Tunisia's El Haouaria celebrates the "prince of the skies"

2009-06-17

Hundreds of falconers arrive in El Haouaria city every year to compete to find the fastest falcon.

By Mona Yahia for Magharebia in Tunis – 17/16/09

[Mona Yahia] Falconry is the centre of local culture in El Haouaria on the Tunisian coast.

The Tunisian city of El Haouaria wrapped up the 43rd annual falconry festival on Sunday (June 14th).

The four-day event, considered a trademark of the region, involves a contest to hunt by falcons and sparrow hawks.

"The festival, which has an ecological and cultural dimension, is part of customs and traditions that have been jealously handed down to us," said Chedli Jlidi, head of the festival.

It is a long-awaited event that the city of El Haouaria prides itself on. It is a time to celebrate the falcon, known to locals as the "prince of the skies".

Every year, the city of El Haouaria, located at the extreme tip of the Cap Bon region, hosts hundreds of hunters and bird trainers to compete over capturing quails using falcons, and partridge bobwhite quail using sparrow hawks.

The fastest is named the winner.

In the city itself, there are 150 falconers and only eight sparrow hawk breeders.

Right after the festival, breeders set the birds free to migrate to the opposite shore of the Mediterranean – El Haouaria is only 140 kilometres from Sicily.

The city welcomes visitors with a large statue of a falcon at the city entrance. Residents take to the streets to welcome visitors and showcase their birds. Almost every family in the city owns a bird.

"It is a wedding, in the full sense of the word, and a chance to attract tourists and bring the region to life," said resident Tarek.

The city is also a crossover for many birds migrating from Africa to Europe. For bird fans, it is a wonderful location for bird watching, in addition to the hunts.

During the festival, local musical bands entertain the visitors and tourists, who come to enjoy watching skilled birds and winning trainers.

Hunting with falcons is subject to very strict rules. Only people over 18 can own falcons. They must be members Bayazera Association, which was established in 1976 and has about 400 members. Hunting takes place in groups of eight or 10, each with one falcon.

"This is a hobby that I learned from my grandfather," said Fathi Bel Haj Amor, a hunter. "We raise falcons and train them for twenty days, give them a home in our own houses, and feed them. Then we use them to hunt quail before setting them free."