A car pulled up in front of us with an all-star cast inside: an eagle, two hunting dogs, the eagle hunter's son, and the eagle hunter himself. At that moment I knew this would be the most unforgettable day of the trip.
Eagle hunters are hard to find
The Kyrgyz are a nomadic people, and some of them are skilled hunters. While researching before the trip, I read about the "eagle hunters" who train golden eagles and hunt alongside them. In Kyrgyz they're called berkutchi, from berkut, the golden eagle.
But finding one is really hard. To our surprise, on this trip arranged by Bek and Ruby, they had actually got in touch with an eagle hunter, and he drove over to meet us himself!
The second generation, and the third still learning
This hunter is the second generation of his family to practice eagle hunting, and this time he brought his youngest son. The boy is learning from his father, and once he has mastered it, he'll become the third generation.
Between authority and tenderness
The hunter made his entrance holding the eagle, dressed in a suit embroidered with eagle-hunter patterns and carrying a bow and arrows. The eagle stood on his thick leather glove, an imposing sight.
On the eagle's head was a hood like the "Sorting Hat", so it wouldn't look around and waste energy before the hunt.
"With an eagle, you have to make it understand your authority, but also let it know you care for it. Your own mood matters a lot too: if you always treat it with bad feelings, the eagle will treat you the same way."
One whistle, and it dives
The most stunning part was the hunting demonstration. The hunter took out a fox fur as a mock prey and whistled. The eagle shot into the sky, then dived fast and grabbed the fur with precision: its speed and power were astonishing.
After catching its "prey", though, it just stared at the hunter with a cute, blank look, and only let go when he offered a piece of meat as a reward.
Our turn to hold the eagle
We put on traditional clothes and thick leather gloves and let the eagle stand on our own hands. Its weight and presence made a deep impression, and when it spread its wings, my jaw dropped.
A bond that glows
The feeling built up over years between hunter and eagle, the trust slowly growing between the eagle and the son, and a father's hopes for his son: all of it let us feel a powerful bond. Just like in a comic, it seemed to glow.
Tang Hong-an's and my Kyrgyzstan trip was arranged by Bek and Ruby. For the best way to travel Kyrgyzstan, you can't go wrong with them!
