The eagle hunters, who are typically male, share a strong bond with their birds of prey. For example, they feed off of each other emotionally, according to another burkitshi: “If my eagle feels bad, I feel bad,” he explained. “If she’s happy, I’m happy. When we go to the mountains, we share everything together.”
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The eagle hunters allow tourists and visitors to witness their ancient practice, which helps support them financially. The Golden Eagle Festival, for example, takes place in the Bayan-Ölgii province every year in October, and it also serves as a way for the Kazakhs to present their culture to others and pass down their heritage to their children and grandchildren.
The Kazakhs have been using eagles for hunting for thousands of years. There are cave paintings from the Bronze Age that refer to falconry, and Genghis Khan reportedly…
