Falconry as a shared heritage of the Turkic world: Turkish folklorist places third at Kazakhstan's Kansonar tournament

Turkish folklorist Dr. Nedim Mutlu Kızılbuga took third place in the falcon category at the Kansonar 2026 tournament in Kazakhstan. In the contest on 20–21 October, Temirali of Karaganda won and Yerlan of Kokshetau was second. On 9–10 October Kızılbuga had already won the “Best Traditional Costume” award at an event in Bozanbay.

In an interview with QHA he called falconry one of the oldest traditions shared across the Turkic world. In his view it is more than a hunting method: training a bird of prey, the master–apprentice bond, traditional terminology and oral knowledge are all part of the heritage. Birds of prey are said to have been trained for about 4,000 years, and written sources mention hunting animals from the Huns onward.

He noted that falconry appears in Turkic epics such as Oghuz Khagan, Dede Korkut, Manas and the Bashkir Cengiznama. Terms differ from people to people — the Kazakh “tuğur” corresponds to the Turkish “tünek” (perch), and “karşığa” to “çakır”.

Kızılbuga began fieldwork in Kazakhstan in 2022 and wrote his doctorate at Ege University's Institute of Turkic World Studies on eagle hunting, which is listed as intangible cultural heritage in Kazakhstan. He proposes an annual international falconry competition hosted by a different Turkic state each year, wider media coverage, and spaces where master falconers can pass knowledge to younger people.