Falconry
Falconry is a traditional social activity practised by human beings since ancient times to communicate with nature; amateur and professional falconers rely on falcons to hunt their quarries in their natural habitats.
Falconry locally dubbed as sniping is a traditional sport favoured in the UAE and one of the most important features of the cultural identity and legacy of the country and in the Arab Gulf region. Emiratis practiced the hobby of their Arab ancestors in their deserts and used falcons to hunt, whether as a hobby at times or as a source of food at other times. They embarked on the sniping journey on foot or on camel back carrying sufficient provisions to survive on during the sniping journey. Falconry is an integral part of an ancient human heritage embodying the moral and spiritual relationship which has bonded humans and birds since ancient times.
History of Falconry
Excavations and historical sources show that falconry appeared since the early beginnings of human civilization And was also known in the Arab region, particularly in the Arab Gulf region, approximately 4000 years ago. Before Islam, Arab kings, including Al-Hareth Bin Mu'aweyah Bin Kindah, the King of Kindah, were the first to tame wild falcons for sniping purposes. The phenomenon of falconry later spread through Islamic expeditions to other people and nations, including Eastern Asia, China, and on to Japan and Korea. Falconry was practiced in Europe and North America.
Importance of falconry in the UAE
The high prominence of falconry or the sports of hunting with falcons in the UAE was emphasized by the first falconer the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who mentioned that "Hunting with falcons is an important sport and one of the means of teaching endurance, perseverance and strength. It is also a form of defeating rivals with intelligence and strength. It brings out the instinctive God-given ability of Bedouins to domesticate and discipline this bird of prey who would obey his master and respond swiftly to his call.
Prior to the inception of the UAE, the hunting hobby was a favourable opportunity for Sheikhs and rulers to encounter and communicate with tribesmen and to check on their status. Hunting was practiced during the day; at night, they all gathered around fire in a desert Majlis (assembly) visited by Bedouin tribesmen who came to sit near their Sheikhs and discuss whatever issues were on their minds and to propose ideas.
Did you know…
That the first conference on falconry was initiated by the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who called for the holding of the first world falconry conference and for preservation of nature in the city of Abu Dhabi in late 1976. For the first time, the conference brought together falconers from the Gulf and their counterparts in North America, Europe and the Far East.
Types of falcons
Types of falcons include:
- "The free falcon" has three types "Al-Kamel", "Al-Karmoushah" and "Al-Wari Al-Harrar"; these types of falcons are among the fiercest and the most hunger tolerant and enduring birds, whether on the ground or in the air.
- The Accipiter which is a genus of falcons prefers to live on shores and feeds on water birds. It is one of the fastest falcons while hunting and is therefore preferred to other types; its main types include "Al-kamel", "Al-Khamees" and "Al-Tab” falcons.