Falcon Festival

A couple of days ago we caught up with Hannah and Noel at the Al Ain Falcon Festival. What an interesting event with falcons and falconry displays from all over the world. Especially colourful were the men and women  from the stan countries such as Krgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan along with some of the European countries in traditional clothing from centuries ago. There was even a Kiwi tent ( complete with All Blacks Flag ) and they had bought a native falcon with them from home although we didn't get to see it. It was also just fantastic to see the traditional Emirati dancing where the men face each other in lines chanting to each other and with the drummers providing the beat. The festival was held at the magnificent Al Jahili fort which has been wonderfully restored. Very special indeed.

Also of interest to me anyway were some of the Yurts ( and a few teepee's ) with brilliantly coloured inner ribs and intricately painted circular openings at the peak. Having been involved in the construction of Miranda and Rob's Redhills Road Yurt back in Auckland ( my last job prior to leaving for Qatar ) it was interesting to inspect the construction technique which was surprisingly similar to Redhill's Road ( an 8 metre Colorado Kitset Yurt ), with wooden lattice panels forming the side walls. These Yurts although quite a lot smaller were just beautiful.

" Falconry, an integral part of desert life for many centuries, was practiced originally for purely practical reasons, i.e. the necessity to supplement a meager diet of dates, milk and bread with a tasty hare or well-fed bustard. In time it developed into a major sport enjoyed by rich and poor alike. Falconry, or the upkeep of falcons is a traditional and highly valued custom in the UAE, reflecting the Bedouin love of this sport. The falcon itself, known as the Saqr is a bird that is much admired by Arabs because of its fascinating beauty, posture, sharp eyesight and grandeur.Training falcons requires both courage and patience and it is an operation that is carried out by the Saqqar or the trainer. The ability of a predator to be tamed and made to obey the call of its master is a mystery of nature that adds fascination to falconry for Arabs.

During the training process, the falcon sits on a round wooden mushroom shaped movable block (Al Wakr) or on the trainer's hand, which is protected from the sharp talons by a cylindrical-covered cuff called the Manqalah. This is usually made from material stuffed with either straw or cloth, on which the falcon perches. The falcon is held by a pair of jesses, usually braided cotton or nylon (Al Sabbuq) attached to a swiveled leash to allow the bird a certain freedom of movement.  

The main prey for falcons are: Houbara or MacQueen's bustard, Stone Curlew (Karawan), and Hare (Arnab). The Houbara is a powerful bird that can weigh up to four kilograms (nine pounds) and stand as much as 75 centimeters tall (30 inches) and it is known for its great speed both in flight and on land, a feature which makes the nature of the chase more exciting for the falconers." ( from ArabHunter.com )

Falcons and falconry are of huge importance  and have a long history all over the gulf countries as they are in many countries. Up here men get together with their mates to discuss, compare and preen their falcons and when get the chance take them out into the desert for a spot of traditional hunting. Falcons are pretty expensive by all accounts although traditionally they were caught with elaborate traps and then trained. Along with the falcons were peregrines and owls - they were all just beautiful.