Each year Kazakh hunters in Bayan-Ulgii province join
the renowned Golden Eagle festival with their trained Golden
Eagles, known as Berkut (Burged in Mongolian), to enter them into
competitions testing speed, agility, and accuracy. Ceremonies,
dance performances, traditional Kazakh games, a parade in the
provincial capital’s city square, and a Kazakh play in honor of the
hunters and their eagles.
Bayan-Ulgii is the westernmost province of Mongolia bordering
with Russia and China. The province is well known for the majestic
Altai Mountains as well as being the home to the Kazakh nomads, who
sought a sanctuary and came to join Mongolia in the early 20th
century. The Kazakh nomads have their language, distinct culture
and traditions.
This annual Mongolian festival, which celebrates the Golden
Eagle as well as the hunters’ traditional culture, is arranged by
the local Kazakh community and members of the Berkut Association, a
community-based conservation organization. Next year the Golden
Eagle festival is on 1-2 October.
