04:56The Salbuurun hunting festival took place in the Kyrgyz village of Bokonbaevo in the Issyk-Kul region, as participants demonstrated their spectacular skill hunting with golden eagles, dogs, horses and bows, in footage taken on Saturday.
According to festival participant Aitbek Sulaimanbekov, the event disciplines included hunting with golden eagles and taigans, as well as archery, helping visitors to immerse themselves in the traditional lifestyle of the nomadic Kyrgyz people.
"The Kyrgyz were a nomadic people, they had no weapons. Thanks to hunting with golden eagles, taigans, and bows they survived. They fed their families, made clothes for themselves from the skins of captured animals," Sulaimanbekov explained.
Festival organiser Almaz Akun said that the idea of the event was to 'reveal the essence' of Salbuurun to visitors from other countries.
"August is a hot season for tourists from all over the world. We want to show the culture and heritage of Salbuurun, to show the essence of this culture to our guests. This is the first time that we have organised Salbuurun specially for tourists," he said.
Spanish tourist Herman noted that few countries still truly observe their traditions like Kyrgyzstan does.
"I like it a lot because I feel this is real - not only for foreigners and for tourists. I think they really do that… they still do these things, right? They still hunt with eagles, you know that. So that is what I am trying to find. Because, you know, there are now many countries that have traditions they do not do anymore. And they are still doing them for foreigners. So it is really difficult to find now a country like Kyrgyzstan," said Herman.
This year’s Salbuurun festival was held on August 3, featuring exhibitions of taigans, hunting birds, traditional bows and hunting trophies, as well as local artists and craftsmen and performances of local folklore and an archery competition for guests.
'We want to show the culture, heritage of Salbuurun' - Kyrgyzstan welcomes tourists to unique hunting festival
The Salbuurun hunting festival took place in the Kyrgyz village of Bokonbaevo in the Issyk-Kul region, as participants demonstrated their spectacular skill hunting with golden eagles, dogs, horses and bows, in footage taken on Saturday.
According to festival participant Aitbek Sulaimanbekov, the event disciplines included hunting with golden eagles and taigans, as well as archery, helping visitors to immerse themselves in the traditional lifestyle of the nomadic Kyrgyz people.
"The Kyrgyz were a nomadic people, they had no weapons. Thanks to hunting with golden eagles, taigans, and bows they survived. They fed their families, made clothes for themselves from the skins of captured animals," Sulaimanbekov explained.
Festival organiser Almaz Akun said that the idea of the event was to 'reveal the essence' of Salbuurun to visitors from other countries.
"August is a hot season for tourists from all over the world. We want to show the culture and heritage of Salbuurun, to show the essence of this culture to our guests. This is the first time that we have organised Salbuurun specially for tourists," he said.
Spanish tourist Herman noted that few countries still truly observe their traditions like Kyrgyzstan does.
"I like it a lot because I feel this is real - not only for foreigners and for tourists. I think they really do that… they still do these things, right? They still hunt with eagles, you know that. So that is what I am trying to find. Because, you know, there are now many countries that have traditions they do not do anymore. And they are still doing them for foreigners. So it is really difficult to find now a country like Kyrgyzstan," said Herman.
This year’s Salbuurun festival was held on August 3, featuring exhibitions of taigans, hunting birds, traditional bows and hunting trophies, as well as local artists and craftsmen and performances of local folklore and an archery competition for guests.
The Salbuurun hunting festival took place in the Kyrgyz village of Bokonbaevo in the Issyk-Kul region, as participants demonstrated their spectacular skill hunting with golden eagles, dogs, horses and bows, in footage taken on Saturday.
According to festival participant Aitbek Sulaimanbekov, the event disciplines included hunting with golden eagles and taigans, as well as archery, helping visitors to immerse themselves in the traditional lifestyle of the nomadic Kyrgyz people.
"The Kyrgyz were a nomadic people, they had no weapons. Thanks to hunting with golden eagles, taigans, and bows they survived. They fed their families, made clothes for themselves from the skins of captured animals," Sulaimanbekov explained.
Festival organiser Almaz Akun said that the idea of the event was to 'reveal the essence' of Salbuurun to visitors from other countries.
"August is a hot season for tourists from all over the world. We want to show the culture and heritage of Salbuurun, to show the essence of this culture to our guests. This is the first time that we have organised Salbuurun specially for tourists," he said.
Spanish tourist Herman noted that few countries still truly observe their traditions like Kyrgyzstan does.
"I like it a lot because I feel this is real - not only for foreigners and for tourists. I think they really do that… they still do these things, right? They still hunt with eagles, you know that. So that is what I am trying to find. Because, you know, there are now many countries that have traditions they do not do anymore. And they are still doing them for foreigners. So it is really difficult to find now a country like Kyrgyzstan," said Herman.
This year’s Salbuurun festival was held on August 3, featuring exhibitions of taigans, hunting birds, traditional bows and hunting trophies, as well as local artists and craftsmen and performances of local folklore and an archery competition for guests.