Daniel Malikyar’s photograph of a young Afghan girl calmly milking a giant yak in the Pamir Mountains offers a heroic and dignified portrayal of life in one of the world’s most remote regions. The image, part of his ongoing project to document Afghanistan beyond war and conflict, shows Shargha, a Kyrgyz girl, in a candid moment that challenges stereotypical media narratives.
Personal Journey and Motivation
Malikyar, born in Los Angeles in 1995 to Afghan parents who fled the Soviet invasion in 1979, grew up with a dual perspective. While global headlines focused on terrorism and war, his family’s home celebrated Afghan culture through food, art, music, and poetry. His grandfather’s habit of filming everyday moments inspired Malikyar to document the world. After 9/11, he resolved to show another side of Afghanistan, leading to multiple trips starting in 2018.
Speaking Dari fluently, Malikyar collaborates closely with subjects, ensuring permission and honesty. He has photographed over 55 countries but emphasizes that his language skills allow deeper connections in Afghanistan, where outsiders rarely visit.
The Photograph: A Heroic Perspective
The image was taken in a remote Pamir village, one of the highest inhabited places on Earth, where Kyrgyz nomads move three to four times yearly for livestock grazing. With few visitors, the people have no preconceptions about posing, resulting in natural, effortless photographs. Malikyar notes, “When I photograph kids, I get down low, mirroring their eye level. There’s a power to that, and that’s why this photograph feels heroic and larger than life.”
In the village, daily life includes salted yak milk for breakfast and yogurt for dinner, with yak dung burned for heat. Women wear distinctive red veils before marriage and white after, creating visual contrast against the landscape. The photograph captures Shargha milking a stoical yak, embodying calm and dignity.
Broader Project and Impact
Malikyar’s Afghanistan project includes a book, documentary series, fine art exhibition, and philanthropic work. He aims to present Afghans with dignity, countering the “villain or victim” lens. As restrictions on photographing in Afghanistan tighten, the work becomes more urgent. His mother, who hasn’t returned since 1979, now feels inspired to visit again after seeing his images. Malikyar reflects, “What a beautiful, full-circle, homecoming story that would be.”
The book Afghanistan by Daniel Malikyar is published by teNeues on 4 August.
