How did this practice develop?
The environment has a great influence on falconry and shapes local variations of the traditional practice. For example, in the deserts of Arabia, the open terrain allows falcons to fly long distances, and the steppes of Asia allow both falcons and large eagles to fly. In contrast, in wooded areas and semi-open farmlands, such as those of most of Europe, Japan, parts of China, and the Republic of Korea, the use of low-flying birds, such as vultures and hawks, is preferred.
The falconer community
A bond ofalmkhuwa (brotherhood, UAE) or al-shareek (partnership ethics, Saudi Arabia) governs the conduct of falconers. Almkhuwa means the bond of companionship and equal sharing of tasks, costs and responsibilities during a hunting trip. These are usually groups of six to twelve falconers who go on a trip for a period of one to three weeks. After a day's hunting, they gather around a campfire and tell stories or anecdotes about the day just passed, often composing poems. For the almkhuwa group, falconry is a way to savor a cultural tradition that celebrates the spirit of camaraderie in the desert.
In Arab falconry, the falconer pronounces the name of God before the bird or animal caught by his falcon. Falconers take their children into the desert and teach them how to control the falcon and develop a trusting relationship with a bird that is often part of the family. It is a long process that leads the falcon to recognize the falconer's voice. This process also includes learning skills such as feeding and carrying the falcon on the fist, or calling the falcon by spinning a decoy.
The falcons
Falcons are part of the falconidae family. In the wild, they can live up to 20 years, and a little less in captivity. The varieties prized by falconers are "hunters" and their choice depends on the prey that is targeted. In the Emirates, it is mainly the peregrine falcons that migrate from Siberia to the Arabian Peninsula at the end of the summer and that were trained to hunt, among others, the Houbara bustard. Falcons are equipped with large tapered wings, they are fast and capable of long flights of pursuit at high altitudes: they are used for this purpose in high-flying hunting. In this one, the practice of flight consists for the falconer to launch his falcon on a prey already in the air, which gives place to spectacular pursuits in the sky, in particular when the prey tries to take refuge on the ground, the falcon swoops down on it at more than 300 km / hour for the peregrine falcons. The raptor can also seize its prey in flight or throw it to the ground by hitting it violently with its talons. Their speed and skill are unparalleled. Today, wild falcons face new threats such as pesticides, uninsulated power lines, and habitat degradation and loss, all of which reduce their population. Falconers are working to maintain these populations nationally and internationally. For example, the Sheikh Zayed Bird Release Program, launched in 1995, will continue its efforts to reintroduce falcons into their natural environment in Asia. The program has already resulted in the release of more than 2,000 falcons. In Mongolia, a large-scale artificial nesting program for peregrine falcons, which will also support pastoralist communities, is being implemented with the help of the UAE and CITES agreement.
The place of falconry in society
The citizens of Ghent (Belgium) continue their tradition of celebrating the patron saint of falconers, St. Bavo (circa 600), every October in the cathedral. Falconers wear falcons on their fists, and are dressed in their traditional garb. They are actively involved in the mass, which is also considered the beginning of the hunting season. Multiple groups of hunting horn blowers dressed in their traditional costume as well as the cathedral choir produce musical interludes. This is a very popular event and the cathedral is full. After the celebration, a procession heads to the market square where every member of the community is invited to celebrate the event.
Falconry in the United Arab Emirates
Since 1978, hunting has been banned in the country, and it is illegal to catch falcons in the wild. It is estimated that 20% of the local population owns a falcon. They all come from breeding farms in Spain, Germany, Canada, to name a few. From autumn, at the beginning of the hunting season, trips are organized outside the territory to Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Morocco. The Emirates were the first country in the world to create a passport for falcons, to allow them to travel in a cabin with a special seat and to found the first hospital dedicated to the bird of prey, which is still the largest in the world. Today, it has become a real national sport encouraged by the sovereigns. In Dubai, competitions are regularly organized, such as the popular Fazza Championships for Falconry with its falcon races. Like all sportsmen, the birds of prey undergo several months of training before they can participate.
Among Emiratis, the falcon is associated with the values of camaraderie and courage. The practice of this sport allows them to keep alive the heritage and traditions of their fathers in a country that has been propelled in a few years towards wealth and the modern world. The falcon is present in all daily interactions: banknotes, ministry letterheads, highway number cartridges, on driver's licenses and on every page of Emirati passports. Falconry, far from dying out, is living a golden age.
