March Eagle Festival--March 2018

Being able to attend an eagle festival was one of the things we wanted to do while in Mongolia.  We were lucky enough to witness 1/2 day of a 2 day event.

The 'real' Kazakh Eagle Festival is normally held in October every year in the western province of Bayan-Olgii, Mongolia where the Kazakh ethnic tribe have lived for centuries.  Training and hunting with golden eagles has been part of their culture and tradition for thousands of years.  Many people think of eagle hunting as a sport, but the Kazakh's feel it's part of who they are, that it is an art, and it is in their veins.  They need to preserve their heritage so as not to forget their ancestors.  Eagle hunting used to be a right of passage from boyhood to manhood, but today many young women participate in the tradition as well.  The furs they wear comes from their hunts and the more elaborate, the better hunter they are considered.  The brightly embroidered cloths are traditional and some can take up to 200 hours of hand embroidering. 

The annual festival consists of different events, some of the activities are:

• having a 'judge' release a hunter's eagle high up on the mountain while the hunter is on horseback down the mountain and the hunter 'calls his/her eagle;
• compete in having their eagles catch small animals such as rabbit, marmot, fox and/or wolves;
• compete in speed, accuracy, and agility;
• and having the best costumes and best dressed hunters.

This year, it was decided to hold a spring eagle festival on the outskirts of UB, to not only attract attention and support, but also to show off the skill and tradition of the Kazakhs to the rest of Mongolia and to the world.

The site was chosen, a local ger camp about 45 minutes from UB.  The temps were in the single digits, but warmed up to the low 20s.  A couple of thousand came to view the festival.

One of the gers with hunters warming up inside while their eagles waited before the competition.

A local Mongolian dog ready for the competition

A large statue of Chinggis welcomes visitors (and competitors alike)...

A short introduction of the festivities by 'officials' in elaborate dress

Then the hunters were spotted parading across the mountain and down towards the crowd

And into the center of the ceremony where they were on display--they, their horses and their eagles--note the thick gloves worn by the hunters, eagle talons are razor sharp, the sticks the arm rests on to hold the eagles called is a 'baldak' and the colorful embroidery and fur worn by hunter and horse.

For the 1st event, the hunters went up the hill to start the 'calling of the eagle' while the crowds watched from the side and the eagles were released for their hunter to call them from below.

Successful catches

After the 'calling of the eagle', the hunters took a break for photo ops, which we took advantage of...

The festival provided many activities for the crowds and the children loved the camel rides.

The event, animals, birds, people and costumes were fascinating but after 1/2 a day outside, it was time to head home.  To read more about the Kazakh's or eagle hunting, you can do your own internet search.  Culture and tradition around the world is indeed fascinating...