The man is a Hazara elder who was widely respected in Shibar, the high plateau area to the east of the Bamian valley in Afganistan. His one bane was the absence of children. He has had a number of children but they all died. This boy and girl are his only surviving children after a long life, born to a younger wife, and he was very close to them.

Photo by Prof. Robert Canfield.

© Robert Canfield