Today's Edition
Batool Ghaith (Abu Dhabi)
Emirati heritage took centre stage as Al Ain International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (AAIHEX) opened on Wednesday, showcasing the nation’s deep connection to nature, the desert, and the traditions that have shaped its identity.
Among those proudly carrying this legacy forward is Rashed Al Mansoori, whose family has long been passionate about falconry, camel racing, and traditional hunting. For him, hunting is more than a sport — it is a way of life, handed down through generations from ancestors who once relied on it for survival.
“Hunting had been the main source of food for our ancestors, their families, and even for their entire community,” Al Mansoori told Aletihad in an interview during AAIHEX, which runs until November 30.
Falcons were their only tool for hunting, he said. “My grandfather and father used to tell me stories from when they lived in the desert, noting how the falcon was their main source of sustenance. They hunted rabbits and houbara, and whatever they caught, they would share among families.”
Back then, camels and horses were more than symbols of heritage, they were essential for transport and survival.
Al Mansoori’s grandparents, who lived near Qasr Al Hosn in Abu Dhabi, used to migrate with the seasons. “In winter, they would go to Liwa to harvest dates and tend to their livestock. In summer, they returned to the coast for fishing,” he added.
Over the years, these routines, practices, and traditions evolved: camels and horses started competing in races and falconry transformed into an organised sport, Al Mansoori said.
Today, that same passion continues to be nurtured and passed on to younger generations.
“I have camels and falcons, and I teach my kids how to care for them. This year, I got them their first falcon and taught them how to carry it, train it, and hunt with it,” he said.
This involvement keeps his children grounded in their Emirati roots, helping them embrace and take pride in their heritage. ”We let each child name a camel or a falcon. When their animal wins a race, they get excited and proud, and that excitement connects them deeply to our culture,” Al Mansoori said.
Raised in the world of falconry, the Emirati knows the traditional tools of the sport by heart.
The burga (hood) is made of cowhide and covers the falcon’s eyes to keep it calm, while the leather strap, called a subuq (jess), is tied to its leg and connected to the marsel (leash), Al Mansoori explained.
Falconers carry everything in a small traditional bag called mikhla. In the past, they would use the tilwah, a lure made of bird wings, to recall their falcon if it missed its prey.
Then, technology came into the picture and changed “everything”, Al Mansoori said. “Falcons are now trained with drones or wing-shaped gliders. There are even GPS trackers where we can track the falcon’s location, speed, and altitude directly on the phone. It is amazing how far we have come.”
He pointed out that while innovation made falconry much better and easier than before, its essence remained the same.
For him, the deeper meaning behind falconry and hunting lies in the values they teach: patience, resilience, and respect for nature.
“Our ancestors depended on falcons and salukis for food security,” he said. “They would travel for days hunting rabbits or gazelles just to feed their families. It was hard work that required courage and endurance. These are values we must continue to teach our children.”
