Arshad Nadeem made history at the Paris Olympics.
A strapping 6 feet 4 inches tall, he set a new Olympic record for the longest javelin throw – 92.97 meters or 305.02 feet.
The 27-year-old became the first Pakistani to secure an individual gold medal.
And oh, one more historic thing: He is undoubtedly the first Olympic champion to be given a buffalo as a reward for his prowess.
Nadeem grew up in a rural community in the Punjab province of Pakistan, the third oldest of eight children. He was a gifted athlete who gravitated to cricket. Then his dad, who worked as a mason, suggested he try a javelin.
Nadeem says he did not get support from the Pakistani government in his training. But his gold medal triggered a gold rush: $50,000 from World Athletics, around half a million dollars from Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and $350,000 from Punjab’s Chief Minister Mariam Nawaz. He also got a couple of cars, including a Honda Civic whose license plate bears the number 92.97 as a tribute to his javelin distance.
Then there’s the lifetime supply of free fuel, an apartment, even a gold crown (!).
And from his father-in-law: a buffalo.
Jokes were made – including by Nadeem. On a morning TV show, an anchor asked about the buffalo. Arshad said he had been hoping for a large tract of land since his father-in-law is wealthy. Then he added, “Okay, a buffalo will suffice, too.”
Actually that’s an understatement. The buffalo holds deep cultural significance in Nadeem’s home province of Punjab. “In rural communities, a buffalo is considered one of the most honorable and valuable gifts, much like camels in desert regions like Saudi Arabia,” says Rashad Bukhari, a writer and cultural commentator born and raised in Punjab.
The gift that keeps on giving ... milk
Buffalo are valued for their milk –- called the “black gold’ of Pakistan. With a higher fat and protein content than cow’s milk, buffalo milk makes up 72% of the nation’s milk supply. Their milk is also well-suited to turn into ghee, a clarified butter that is a staple of the Pakistani diet,
So for farmers in the agricultural province of Punjab, a female buffalo is … um … a cash cow.
And it’s a gift that keeps on giving … milk. The average lifespan of a buffalo is 20 years. A female usually starts producing milk after birthing a first calf at 3 years old. The animal will continue giving milk for the rest of its life, according to Dr. Burhan-e- Azam, a veterinarian who works for Punjab’s livestock dept as a farm manager and an animal nutritionist at a buffalo research institute. He notes that most buffalo will yield milk if the udders are massaged – even if the calf is not around.
If you have a buffalo and need some money, you’re in luck. “You can sell it whenever you want and get good money right away,” says Azam. The price of a buffalo typically ranges from $1,500 to $3,600.
That’s why Pakistanis call a buffalo “a poor man’s bank.”
“Buffalo is a blessing for our region,” he adds. “It does not even require too much care like other high maintenance animals.” After letting the animal graze during the day, he says, “mostly people would tie their buffalo with a tree” in their compound at night. He adds that buffalo are well-suited for both hot and cold climates.”
The importance of a buffalo for Punjab can be gauged from the fact that in ancient times there was a profession called khoji, an Urdu word that can mean “detective.” A khoji could study the footprints left by a buffalo thief and follow trails for days, even weeks, until the buffalo rustler was discovered. (The advent of security cameras and modern roads have brought an end to the profession.)
Buffalo are also a part of the traditional dowry in Punjab. And when a family buffalo dies, Bukhari says that to this day, neighbors visit to offer condolences.
And you may wonder – is it a little odd to have just one buffalo? That’s often the case for families in Punjab, says Azam. Many households have a sole buffalo — and benefit from free door-to-door vaccination services and medical care provided by the government.
For javelin king Nadeem, the buffalo is not just symbolic. Buffalo milk and homemade ghee were a staple in his diet while training. His father-in-law’s gift ensures that the Olympic medalist will have fresh milk as he trains for his next competition.
Benazir Samad is an international journalist at Voice of America in Washington, D.C. She tweets @benazirmirsamad
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