Here’s the video of the famous sword dance by the Khattak tribesmen of Pashtuns from northern Pakistan and Afghanistan. The first time I saw them perform was at the Lok Virsa festival of folk art and culture two years ago, and I was busy taking pictures then to appreciate the energy and stunts of this military dance. So I felt fortunate that they performed at our school during the Pakistan Day celebration. My friend Shamsa said that the first time she saw them perform many years ago their kameez (tops) were longer, and the only red thing in their outfits were their sashes plus the handkerchiefs they were holding. She said that their hair were also of the same length, for they are traditionally soldiers or warriors.
As you can see here the dance is also a demonstration of physical prowess and warrior skills. The drum tempo, which is fast to begin with, gets faster as the dancing gets more complicated.
Reference: http://dailymailnews.com/200704/15/dmarticlepage.html
