I have been thinking about Mongolia, golden eagles, and the art of training them to return or when to set them free. Why? Well, when I would travel back and forth to Singapore or pass through Singapore on my way to /from Australia, there was a commercial on the Singapore Airlines entertainment screen. It was for a bank, and it featured this ancient tradition. It was beautifully shot and the sound design of the commerical was powerful as it really captured the landscape, the horses, the culture, and the tradition. There was a reveal at the end of the commercial. A Berkut flew away from one of the Berkutchi and the only person that appeared to be able to get the eagle to return was the only person (a younger person, potentially a female) who wasn't allowed to join the men on the hunt in the opening moments of the commercial.
This commercial stuck with me. The imagery, the tradition, and the message. I was always confused by it and what it had to do with the bank. I always was left wondering, so what are we supposed to think. There is power in heritage and history, but you should always be open to new ideas/people/ways of doing things? Is it about being surprised at who might have the skills to also be able to call back the bird, so don't leave out the younger people? Who is the bank in the story? Alas, I am not sure.
What the commercial was effective in delivering in me is a fascination in the Berkutchi and Berkuts. Typically, the hunters capture a golden eagle from the nest, and select the female as they are more aggressive, bigger and stronger in the hunt. The bird and its trainer work together for years to build trust with each other. When ready, the Berkutchi takes it to hunt. This relationship can last for 20 years until the moment when the Berkutchi decides it is time to release the golden eagle back into the wild. It is a sign of respect to let them go and live in freedom. In fact, in August and September there are Eagle Hunting festivals in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgzstan whereby hunters showcase their birds of prey.
I have been thinking of that moment. They hunt a bird of prey, take it from its nest, train and build trust for 20 years (keeping it to themselves), then "respectfully" release it into the wild to be free. What does the Berkut think? Is the Berkut okay in the wild after all that time? Is there a transition plan? Who is representing the needs of this bird?
It's just been on my mind lately.
