Ibrahim is the most famous falconer in Akqi. His family has been training eagles for generations, and his generation is the seventh. In spring, I came to Aheqi County, Kizilsu Kirgiz Autonomous Prefecture to visit the famous eagle hunter and listen to his talk about the agreement between the Kirgiz and the eagle. ...
Can't untie the eagle's feelings
The Falcon Competition in Sumutash Township, Akqi County is over. People are still trying to evacuate from the valley, and the expression of excitement is still on their faces. I followed Ibrahim to his house. The room is clean, beautiful Kirgiz embroidery is hung on the wall, and the red mattresses are neatly folded.
The 62-year-old Ibrahim is dark and not tall. He took off his gown and sat on the edge of the kang, twisting his moustache thoughtfully. He covered the eagle eye with a funny little fur hat, and the fierce falcon suddenly lost its light and became honest.
Ibrahim generously asked me to take a photo with his red-legged Mao Ying. I put on thick horsehide gloves with trepidation, and my red leg hair stood on my arm, weighing more than ten kilograms! I asked Ibrahim, "Aren't you tired of driving with such a big guy on your arm?" He pointed to the saddle-an iron shelf was installed on the right side of the saddle, just enough to support his arm. "Why not just tie it to the shelf?" "Then it won't kiss its owner." Ibrahim shook his head.
Kirgiz people are closely related to eagles. For thousands of years, the place where they lived was called "the hometown of falcons". In the era without guns, people tamed fierce eagles to hunt for themselves, and a good falcon could support a family. In the past, the price of an eagle was higher than the dowry of a Kirgiz girl. Even now, keeping an eagle is a luxury. To get an eagle training certificate, 500 yuan should not mean that this guy can eat 2 pounds of meat every meal, and it must be fresh.
Once upon a time, in order to protect wild animals, the country explicitly banned the release of eagles, and the eagles at home were released. During those two years, Ibrahim said that he seemed to have lost his soul: "My temper is also bad, and I feel like something is missing."
Two years later, eagle hunting was lifted because it was known that it was a unique folk custom of Kirgiz people for thousands of years and needed to be protected and passed down. Ibrahim stroked his eagle contentedly: "You have to look at it every day to be practical." With the eagle, Ibrahim is happy and healthy. "Meat, for the eagle to eat, I am willing to suffer a little!"
LESSON XX
Up to now, Ibrahim has domesticated 23 falcons. He captured them, tamed them, and finally made them his close companions.
At the age of 28, Ibrahim had his own falcon. Before that, he witnessed his father catching falcons in various ways countless times. Sometimes several people go to the high cliff together to distract the eagle, then tie the waist with a rope and cooperate with each other to take the eagle away from the nest. The female eagle lays eggs in May, the baby eagle hatches in July and August, and the hunter catches the baby eagle in September. Kirgiz people and eagles have an agreement: they never take this precious bird of prey into the nest, but always quietly take their favorite young eagle home for domestication.
However, Ibrahim likes to catch adult eagles, because eagles domesticated since childhood are not only not magnificent enough, but also wild. Ibrahim preferred to conquer those fierce adult eagles. "The eyes are yellow, the claws have white lines, and there is a pinch of white hair on the neck!" Ibrahim pointed to his red leg hair and said. This aggressive guy used a piece of fresh mutton as bait and was caught in a rope a few months ago. Ibrahim said unhurriedly, "A good falconer needs three qualities: hobby, stability and strength, and all three are indispensable."
It is not easy to tame a raptor weighing 12kg. Kirgiz people divide eagles into three tribes, and each tribe is divided into 12 small tribes. Eagles of each tribe have different personalities, some are docile, some are irritable, some are agile ... Only by figuring out the different personalities of these guys first can we tame them better.
The eagle that was taken home first poured water into its mouth with a reed tube to wash its stomach, and then put it on the arm of the falconer for five days and five nights to kill its wildness. Whenever the eagle is sleepy, he hits it on the head with a wooden stick. This can also make the eagle gradually adapt to its master and eventually become dependent. A few days later, let the exhausted eagle swallow the meat wrapped in leather. Because the leather can't be digested, it will be spit out the next day, and at the same time bring out the excess fat in the body to achieve the purpose of "slimming". After three to five breaths, when the eagle loses some weight, the indoor falconry training is over.
Before outdoor falcon training, it is necessary to sew the feathers of the eagle's tail so that it can't fly high; Then use a live rabbit tied with a rope as prey and let the eagle dive down from the air to eat. After a while, take off the thread from the eagle's tail, tie a long rope on the eagle's leg, and catch the prey under the control of the falconer like flying a kite. After a period of training, the eagle will become a falcon.
Since he got his first falcon at the age of 28, Ibrahim has repeatedly explored falconry until the sixth eagle met a good partner. This eagle is fierce and agile. Under Ibrahim's command, it swooped down from the air like lightning, catching antelopes, foxes and rabbits for the master ... Since then, Ibrahimovic has been very confident. Standing in his arms is always Archie's best falcon.
Some people can't tame the eagle after three years, so they have to ask Ibrahim for help. The master is really amazing. It's only been three months, and the disobedient eagle has to give up. "Eagle, ChiRuanBuChiYing, good for it? Get close to it by feeding and cultivate feelings. " What others think is incredible, Ibrahimovic simply explained it. Perhaps the secret between him and the eagle will not be understood by outsiders. It was an understanding and tacit understanding between Kirgiz and eagle after a long time.
No one should change anyone
In the past, eagles hunted for human beings. Now, people no longer need falcons to work. However, the Kirgiz people's love for the eagle generation cannot be broken. Eagle training has become a pastime and fun. As long as the eagle stands in his arms, the life of Kirgiz men will be full of vitality, just as men on the grassland are obsessed with beautiful horses and men in the city yearn for beautiful cars.
But he has to let go anyway.
After five years of "service" for the master, the falcon will return to the sky and regain its freedom. This is another agreement between Kirgiz and Eagle.
"Reluctantly, also want to let go? Let it go back to have children, live a free life, and when it wants to eat meat, just catch rabbits and eat them by itself, and never give them to me again ... "Ibrahim mumbled in a casual tone. Red leg hair sharp eyes shot at him, two pairs of eyes looked at each other, with the meaning of outsiders don't know.
The eagle is soaring in the sky. The fierce and noble creatures on this plateau may never have thought that a story would happen to a human on the ground; Or maybe it has long known that thousands of years of intimate feelings with the Kirgiz people are rolling in its blood and will eventually make them meet again.
Red leg hair stood on Ibrahim's arm, and Ibrahim shook his arm and gave the password. It soared, but found no prey. It doesn't understand, and immediately wakes up: this is to let the master go by himself! A little excited and a little sad. It circles around its owner's head and makes a clear cry. This is farewell.
Ibrahim cast a glance at the sky and rode away. He knows that the eagle has its own way to go, and he wants to live his own life. None of them should change anyone. In this way, they silently abide by the agreement on the plateau and live in harmony.