penunggang kuda berebutan sebuah bangkai binatang tanpa kepala sebagai bola yang dibawa berkeliling lapangan. Olahraga ini mengutamakan nilai-nilai kejujuran, keberanian, kekuatan dan keperkasaan, menjadi peleburan semua nilai kebanggaan Afghanistan. [...]

January 9, 2014 // 4 Comments

#1Pic1Day: Nasionalisme di Lapangan Sepakbola | Nationalism on Football Field (Tehran, IRAN, 2009)

Nationalism on Football Field (Tehran, IRAN, 2009) Iran has among the most powerful national football team in Asia. As anywhere in the world, football match is not merely a sport event, but also a “war zone” of nationalism and superiority. Famous for their fanaticism, Iranian supporters have the power to shake the whole stadium, especially if their national team is fighting against any of the Arab countries. According to the law of the Islamic Republic, only men are admitted entry to the stadium. Nasionalisme di Lapangan Sepakbola (Teheran, IRAN, 2009) Tim nasional sepak bola Iran termasuk yang terkuat di Asia. Seperti di negara lainnya di dunia, pertandingan sepak bola bukanlah even olahraga semata, tetapi juga sebuah “medan perang”, pertarungan dari nasionalisme dan superioritas. Suporter sepak bola Iran terkenal dengan fanatisme mereka, punya kemampuan penuh mengguncang seluruh stadium, apalagi jika tim nasional mereka berhadapan dengan tim dari negara Arab mana pun. Menurut aturan dari pemerintah Republik Islam, hanya lelaki yang diizinkan masuk ke [...]

September 16, 2013 // 3 Comments

Kabul – An Afghan Style Swimming Contest

Who swims the fastest? The first time I see such a bizarre swimming contest, where many of the participants escape from the swimming pool in the middle of the race. The previous swimming exhibition 3 days ago brought me back to the crowded swimming pool of Youth Club (Klab-e-Jawanan). As before, they also made early announcement time for reporters to come. The original schedule for the competition was to be held at 9 in the morning, but not until 3 p.m. the swimming contest was started. The program organizer, a man in his 30’s and a body completely wrapped by stack hairs, requested the half-naked young boys to sit nicely in the provided benches. He, just like his swimming students, also dressed minimally. First time I saw an event organizer dressing only in singlet and pants, not even a swim pack. “OK, boys. Go back to your seat, we will start our program!” said him with the microphone. After noticing me taking photos of him only in white pants and talking on MC desk, he immediately grabbed jeans trousers to cover his hairy legs. The competition started, finally. There are only 4 lanes in this tiny pool, which means only [...]

August 30, 2007 // 0 Comments

Kabul – Bodybuilding Fever (Again)

Ready to compete After the waves of bodybuilding craze when Mr. Kabul of the year was elected, almost exactly one month ago, now the national bodybuilding championship invites all bodybuilders nationwide to join the craze. Contestants from 24 cities in the country competed in 9 different weight classes in the championship. I had heard previously that the contest today was to choose Mr. Afghanistan of the year, but I was mistaken. A Herat contestant from 75-kg class said that Mr. Afghanistan title is abolished this year, in order not to make bad feeling on contestants who failed to win. The guy who won title of the man of Afghanistan last year was also from Herat, is absent from today’s final contest. Even the newly elected Mr. Kabul did not attend this contest either. So what is the contest for? This national bodybuilding contest is to choose the athletes for the Afghan national team. Quite a pride, isn’t it? The master of ceremony repeated the praise over and over, that contestants who present on the stage are actually national winners already, as they were the best that Afghanistan can offer. Looks like going to explode Medal for winner The stage where [...]

August 6, 2007 // 0 Comments