Biography:
Vidhyaa is an Indian documentary photographer based in Abu Dhabi, UAE, her work mainly focuses on issues or empowerment related to women & girls. Her goal is to capture an unexplored UAE, a world of new relationships, new chances, new...
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Ayesha Al Mansoori is head trainer at the Abu Dhabi Falcon Club. In 2017, she began offering free falconry classes for women and within a year, more than 50 women had signed up. Al Mansoori says that Emiratis do not need modern gadgets like binoculars to trace their birds during hunting session: 'Our DNA is all about the desert and falcons.'
The UAE's female falconers regularly come together in the evenings to meet and train their birds, developing friendships and sharing knowledge in the process. From left to right, Mariam Al Hammadi, Emam Al Hammadi, Khawla Al Hammadi, Osha Khaleefa Al Mansoori and Ayesha Al Mansoori.
In the winter, Ayesha Al Mansoori spends most of her time with her falcons. 'Female participation in falconry used to be about supporting the men – preparing them for the desert and for hunting, while the women took care of the family. Also, the roughness of the terrain in the desert made it impossible for women to go on hunting trips with falcons in ancient times. Now things have changed.'
Afrah with her falcon during a rabbit hunt. Falconry is a multi-million-dirham industry. Like camel racing, women have traditionally been almost completely absent from this heritage sport, but things are changing in the UAE.
Ayesha and her student discuss family matters after falcon training , with camp fire , food cooked with camp fire and hot karak served to all.
From ancient days, Falconry is not just hunting for food , which connects , strengthen the relationship. Abu Dhabi,UAE , Vidhyaa for The National
Osha Al Mansoori trains her falcon Yas, learning tips and tricks from her mother Ayesha. Osha says that she loves spending time with her falcons and that Yas is like her little brother.
Ayesha Al Mansoori drives with her falcon during a training session. Falconry is not a easy sport, and requires passion, patience and physical toughness, she says. In the past, this has hindered women from joining the Abu Dhabi Falcon Club, but in the last three years, interest in the sport has blossomed. Al Mansoori hopes to train many more women and girls in the years to come.
Food being prepared by Afrah Al Mansoori aunt of Ayesha after training session at the remote desert and the falcon rest in the perch at Abu Dhabi, UAE. This is photograph reflect traditional way of cooking in the desert which reflect Bedouin life and right side sophisticated car rim shows modernized of Abu Dhabi but falcon travels in Emirati life, past ,present and future. Vidhyaa for The National
Ayesha and Osha Al Mansoori walk with their falcons in the Abu Dhabi desert at twilight. Their shared love of falconry creates a strong bond between the mother and child.
"Ayesha is breaking stereotypes and training expatriate and Emirati women in the art of falconry"
For the past two years, i witnessed as falconry has shifted from being a purely male-dominated sport.
For thousands of years, falconry has been a male-dominated sport, but this is slowly changing. In 2017, Ayesha Al Mansoori began offering free training classes for women at the Abu Dhabi Falconers’ Club. Within a year, more than 50 women had signed up. “It’s important to promote it as a sport and emphasise the role of women,” Al Mansoori says. i spend past two years documenting these female falconers, following them into the desert around Abu Dhabi and capturing the candid moments that unfolded as they honed their skills.
“Female falcons are used for hunting because they are larger and more powerful than the males, and yet, historically, most falconers were men,”
“Throughout history, falconry was transferred from generation to generation, from fathers to sons, but now this is slowly changing in the UAE. The transfer of skills has altered from mother to daughter.”People have been practising falconry in the UAE for 4,000 years, primarily for hunting. Four years ago it was included in Unesco’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It is a pastime that continues to unite families and communities – a thread that connects the country’s past, present and future.
“My goal is to use my camera to capture an unexplored UAE, a world of new relationships, new chances, new beginnings and, most importantly, new stories,”
