Homebound Explorer

Exploring The World Through Media!

Afghanistan

Break the shell, reveal the beauty behind the rubble!

At the start of this journey, I begin with Afghanistan, and I am glad that it is the first on the alphabetical list of countries because it forced me to go against the narrative being driven by the news, it immediately displayed the humanity, the struggle for survival and the love found in the harshest of conditions.

From the heartfelt truth of the Netflix documentary ‘Three Songs for Benazir (Short 2021)’ which displayed in 22mins more about the country and its people than the countless hours of news stories that have plagued my outlook. To the music of ‘Farhad Darya – Babulale’ that reveals the sweetest of sentiments in its lyrics “I crumble apart at your cute laughter”. I begin to wonder how much beauty has been hiding behind the rubble of disaster and chaos perpetuated in the news.

In the words of Stephen Alter “Too often Afghanistan is portrayed as a desolate, ungoverned and ungovernable land, where guerrilla fighters wage a perpetual war against outsiders and against themselves. While certain elements of this may be true, it is a preconception that displaces reality. The vast majority of Afghans are not warlords, terrorists, or fanatics as we are led to believe. Instead, they are farmers, merchants, teachers, and students who have endured many years of civil war and drought.”

If it were up to the Taliban and it was for a certain period, the arts wouldn’t be found among the Afghan people, the music of Afghanistans Elvis ‘Ahmad Zahir’, the beautiful compositions of Shah Wali Taranasaz, and the modern pop of Farhad Darya, Farzana Naz & Taher Shabab would be silenced. Far too often because of the crazy ideologies outlined by extremists, girls are forced to be boys in order to just survive and not be harassed or persecuted, as the brave director Siddiq Barmak showed with his feature Osama (2003) and Nadia Hashimi spoke in her book The Pearl That Broke Its Shell, both of which would never have seen the light of day in a Taliban ruled society.

Luckily for us, these artist’s real voices were heard and their culture was shared in all of its glory, regardless of how it may have been influenced it still gives a more authentic depiction of the people of Afghanistan and realize just how much we are alike instead of ‘foreign’.

The following are my recommendations for Literature, Movies, Music, and Art:

Books/Authors –

Movies –

Music –

Art –

Culture and Attraction –

  • Known for – Afghanistan is well known for its fine fruits, especially pomegranates, grapes, apricots, and extra-sweet jumbo-sized melons. Largest Producer of Opium
  • Places to Visit – Herat Central Blue Mosque (The most beautiful example of Islamic architecture)
  • Mineral – Lapis lazuli – The original locality for lapis lazuli is the Sar-e-Sang deposit in Afghanistan’s remote Badakhshan district
  • Language – Pashto & Dari are both Influenced by the Persian Language.
  • Located – Landlocked Country bordered by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and China
  • 34 Provinces and the Capital City is Kabul
  • Religion – 99% Suni Muslim
  • National Sport – Buzkashi (Persian: بزکشی, lit. ‘goat pulling’). It is a traditional sport where horse-mounted players attempt to place a goat carcass in a goal.
  • Attan (Pashto: اتڼ) is the national dance of Afghanistan

I would greatly appreciate your recommendations and look forward to connecting with people from your country. I aim to broaden my global education and cultivate diverse friendships worldwide.

https://www.inertianetwork.com/magazine/life-in-afghanistan-in-25-photos