From Vision to Excellence

Desert Traditions: The Falconry Heritage of the Arabian Peninsula

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Falconry Heritage Wing

The Archives of Falconry at The Peregrine Fund’s

World Center for Birds of Prey
Boise, Idaho, 2006
In memory of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al Nahyan,
(opposite) master falconer and conservationist.

Published September 2007

 Introduction
This album traces the development of Desert Traditions: The Falconry Heritage of the
Arabian Peninsula from an idea to reality. Desert Traditions is a permanent exhibition
installed in the new wing of The Archives of Falconry at The Peregrine Fund’s World
Center for Birds of Prey in Boise, Idaho.

The exhibit is the result of creativity, determination and organization on the part
of a dedicated, international team working toward a common goal. The result is a
memorable, visually engaging exhibition that introduces the long history and cultural
importance of Arabian falconry to an American audience and illustrates the legacy of
Sheikh Zayed, late President of the United Arab Emirates; an ardent falconer and
visionary leader in the field of conservation.

This album reflects the vast amount of work that went into the creation of the exhibit.
As these photographs show, it was well worth the great effort.

“Sheikh Zayed is a legend whose legacy

continues to live on among us all.”
HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

The exhibit was made possible by the generous contributions

of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed (opposite), son of the late
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.
The Archives of Falconry
5668 West Flying Hawk Lane · Boise Idaho · 83709
United States of America
Ph. 208-362-8256
Table of Contents

The Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

The Creative Concept . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Research Trip to Abu Dhabi . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

Expanding the Building . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

The Pieces of the Puzzle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19

Installation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

It All Comes Together . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

International Preview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

The Team . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 49

Visitors’ Comments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

Thank You . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52
Mohamed Al Bowardi
The Vision (2005)
Showcasing falconry’s Arabian legacy
This exhibit came about because of friendships in the international falconry
community – a community which knows no political boundaries.

In 2003, His Excellency Mohamed Al Bowardi, the Managing Director of Abu Dhabi’s
Environmental Research and Wildlife Development Agency and a falconer himself,
donated an authentic, traditional Bedu hunting tent to veterinarian and falconer
Ken Riddle for use by the North American Falconers Association at a field meet.
After the meet, Dr. Riddle donated the tent and all its contents to The Peregrine
Fund’s The Archives of Falconry (TAF), where it became the foundation of the Desert
Traditions exhibit.


 During a visit to Abu Dhabi in 2005, S. Kent Carnie, TAF’s Founding Curator and
Archivist, and Frank Bond, a Founding Director of The Peregrine Fund and then Vice-
President of the International Association for Falconry and the Preservation of Birds
of Prey, presented a proposal for an exhibit that would properly display the tent and
depict the legacy of Arabian falconry at The Archives of Falconry.

In July 2005, Mr. Al Bowardi, on behalf of the Office of the Crown Prince, responded
with a generous grant to build a new exhibit wing. The project was off and running.

“Sheikh Mohamed’s support for the construction of this wing at TAF was both extremely generous
and very astute. TAF is unique in the world, the only facility dedicated totally to the preservation of the
physical evidence of the history of falconry worldwide. Visited by scholars and scientific researchers
as well as falconers – not to mention the interested public – what better showplace to remind us all
of the tremendous debt falconers from the four corners of the globe owe our Arab brethren.”

Kent Carnie, Founding Curator and Archivist, The Archives of Falconry

Frank Bond, a Founding Director of

The Peregrine Fund S. Kent Carnie, Founding Curator and Archivist,
The Archives of Falconry

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan

The new wing was named The Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan Memorial Arab
Falconry Heritage Wing to commemorate Sheikh Zayed’s exemplary role in world
falconry and conservation.

“Around the world, falconers have been at the forefront of the conservation movement. Sheikh Zayed,
an avid falconer, has been an inspiration in this regard. He was among the first to address species
conservation holistically, looking at the land and its people as well as wildlife at risk. In communities
where Sheikh Zayed initiated conservation programs, the sport of falconry has clearly benefited all
residents. For these efforts, Sheikh Zayed will be recognized and remembered internationally.”

HE Mohamed Al Bowardi

 Victor quickly sketched the ideas that became the foundation of the exhibit.

The Creative Concept (January 2006)
Coming up with the idea
It took a team effort — a team with members in three countries with as many as
twelve time zones separating them — to come up with a concept for how visitors
would experience the exhibit. Kent Carnie of The Archives of Falconry, Hanan Sayed
Worrell from the Office of the Crown Prince and Ron Pears, Victor Chorobik and Andrea
Petrovic from the exhibit design firm of AldrichPears Associates braved the cold of
Boise in January to talk about the goals of the exhibit, the stories it should tell, and
what visitors should look at and do there.

“We wanted to create an oasis of

a different world and demonstrate
the culture and traditions of Arabian
falconry that form the roots of
Western falconry.”

Andrea Petrovic, exhibit designer

AldrichPears Associates

Andrea, Victor, Hanan and Kent at

The Archives of Falconry in Boise

Kent, Andrea and Ron


 Illustrating the exhibit
Once the exhibit concept was developed, it was time to start working out the
details. One challenge was to consider both eastern and western perspectives.
The exhibit had to be authentic from the Arab perspective, but clear and
appealing to western visitors.

Photos, books, websites and video as well as personal experience were

sources of inspiration and information.

The design team at AldrichPears Associates in
Vancouver, Canada worked with Kent and Hanan to
illustrate each element of the exhibit and to define the
messages and images that would appear on graphic
panels and in audio-visual programs.


 The Bedu, as a nomadic culture, rely on an oral
tradition so it is a challenge to find traditional
reference material, especially in English! They
also seldom keep used items, so it can be difficult
to find historic artifacts, even recent ones.
Because of this, we were very excited to come
across this collection of silver antique jewellery.

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Research Trip to Abu Dhabi (March 2006)
Looking for artifacts
Although The Archives of Falconry had the Bedu tent and some artifacts to fill it, more
objects were needed to flesh out the story of Arabian falconry. Hanan, Kent and Ron
Pears, having met in Abu Dhabi, went out into the desert to the Burami Oasis to seek
antique artifacts that would help visitors better understand the Bedu culture to be
interpreted in the exhibit.

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 Researching the story
Desert Traditions: The Falconry Heritage of the Arabian Peninsula is not focused
purely on the past. Much of the exhibit is dedicated to looking at what is happening
in the Arabian falconry community today. The conservation of falcons, their prey and
habitat are all key parts of that story.

Examination room at the Abu

Dhabi Falcon Hospital.

Dr. Margit Muller in the operating room at the hospital.

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 While in the UAE, Hanan, Kent and Ron visited state-of-the-art falconry facilities to
learn more about current issues and technologies. Many of the facilities they visited
were established by Sheikh Zayed, whose vision of conservation has inspired a
generation of falconers. They also visited historic sites.

Kent and Dr. Olivier outside the Touring historic sites.

National Avian Research Center.

Ron at the Arabian Saluki Centre.

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Expanding the Building (April 2006)
A new wing was built to house the exhibit.
Despite difficult winter weather conditions, the construction crew of Perkins
Construction, Inc., the general contractor, persevered and the building was ready in
time. The new addition, designed by Maxey Tookey Architects, blends seamlessly
into the existing building.

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 The last brick...

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Once the new wing was built, the construction
team opened the wall between the existing
archives and the new space.

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The Pieces of the Puzzle (May 2006)
Building the exhibit
Once the building construction was underway and detailed drawings of the exhibits
were completed, the work of turning drawings into reality began. Specialists took on
different aspects of the work: model-makers started carving, artists painted, editors
cut film clips, graphic designers found perfect images… It took a big – and dedicated
– team of people working on individual pieces to craft a final product that gives shape
to a common vision.

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 Nicky and Kristiana Weseloh in the editing room.
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 Audio-visuals
North Shore Productions scripted, produced and edited all the audio-visual pieces
in the exhibit. Nicky Silverstone and Rory Banyard flew to the UAE in the hot summer
months to research existing video and to shoot original footage.

“Working with video professionals from EAD

and Abu Dhabi Television was great; it was good
to see that the shared language of filmmaking
trumps any other language barriers.”

Rory Banyard, executive producer

Mohamed Al Raai filming in the desert.

“One of the high points of the trip for me

was holding a falcon on my wrist.”

Nicky Silverstone, producer

The film team with Dr. Margit Muller at the

Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital.
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 Custom artwork
The exhibit features custom paintings, photographs and calligraphy.

Mohamed bin Yahya, calligrapher

of the original Koranic verse.

Xavier Eichaker spent hours

in the desert waiting for
the light to be just right to
shoot the desert mural.

The large banners that portray falconers at rest and

releasing a falcon were painted on special paper, digitally
scanned and then printed onto the scrim fabric.
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The elegant portrait of Sheikh Zayed is a
commissioned original in oil, painted by Roland
Van Merbeck. This artist has been painting
Sheikh Zayed and the Al Nahyan family for more
than 30 years.

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 Creating these pieces was a labour-intensive and painstaking process.
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Model-making
The model makers at Pacific Studio carved and painted intricately detailed models
of falcons, houbara and a saluki for the exhibit. The accuracy of these models, all
carved by artist-craftsmen who had never seen a live falcon, much less a houbara,
has astounded the falconers (the most exacting of critics) who have since viewed the
exhibit. The model makers worked from photographs, illustrations and life models.

The Pacific Studio team also sculpted

realistic models of the three men inside
the tent. In fact, the men used as models
(at left) for the tent scene are Emirati
students at the University of Oregon who
volunteered their time and travelled to
Seattle to pose for the model makers.

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 Exhibit graphics
The team at AldrichPears worked with Hanan and Kent to select the perfect words
and images to tell the story of falconry in the Arabian Peninsula. Multiple drafts of
text were written and reviewed. Images, new and old, were considered – only a few
were just right, including several famous images by the well-known British explorer
Wilfred Thesiger.

Hanan, Amani and Laila looking at

images in Abu Dhabi.

Arabian Falconry Heritage

The tradition of falconry in the Arabian Peninsula
reflects its peoples’ open society and connection to the desert

SCAN

Falconry brings people together

Traditional falconry expeditions led by the
rulers included many falconers from all walks
of life. These multi-week hunts allowed people
to speak and interact freely with their sheikhs
and show their courage, bravery and gallantry.
Falconry formed an important part of the
region’s social fabric. It has helped foster
relationships among individuals, tribes and
The peoples of the Arabian Peninsula nations, and build discipline, endurance and
respect for nature.
The relationships among the three groups of
inhabitants in the Arabian Peninsula created
a rich and diverse society. Urban dwellers lived
along the coastal trade routes. Semi-nomadic
herders and farmers settled in desert oases. SCAN
© Pitt River Museum, University of Oxford / 2004.130.22143.1

The nomadic Bedu (Bedouin) lived deep in

the desert. Distinctions between the three
have blurred with modern times, but the Bedu
are still considered the purest Arabs. Their
values of honor, bravery, generosity and
protection of the weak are the foundation
of modern Arab society.
Falconry is an ancient tradition
in the region
Arabian caliphs (rulers), amirs (princes)
and tribal sheikhs have hunted with falcons
for thousands of years in an unbroken
tradition. The Arabian falconers’ passion
for this tradition evolved from their deep
understanding of the desert and its wildlife
and their respect for the nobility, speed and
bravery of falcons. Falconry in Arabia is
a way of life and a tradition that embodies
a heritage of ethical conduct.

Anasabina Espana and Alix Noble looking at

images at AldrichPears in Vancouver, Canada.

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 Mashrabiah
All the mashrabiah panels covering windows and forming the bases of the audio-
visual kiosks were especially commissioned for this project and handmade at the
artisan workshops of Nadim in Cairo, Egypt.

Mrs. Hind Nadim, owner of the

mashrabiah workshop, with Hanan
during an inspection

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 Sourcing Artifacts
Hanan selected a number of hand-crafted artifacts from the region to fill out the
exhibits and create a more richly layered presentation of Bedu arts and culture.
Baskets, jewelry and a dagger are showcased in the tent. Large rugs cover the floor
of the tent, just as they would have in the desert.

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Artifact Case Layouts
Once the artifacts arrived at Pacific Studio in Seattle, Andrea from AldrichPears worked
with the fabrication team to determine the best way to display and secure them.

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 Coordination was really important
With so many different people working on the exhibit, communication was paramount.
To make things even more challenging, team members were located all over the world.
This project was truly international in scope, and it took incredible organization to
keep everyone coordinated.

Hanan’s timely approval of

all the contracts, budgets
and payments kept all our
efforts moving.

Pacific Studio’s website helped everyone stay on the

same page. Pink/red: don’t call. Yellow: call only if
absolutely necessary. Green: OK

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Paperwork for houbara

The stuffed houbara were accidentally shipped to

Washington DC instead of Seattle, Washington (state)
and were subject to strict CITES import regulations.

The rifles never made it because of federal import regulations.

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 Installation is much more than snapping cases into
place. Everything from photo murals to videos to
artifacts and lighting needed to be carefully placed
and secured.

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Installation (October 2006)
Time crunch
As the building completion dates slipped, the exhibit team got nervous – would we be able
to install everything before invited delegates from an international falconry conference paid
a visit on November 20, 2006? We faced the unpleasant prospect of over 150 international
falconers descending upon The Archives to view an incomplete exhibit!

“Haste is of the devil but deliberation is from God.

That which is done well is done soon enough.”

An old falconer’s expression often quoted by

Kent, who received last-minute changes and time
pressures with calm, cool composure, obviously
Pacific Studio worked around the clock to have everything based on many years of patience as a falconer.
installed and ready in time. Some components had to be
finished on-site, like these fortress walls which needed to be
plastered and painted by hand.

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 The crew taking a yoga break.

Everyone lent a hand – this photo shows a

very rare specimen, the Marc Burns (Pacific
Studio’s Business Development Director),
encased for safety.

Hanan pitching in.

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 The life-like models and portraits
on transparent scrims bring the
exhibits to life.

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It All Comes Together (November 2006)
The finished product
The resulting exhibit is an outstanding-quality, world class display that honors the legacy
of Sheikh Zayed and depicts the story of Arabian falconry respectfully and engagingly.

“Based on the life and influence of HH Sheikh Zayed

bin Sultan, first president of the United Arab Emirates,
the exhibits lead the visitor from traditional Arab life
in the desert under a goat hair tent to modern-day
veterinary clinics and elaborate breeding facilities,
showing how western technology has transformed
the ancient sport in ways an older generation could
never have imagined.”

Prof. Tom J. Cade, Founder and President, Emeritus,

The Peregrine Fund

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 Bedu tent
The tent is the icon and centerpiece of the exhibit. Stepping into the tent is like stepping
into another time and place; visitors can take seats on richly woven cushions, listen
to music and conversation and examine artifacts typical of desert life.

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Images, from the large-scale desert mural to
smaller photographs of falconers on the hunt,
help visitors envision what the hunt is like in the
Arabian Peninsula today.

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Multi-media experiences
Visitors look through windows into the world of
Arabian falconry – all the artifact cases are shaped like
traditional windows and filled with intriguing objects.
Audiovisuals, graphic panels, models, artwork and
immersive environments, such as the tent and an
Arabian passageway, provide many things for visitors
to see and do.

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 Arabian design
Window shapes, carved wooden
mashrabiah panels and plaster wall
finishes give an impression of an
oasis town, and create an Arabian
atmosphere without overpowering
the space.

This hallway forms a transition from the main

archives facility into the exhibit itself. It features
traditional forms and shapes inspired by Arabian
arches and entries to give visitors cues to the content
of the new exhibit.

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International Preview (November 20, 2006)
The first visitors arrive
The exhibit opened just in time for the visit of the international falconry meeting
conferees. More than 150 falconers from some 34 countries attending the 37th Annual
General Meeting of the International Association for Falconry and Conservation of Birds
of Prey convening in Kearney, Nebraska came by chartered plane to visit the exhibit.
They were more than impressed – and their comments were more than positive!

News coverage was international. The exhibit was

recorded in the American, European and Arabian
press and has been featured in both International
Falconer magazine and BEIZjagd.de, a German
falconry magazine.

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 Hanan Sayed Worrell, Project Manager,
Office of the Crown Prince and Karl-Heinz
Gersmann of the Deutscher Falkenorden.

“The new Arab falconry wing at The Archives of Falconry, World Center for Birds of Prey, is a unique
and outstanding exhibition of traditional and contemporary Middle Eastern practices of a sport that
traces back to the dawn of history… The Arab Wing also stands as a symbol of that brotherhood of
falconers that knows no political boundaries and places men and women from all walks of life on
an equal footing.”

Prof. Tom J. Cade, Founder and President, Emeritus, The Peregrine Fund
46
“Well thought out and authentic. It does justice to the
long rich history of Middle Eastern Falconry. It was as
though I were there!”

William F. Johnston, Vice President, Americas I.A.F.

(International Association for Falconry & Conservation
of Birds of Prey)

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The Team
The international team worked well together
The success of this exhibit is a tribute to international cooperation. Each team
involved, from concept to completion, consisted of true professionals who took
their demanding responsibilities in stride. The key was keeping in touch. There were
countless meetings via phone, email and “live” – including those all-important dinner-
table meetings.

”The team was highly motivated, professional, maintained a high

level of interest and commitment and persevered through numerous
revisions to text and graphics and timelines, to produce a perfect
exhibit that was true to the Arabian heritage as well as engaging to
the western visitor, both falconers and non-falconers.”

Hanan Sayed Worrell

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 A number of experts generously contributed their time and knowledge.

Dr. Margit G. Muller, Manager, Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital

Dr. Olivier Combreau, Director,

National Avian Research Center (NARC)

Dr. Kenton E. Riddle (left)

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Visitors’ Comments
“Sheikh Zayed embodies and epitomizes the falconer-conservationist of the twentieth century
with his foresight to promote raptor conservation while continuing the magnificent Arab falconry
tradition. His son, Sheikh Mohammed, honors his father’s legacy with this very special Memorial
Wing which splendidly presents falconry and conservation in the Middle East.”

Frank M. Bond, President, International Association for Falconry and Conservation Birds of Prey
and General Counsel, North American Falconers Association

“To have a unique and such well put recreation of Arab falconry as the Sheikh Zayed Wing provides
visitors from inside and outside the USA with an accurate vision of rich Gulf falconry traditions,
helping in a better understanding of different cultural backgrounds. My congratulations and
recognition to all those who have made this outstanding exhibition possible.”

José Manuel Rodríguez-Villa Matons, Vice President, Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania, I.A.F. and
President, Falconry and Birds of Prey Commission, C. I. C.

“It is wonderful to find an oasis of Arabian falconry out here in Idaho. Sheikh Zayed has reached out
a hand of welcome to falconers all over the world.”

Dr Nick Fox , Director, International Wildlife Consultants and Founding Director,

Falconry Heritage Trust

“In March 07 I visited The Archives for the first time. Having viewed the history of our sport up close
and personal, and being blown away by the significance of the new Sheikh Zayed Wing; along
with annual trips to our national parks, the Archives will be on the must see list for all the Perkins
kids and grand-kids. Every falconer of sound mind and body should plan a pilgrimage to the place
where our history is kept!”

Darryl A. Perkins, President, North American Falconers Association

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 Thank You
A job well done
Desert Traditions: The Falconry Heritage of the Arabian Peninsula is a unique exhibit.
It is a success thanks to the dedication, commitment and talent of the many individuals
who helped nurture it from vision to reality.

Crown Prince Court – Emirate of Abu Dhabi Emirates Center for Wildlife Propagation – Morocco
HE Mohamed Al Bowardi, Undersecretary Frederic Lacroix, Head of Center
Hanan Sayed Worrell, Project Manager
Dr. Ken Riddle, Sr. Veterinarian The Peregrine Fund, Inc.
William A. Burnham, Late President
The Archives of Falconry J. Peter Jenny, President
S. Kent Carnie, Founding Curator and Archivist
Exhibit Design
Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi AldrichPears Associates
Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Secretary General Ron Pears, Principal
Nabil Zakhour, Head of Media and Publication Victor Chorobik, Design Leader
Amani Essa, Lead Graphic Designer Andrea Petrovic, Project Manager and Designer
Mohamed Al Rai, Cameraman, Media and Publication Alix Noble, Writer and Researcher
Anasabina Espana, Graphic Designer
Emirates Falconers’ Club
Majid Ali Al Mansouri, Chief Executive Exhibit Fabrication
Pacific Studio
National Avian Research Center – Abu Dhabi Steve Smith, Project Manager
Dr. Olivier Combreau, Director Marc Burns, Business Development Director
Xavier Eichaker, Consultant
Audio Visuals
Abu Dhabi Falcon Hospital North Shore Productions
Dr. Margit Muller, Director Rory Banyard, Executive Producer
Nicky Silverstone, Producer
Center for Documentation and Research – Abu Dhabi
Dr. Abdulla Abdul Kareem Al Rayes, Director General Emirates Media
Salma Al Mansouri, Manager Documentation Department Mohammad Al Khalidi
Photographer for the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan
Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority
Mubarak Hamad Al Mehairi, Director General Architecture
Maxey Tookey Architects
Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage Harvey J. Maxey, Principal
Mohamed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Director General
Mohamad Amer Al Neyadi, Director of Historic Environment Construction
Mariam Harib Al Daheri, Senior Guide Museums Perkins Construction, Inc.
John H. Perkins, Principal
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