A gallery edition print of Mark Parrish’s ‘Nuristani Wrestling.’

Printed on Canson Baryta Photographique ii archival gallery paper with floating white matted border and black wooden frame 30x30cm

‘The village of Bargematal was at the end of the road into Nuristan in northeast Afghanistan. We arrived on a public holiday and were greeted by crowds of Nuristanis who had travelled for a day of competition and festivities including dancing, putting the shot (in fact a rock) and wrestling, the wiry Nuristanis excelling with their strength and technique, surrounded by the crowd in Chitrali hats. We entered the competition: our champion was swiftly defeated but his opponent, the judge and the spectators admired the spirit and it helped us be accepted by the community. Russia invaded Afghanistan a year later and many of these villagers would have become mujahideen, making Nuristan almost impregnable for the next 40 years.’