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Khaizim Janerke - Eagle Huntress - 16 years old

Khaizim has a strong work ethic, taking care of her parents and learning the tradition of eagle hunting. Eagle hunting is traditionally passed down among male relatives. Female hunters are rare but there are no religious or cultural prohibitions against a girl who wishes to train and fly eagles. Khaizim started riding horses at age three and got her first eagle at age 10. Her outfit is made of furs of animals she hunted herself.

Grandfather and Child

Day-to-day tasks and chores are segregated: for instance, spinning and weaving are strictly female activities, while felting is deemed to be a trade that can only be performed by men. But one of the favorite activities for everyone is to take care of the children. The grandfather was playing with his grandchild, waiting for the siblings to get out of school. Their home was located 1 hour away by horse carriage.

Bolatbek - Eagle Hunter

For centuries Bürkitshi (eagle hunters) have been hunting with their eagles during the frigid winter months for subsistence and fur (foxes, wolves, and hares). Eaglets are captured from their nests high in rocky crevices. Only female birds are selected, as they ultimately grow to be larger than males, giving them an edge as hunters. The bond between hunter and bird is deep; she answers only to the hunter’s voice.

Eagle Release

After 7 to 10 years, the hunter releases his eagle back into the wild. As the eagle was trained to hunt, she will survive in the wild, find a mate, and live out the rest of her days, typically up to a decade. The release is an emotional ceremony and the hunter has to make sure that the eagle doesn’t follow him home.

Summer Camp

The Ger (also known as üy in Kazakh) is part of the Mongolian national identity. Even today a large share of Mongolia’s population lives in Gers, including in the capital, Ulaanbaatar. Ger means home. It is the place where people cook, store food, sleep, and share stories with neighbors and visitors. A basic wood stove, fed with cow paddies, keeps the inside warm – barely enough during the cold nights.

Siezbek and his Brother - Eagle Hunters

Perched on top of the mountain, the two brothers waited patiently. The only noise came from the wind and the eagles’ wing motion to keep their balance. When the prey was spotted, the hunter removed the eagle’s hood, allowing the eagle to see its prey for the first time. The wait was over. The eagle lifted her wings, and with one flap swooped down like a bullet. The second eagle was launched later as the first eagle missed the prey.

Ring Leader

At eight years old, she seems to have already gone through a full cycle of life. She takes care of all her siblings when her parents work in the field. She is the go-to person in this one street village, as other kids look at her for direction. Her exterior demeanor shows toughness, but the inside is tender and warm. On a subsequent trip I shared images with her and she thanked me with a big smile and laughter with her friends.

Mrs Thuji General Shop

This general shop is located in the middle of nowhere. However, it is a popular place, as it is also a bus stop. Right from the onset, I marveled at the setting. I felt like I was watching an opera. The villagers were the audience seated in their luxury boxes, the performing actors the two goats. The play could have been called “The Advent Calendar.”

Candle-lit Monk

Candlelight is an important element of rituals in all cultures and festivals around the world. In every culture light triumphs over darkness, and inspires miracles and hope. Candle lighting is a time of healing, reflection, contemplation, and meditation. The shrine next to the monastery contains hundreds of Buddha statues in red robes placed in niches along the walls of the corridors. Lighted with numerous candles, the shrine offers a holy atmosphere for the meditation activity of the monks.

Prayers at Mongar Boarding School

Boarding school provides opportunities for girls in remote villages to be educated. Without these schools, they would have an arduous trek to school, through jungle, mud, rain, and darkness six days a week, leaving very little time and energy for homework. They would also be subject to household chores at home. They were intrigued by my presence, but it didn’t deter them from their daily routine.

Farmers with Water Buffalo

Agriculture is a vital industry in China, employing over 300 million farmers. The government prides itself in providing food, shelter, and a good life to all its citizens. However, the reality is grim, as the younger generation would rather work in a factory then tend the land. Nevertheless, the elders work to keep the traditions alive.

Traveling to the Field

Over the years, the total length of highways in the region has increased from a few miles to close to 8,000 miles. But a lot of the roads are still unpaved and accessed mostly by horse-drawn carts. This family was traveling over 10 miles to reach their field. More than 90 percent of all farms in China are less than 2.5 acres, and the average farm size is among the smallest in the world.

Stepwell

Stepwells were built all over Northern India to collect water during the rainy season. Steps were built to access the water at any time of the year. Women worked like clockwork getting the water at the same time each day. Their pace walking down the stairs was brisk with their jar carried on their hip. On the uphill, they carry their jars on their heads.

Wood Gathering

Visiting the Yi region feels like stepping centuries back in time when mere survival was life’s greatest challenge. Intense manual labor fills most of the villagers’ day. Seasonal weather is becoming more unpredictable and natural catastrophes can wipe out an entire region. That day, this older man made five trips to the local forest to gather enough firewood, not just for his household but also for his aging neighbor. He walked over 20 miles, carrying over 200 lbs.

Kulzira and a Male Family Member

Kulzira was our cook. She understood our need for a balanced diet that is contrary to the Mongolian belief: “Meat is for men and grass for animals.” Several generations of families customarily live together in a nomadic camp known as Khot Ail (“group of yurts”). The camp, generally consisting of two to seven households, serves as a way of pooling labor for herding and hunting, and has numerous social and ritual functions.

She Ethnic Minority Weavers

I was in awe to discover the bond between the mom and daughter as well as their connection with their machine. The precision of the task was not deterred by the aging equipment. They worked in unison, the rhythmic noise was pleasing to hear. The quiet voice of the little girl added to the symphony.

God’s Rays

In Myanmar, parents want to give a good life and good education to their children. As life is truly harsh, they give their children up for adoption to monasteries, where they become monks. Their life then becomes dedicated to Buddhism with daily prayers, food gathering, and focus on respecting others. As an outsider, I felt that their life is like a Swiss clock, regulated, with a heart beat that never stops and never surprises. The murals were critically damaged during the 2016 earthquake. The Temple has been closed since.

The Hunt at Altai Soum

Western Mongolia’s Altai region is one of the most remote spots on the planet. Few roads traverse this massive area, and the high icy peaks of the Altai Range bordering Mongolia, Kazakhstan, China, and Russia form an impenetrable wall that keeps all modern encroachments at bay. Traveling through this region at minus 10F in early November made me wonder how the hunters survive the harsh winter.

Morning Ritual

Rain or shine, the monks gather on the main square to start the day with meditation. The combination of the celestial sky, the light in the monastery, and the dedication of the monks was mesmerizing. The silence was powerful. Monks of the Buddhist religion practice meditation for enlightenment through inner awareness and experience, with the hope of helping others and understanding the “true nature of our lives.”

School children

Gross National Happiness can’t be taught; it just exists as the core value of the people. These young girls were thrilled to display their joy of being. The scene became even more meaningful as I was witnessing the interaction between them. The older girls acted as pillars to the younger girls, not just physically by also spiritually.

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