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.
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.
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.
