VietNamNet Bridge - Kham Phet Lao - a Mnong ethnic man from Ea Tu commune, Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak province - has presented more than 20 tools used to hunt and tame wild elephants to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

The tools - made from bamboo, rattan, animal horns, wax and buffalo leather - were also used in ritual practices that took place during the hunt.

The tools belonged to Khun Ju Nop (1828 – 1938) before being passed down to his son-in-law Ama Kong (1910-2012), who captured and tamed 298 elephants during his life and was named the Greatest Mahout of Vietnam.

The tools have not been used since 1992, when wild animal hunting was prohibited. Instead, they have been displayed to visitors at the house of Kham Phet Lao, the son of Ama Kong, as a vivid illustration of the role of elephants in the life and culture of the Mnong people and other ethnic minority groups in Dak Lak province and the Central Highlands Region.

Speaking at the presentation ceremony, Museum Director Vo Quang Trong said it was the first time the museum had received a collection from an ethnic minority donor. He also pledged that the museum would continue its research on the role of elephants in the hope of curating an exhibition for the public in the future.

 

 

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Mr. Kham Phet Lao (right) handed the exhibits to Dr. Vo Quang Trong, Director of the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology.

 

 

 

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The collection consists of over 20 tools that are used to catch, tame and control elephants. With this rudimentary kit, Ama Kong hunted 298 elephants.

 

 

 

 

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The bamboo tubes containing ritual objects and beeswax candles of elephant hunters. This kit was made in the early 19th century to the late 20th century, associated with the life of the Elephant Kings Khun Ju Nop (1828-1938) and Ama Kong (1910-2012) at the Don Village, Krong Na commune, Buon Don district, Dak Lak province.

 

 

 

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Ama Kong, his father and locals had to kill a lot of buffaloes to have enough skin to make such a coil of rope.

 

 

 

 

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The buffalo leather strap (left) is darker than the rattan rope (right).

 

 

 

 

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The iron tip of the greo stick that is used to control elephants.

 

 

 

 

 

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This horn with a long wax cord is still good after a dozen years. During their hunts of elephants in the jungle, hunters did not have time to stop to take water so they use this object to scoop water while still sitting on elephants.

 

 

 

 

 

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After catching wild elephants, the animals are chained with V-shaped stocks. When elephants are no longer afraid of humans and do not fight again anymore, they will be fed with sugarcane.

 

 

 

 

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A buffalo horn of Gru - the leader of the elephant hunting group. Through the horn sound, Gru can control 20-30 elephant hunters and tamed elephants.

 

Nhan Dan/VNE