Qarsak
THE STORY
Qarsak, I learned through all the video clips. You can tell that it's Qarsak by the musicians, because then it is not only regional but national. For example there are two Pajshiri musicians who are well known and sing in Pashto as in Panjshiri. And has become more known for their Qarsak because they are very popular with the people, because they speak both languages fluently. In Afghanistan all singers must speak both Dari and Pashto. Qarsak is also dancing with weapons. It is so that the dancers have motivated soldiers at war through this. Since dancers take out the guns to shoot, and then dance. Qarsak is danced in Panjshir, and also in the north and in Kabul because Panjshshiris have also moved around and many still live in Kabul, so Qarsak is also much more common in Kabul. Now it is also known as National. I think now, Pashtuns are married with Tajiks, Uzbeks are with other ethnicities. Everyone is blended. I also have an Indian "touch" so to say. I just dance by rhythm and I'm not really a dancer. Ahmad Shah Massoud is seen as a hero by Uzbeks, and because of that Qarsak has spread out. But with Pashtuns not. Pashtuns see Massoud as an enemy so the dance has not spread there.
THE STORYTELLER
Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Ethnicity: Panjshiri
STORY ID: 00014