Falcons, hunting and UAE tradition at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, and Sheikh Ammar bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, right, at the Qasr Al Hosn Festival. Rashed Al Mansoori / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Women demonstrate traditional handicrafts during the opening day of the festival. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Citizens participate on the opening day of the Qasr Al Hosn Festival. Philip Cheung / EAA

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, visits ‘The Story of Abu Dhabi & its people’ exhibition on the opening day of the Qasr Al Hosn Festival. With him are Sheikh Zayed bin Mohamed, Sheikha Fatima bint Mohammed, Sheikha Salama bint Mohamed and Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chief Executive of Aldar Properties. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed visits an exhibtion on the opening day of the festival. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Festivities marked the opening day of the Qasr al Hosn Festival. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed at an exhibition on the opening day of the festival. Seen with him are Mohammed Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chief Executive of Aldar Properties, and Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed. Ryan Carter / Crown Prince Court - Abu Dhabi

Members of the Abu Dhabi Police cut an impressive figure. Silvia Razgova / EAA

The Qasr Al Hosn Festival is the perfect place to learn how falcons became such an essential part of the local culture and came to feature so prominently as a national tradition. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Members of the public take photographs with one of the hunting birds from the Al Ain Zoo after the Sky Show on Wednesday. Delores Johnson / The National

Dancers perform the yola at the opening of the Qasr Al Hosn Festival. The festival runs until February 13. Delores Johnson / The National

The fourth annual Qasr Al Hosn festival runs from February 3 -13 in Abu Dhabi. Philip Cheung / EAA

Students from the UAE’s universities at Qasr Al Hosn on Wednesday. The young men and women are acting as cultural ambassadors for the festival. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Apart from cultural activities and traditonal arts and crafts, visitors this year can witness a unique light show and various interactive exhibitions. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Festivities marked the opening day of the Qasr al Hosn Festival. Silvia Razgova / EAA

Women demonstrate traditional handicrafts during the opening day of the festival. Silvia Razgova / EAA

ABU DHABI // Falconry has been central to the Emirati way of life for generations, and it remains as popular as ever in the sporting landscape of the UAE.

The Qasr Al Hosn Festival is the perfect place to learn how falcons became such an essential part of the local culture and came to feature so prominently as a national tradition.

Dr Zubair Medammal is a falcon researcher from the zoology department at the University of Calicut in Kerala, India.

“I am the only non-Arabic member of the Emirate Falconers Club in Abu Dhabi,” Dr Medammal said. “I have a PhD in falcons and have been researching them for 21 years, partly at the Sheikh Zayed Falcon Hospital, to research how these beautiful birds are used for hunting and training.”

He is working on a documentary on his work, in Arabic and English, that will include footage from the festival.

“The forefathers of the UAE saw a falcon hunting while they were travelling in the desert by camel,” Dr Medammal said.

“They saw how the bird would catch much larger birds like a duck; rabbits or even a small gazelle, so they knew it was very clever.

“They then trained them up as hunting birds for their own use and they have been part of the culture ever since.”