Kok Boru
Charlie Birch
£25.00
Kok Boru translates to “blue wolf” in Kyrgyz
It is the title of our newest book and refers to a horseback sport played across much of Central Asia, where players compete in teams of up to 12, to grab a headless goat carcass and throw it into a donut shaped... Read More
Kok Boru translates to “blue wolf” in Kyrgyz
It is the title of our newest book and refers to a horseback sport played across much of Central Asia, where players compete in teams of up to 12, to grab a headless goat carcass and throw it into a donut shaped goal.
The origins of this sport could well be over 1000 years old and are linked to the hunting of wolves that prayed on livestock. It has been suggested that that those out hunting would playfully compete to take the wolf from each other as they successfully returned to the village; it is not hard to imagine how this hunting ritual, closely intertwined with a warrior culture, could have developed into a fiercely competitive and rivalry driven sport.
However, as globalisation and modernisation creep into traditional ways of life, the game of kok boru is being forced to adapt. While it continues to draw large crowds, in some places controversy over the ethics of animal use have seen the traditional bloody goat carcass replaced with synthetic balls. This change, sparking controversy among locals, marks a significant shift in the sport.
In the summer of 2023 Charlie traveled to the village of Cholpon Ata in Krygistan and captured a moment in history: one of the last major tournaments where the traditional goat carcass was to be used.
Including an essay by John Sunyer