The Shortlist of the Alfred Fried Photography Award 2015
The Kazakhs of Mongolia
…the open spaces, the big skies, the grasslands, the wind, the mountains, the clouds, the golden eagles and their songs. These are their words for peace ."
In the remote region which borders Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China live the last remaining men who hunt with eagles. For centuries Kazakh nomads have roamed the steppe since the days of Genghis Khan. Their ability to hunt with eagles was remarked upon by Marco Polo. The advance of the Russian empire into Kazakhstan two centuries ago swelled their ranks and, when the modern borders were drawn, the Kazakhs found themselves cut off from their homeland and left with little choice but to settle on the arid, wind-scoured plains and foothills of the Altai mountain range of western Mongolia. The golden eagle is a perfect predator, capable of killing a wolf, with a wingspan reaching two metres, beaks built to rend flesh and talons that kill prey instantly by piercing the heart. They look noble, distinguished, just like their masters. And their eyesight is amazing, exponentially better than a human’s, and they seem to burn with a real intelligence and ferocity.
“The golden eagle is like no other bird,’’ one hunter told me . “They want to be with you. They love you. And they love to kill for you. When the time comes to let them go, it’s the hardest thing a man can ever do.’’
I have spent five years working on this story. Returning to their lands from my home in Hong Kong. It is for me the most peaceful place on earth. Far away from the troubles of our world. When you talk to the men and ask them what they like about their home, they will tell you they love the open spaces, the big skies, the grasslands, the wind, the clouds, the golden eagles and their songs. These are their words for peace.
…the open spaces, the big skies, the grasslands, the wind, the mountains, the clouds, the golden eagles and their songs. These are their words for peace ."
In the remote region which borders Russia, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and China live the last remaining men who hunt with eagles. For centuries Kazakh nomads have roamed the steppe since the days of Genghis Khan. Their ability to hunt with eagles was remarked upon by Marco Polo. The advance of the Russian empire into Kazakhstan two centuries ago swelled their ranks and, when the modern borders were drawn, the Kazakhs found themselves cut off from their homeland and left with little choice but to settle on the arid, wind-scoured plains and foothills of the Altai mountain range of western Mongolia. The golden eagle is a perfect predator, capable of killing a wolf, with a wingspan reaching two metres, beaks built to rend flesh and talons that kill prey instantly by piercing the heart. They look noble, distinguished, just like their masters. And their eyesight is amazing, exponentially better than a human’s, and they seem to burn with a real intelligence and ferocity.
“The golden eagle is like no other bird,’’ one hunter told me . “They want to be with you. They love you. And they love to kill for you. When the time comes to let them go, it’s the hardest thing a man can ever do.’’
I have spent five years working on this story. Returning to their lands from my home in Hong Kong. It is for me the most peaceful place on earth. Far away from the troubles of our world. When you talk to the men and ask them what they like about their home, they will tell you they love the open spaces, the big skies, the grasslands, the wind, the clouds, the golden eagles and their songs. These are their words for peace.
