Province
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Falconry Festiral
| It is said that: "As a man controls his falcon, so he controls his territory." In the Northern Borders Province this age old tradition is still handed down from father to son as a lesson in patience and authority |
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Originally, falcons and saluki dogs were hunted together to supplement the poor diet of the desert people.
Falcons arrived in Saudi Arabia when they were on their migration route in the winter months. They were trapped, and trained to hunt. At the end of the season, the falcons were released again as there wasn't any opportunity for hunting in the hot Saudi Arabian summers.
Falcons have long, slim wings which taper to pointed tips. In flight the wings angle back at the 'wrists' and wing beats are rapid. Falcon bodies are sleek; they have very round heads and long, narrow tails. Most falcons have noticeable patterns on their faces, such as the two cheek "sideburns" of the kestrel. The female (as in all hawks) is larger and more powerful than the male.
When soaring high in the sky, they can spot any movement of the prey more than a mile away. Their sharp prehensile claws and dagger-like beak make it almost impossible for the prey to escape. Falcons range from 38 to 48cm in size. Well cared for falcons can live for 15 years or more.
When not hunting, falcons feed on pigeons and chicken. They only need water about once a week in the winter because they get water from the blood of their prey. Falcons molt during summer, and within a month they get new feathers.
Training a falcon to hunt is a time-consuming business, since the falconer keeps his bird with him at all times during the training period, which lasts about two to three weeks. Training equipment known as "furniture" consists of; jesses (subuq) which are attached to the bird's ankles; a perch (wakir) on which the bird sits; and a hood (burqa) placed over the bird's eyes when it is not working, to keep it quiet.
The falconer swings a lure (tilwah) around his head. The lure consists of a bundle of feathers. When the falcon lands on it she is rewarded with a piece of meat. Eventually the falcon learns to return to the lure each time she is released. The falconer wears a glove (dass) over his wrist to prevent the bird's sharp claws from hurting him.
In autumn 1425H (2004G), a Falcon Festival was organized at Hazm al Jalamid east of Ar'ar, and attracted over 8,000 visitors to the province from other places in the Kingdom and Gulf States.
The festival involved different activities including; judging the beauty of the animals; the best and fastest hunter; and the fastest falcon to return to its owner when called over a distance of two kilometers.
The festival lasted three days and was very successful. One thousand visitors were expected and eight thousand attended. Feedback from falconers who participated in the festival was very positive and they would like to see it organized on a regular basis |
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