Eagle hunting

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Professional eagle hunters from Kazakhstan
Professional eagle hunters from Kazakhstan

Hunting with eagles (Golden Eagle) is a traditional ancient art, practiced on the Eurasian steppes and particularly in Central Asia. It is similar in many ways to falconry.

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[edit] Nowadays

There is no English word for the hunting with eagles such as 'eagler'. Today professional hunters from Kazakhstan call the hunting with eagles berkutchy (also berkutchi by Kyrgyz people, Bugu clan[1]) or kusbeguy in kazakh. A berkutchy is a life's profession, and in Kazakhstan is often an hereditary one. The relationship of the bird and its master is constant, and all-consuming. In the training of a young eagle, the berkutchy must sacrifice his sleep for a long period. For weeks, the growing bird is rendered sightless under its hood until its dependence on its master become complete. Such intimacy must turn into a lifelong trust with the eagle - twenty years or more. And it is said that as the man trains the eagle, so does the eagle trains his man. There is a proverb in Kazakhstan: There are three things, which should the real man have: fast horse, hound-tazy (breed of afghan hound) and killing Golden Eagle.[2]

[edit] History

Khitans eagle hunters on horse, (Song Dynasty).
Khitans eagle hunters on horse, (Song Dynasty).

[edit] Khitans

In 936-45 AD Khitans, nomadic people from Manchuria conquered part of north China.[3] In 960 China was overtaken by the Song dynasty.[4] From its beginnings, the Song dynasty was unable to completely contol the Khitan who had already assimilated much of Chinse culture. Throughout its 300-year rule of China, the Song had to pay tribute to the Khitan to keep them from conquering additional Song territory.[5] Despite the fact that Khitans assimilated Chinese culture, they retained many nomadic traditions, such as the love for eagle hunting[6] (see the unknown Chinese painting from Song dynasty).

[edit] Jurchen

Hai Dong Qing was an important hunting eagle for Jurchen tribes.The Khitan extorted this kind of eagle from Jurchen but ended in revolt.

[edit] Kyrgyz

In 1207 the Kyrgyz nomads surrendered to Genghis Khan's son Jochi. Under Mongol rule, Kyrgyz preserved their nomadic culture. It has been said that Kyrgyz nomads have been hunting with Golden Eagles for 6,000 years.[7]

[edit] References

  1. ^ The Gyrfalcon by Eugene Potapov and Richard Sale (2005) p. 199
  2. ^ Kazakhstan in Pictures (Visual Geography Series) by Bella Waters (2007) p.54
  3. ^ The Art of War by Sun Tzu - Special Edition by Sun Tzu and Lionel Giles (2005) p.170
  4. ^ China: Its History and Culture (4th Edition) by W. Scott Morton, Charlton M. Lewis, and Charlton Lewis (2004) p.100
  5. ^ 5 Steps to a 5: AP World History (5 Steps to a 5) by Peggy Martin (2004) p.115
  6. ^ Eagle Dreams: Searching for Legends in Wild Mongolia by Stephen J. Bodio (2003) p. 26
  7. ^ Firefly Guide to Flags of the World (Firefly Pocket Reference) by Firefly Books (2003) p.109

[edit] See also