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When Harry Sweppenheiser saw the movie “The Eagle Huntress” at the Dietrich Theater’s Winter Film Festival in 2017, he was utterly charmed — by the images of a soaring eagle, the sweeping vistas of Mongolia, and the true story of teen-age Aisholpan Nurgaiv, whose father taught her to carry on the family tradition of training an eaglet.
“Every aspect is incredible,” he said. “The culture, the people, the country, the subject matter — it grabbed me.”
It all grabbed hold so firmly that Sweppenheiser, 72, of Monroe Township, decided he had to visit Mongolia, the least densely populated country in the world.
While he was there in September 2018, he was able to meet Aisholpan and her family and even hold her eagle, whose name translates to White Feathers.
“Unbelievable,” he said of how well the trip worked out.
At 10:30 a.m. Saturday at the Dietrich Theater in downtown Tunkhannock, Sweppenheiser will present “Discovering Mongolia With Harry,” sharing his memories, photos, and a movie he made about his two-week trip. Admission is free.
Sweppenheiser, who is retired after 29 years with Procter & Gamble in Mehoopany, arranged his Asian adventure through Blue Silk Travel of Shaker Heights, Ohio, which was founded by Mongolia native Saranzaya Baatar and her husband, Jonathan Khoury.
“When I talked to the vice president, Jonathan, and told him I’d love to go to the eagle festival (where Aisholpan had won a prestigious competition), he said his wife’s family knows Aisholpan’s family.”
That set in motion the eventual highlight of the journey —the visit with Aisholpan’s family, who live as nomads for three quarters of the year.
“Saranzaya suggested we could meet them for lunch and her father said they’re so remote we might as well stay for two days,” Sweppenheiser said in a telephone interview, explaining the family welcomed nine visitors from Blue Silk Travel, including tour guide Maya Lkhagvasuren.
“Thank God for her,” Sweppenheiser said, explaining the guide studied in England and was adept at translating the host family’s Kazakh language into English.
Among the thrilling aspects of the trip, Sweppenheiser said, he had the chance “to ride a camel in the Gobi Desert and go horseback riding on the steppes. I’m still reeling.”
“I owe all this to the theater,” added Sweppenheiser, who may be the Dietrich’s most avid movie goer, with 1,188 films as of Wednesday. “You can sit here and travel the world.”
