National Geographic’s Afghan Girl
For some reason I thought about this picture last night. I’m sure many of you remember this from a National Geographic cover from 1985. The article was entitled Along Afghanistan’s War-Torn Frontier , and became one of the most famous National Geographic pictures of all times. As a matter of fact, it was featured on the cover of National Geographic’s Top 100 Pictures of all time.
The picture was taken by Steve McCurry in 1984 at the Nasir Bagh refugee camp in Pakistan. The girl was 12 at the time, an orphan, and was attending an informal school within the camp when the picture was taken. The photographer didn’t even get the girls name.
McCurry tried for years to track the girl down, to find out how she’s been, but to no avail. Then 15 years later, a National Geographic team went back to the refugee camp to try to find *Afghan girl*. They found a guy that knew her brother, who then contacted the family, and then put them in touch with her.
Her name is Sharbat Gula and she told McCurray she remembers him taking her picture those many years ago because no one had ever taken her picture before. She had gone back to live in Afghanistan in 1992, was married and has three daughters.
If you’re interested in any more information, this link could be helpful.
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:30 am
I don’t remember her they must not have shown her tits.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:15 am
You’re thinking of the *Salute to New Guinea week* National Geographic had back in ‘85.
January 22nd, 2009 at 9:54 am
Oh yes that was it how did I ever get the two mixed up?
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:13 am
Were they saluting in New Guinea? I hate ng for having droopy flat thingies. I gave up sex until I was 21 after seeing those.
January 23rd, 2009 at 6:08 pm
Sorry to rain on the parade, but those are a disturbing set of eyeballs.
January 23rd, 2009 at 9:39 pm
Indeed–that girl had seen all there was to see by the time she was 12.
September 18th, 2009 at 5:13 pm
[...] the story of this girl has been covered by The Mayor before. If I remember correctly, that story bagged me my fifth Peabody Award. I have so many [...]