The Eagle-hunters of Kazakhstan

For a country and a people with a history of profound loss – from the Mongolian conquests of the Middle Ages to the “cultural amnesia” effect of Russian/Soviet occupation throughout the 19th and 20th centuries – Kazakhs have a incredibly rich heritage, which they are working hard to reclaim. Archeologists tell us the horse originated in what is now Kazakhstan, as did the apple tree, in the foothills of the Tien Shan mountains. (Almaty, the former capital city, is also spelled ‘Alma-ata’ – the Kazakh words for "apple" and "father".)

And no Kazakh tradition is more fascinating and unique than hunting with trained birds of prey, particularly golden eagles. We had the opportunity to meet an eagle-hunter and a young trainee prior to the Asian Winter Games torch relay – it was an amazing experience.

The tradition of eagle-hunting is believed to have originated 6000 years ago, and was later adopted by other countries. 13th century records indicate that both Genghis Khan and Kubla Khan owned thousands of hunting birds.

Berkutchy

An eagle-hunter is called a berkutchy. It is a life-long profession, and in Kazakhstan is often a hereditary one. The art of wild bird training was developed over centuries, the secrets imparted from father to son.


The relationship of the bird and its master is constant and all-consuming. In the training of a young eagle, the berkutchy must sacrifice sleep for long periods. For weeks, the growing bird is rendered sightless under a leather hood and fed only by its berkutchy, until the bird is fully dependent. This intimacy turns into lifelong trust with the eagle - twenty years or more.

There are currently only about 40 officially recognized eagle-hunters in Kazakhstan today, but those numbers are poised to increase. Interest in the sport has been growing since the republic became independent with the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.

A Kazakh proverb states: "There are three things a real man should have: a fast horse, a hound, and a golden eagle.” (We assume that a good woman figures in there somewhere too, but it’s still a great proverb.)


Golden Eagle
The Golden Eagle is common throughout Central Asia. These huge birds weigh up to 17 pounds with a wingspan of seven to eight feet. The talons on an eagle's toes are curved and razor-sharp for catching and holding their prey. The eagle's eyesight is especially remarkable. With vision about eight times sharper than a human’s, they can spot prey up to a mile away.

Early winter is considered to be the best season for hunting, as game acquire winter furs. The gear required includes tough leather gloves, leather hoods used to cover the eagles' eyes to keep them calm, and saddle-to-wrist supports needed to carry the birds for long periods of time on horseback.

The eagles are trained to hunt marmot, rabbit and fox, and the best eagles can even bring down wolves.




This is our last Kazakhstan “cultural post” as we are set to return to the United States next week. We have enjoyed sharing all that we have learned with you and appreciate your interest.


Stay tuned for our final post this Friday, when we will finally be able to introduce you to Sam!

Steve & Tonya