Elephant Race Festival in Central Highlands

An old man of the Gia Rai ethnic group in the Central Highlands city of Buon Ma Thuot in Daklak Province is waiting to control elephants at an elephant race festival. He is one of the handlers in the festival.

After a salvo from tu va, horns made into musical instruments, the elephant handlers call others to take their elephants to the racing ground, standing in a row at the starting point. The leading elephant stands in front, whirling his trunk and nodding his head in greeting the spectators. The tu va signals the start of the race and the elephants rush forward amidst the cries of the spectators.

The first mahout uses an iron stick, a kreo in the M’Nong language, to speed the elephant. The second mahout beats the elephant with a wooden hammer called a koc to ensure its speed and to keep it in the right line.

The Elephant Race Festival takes place in springtime, normally in the third lunar month (about April). It reflects the martial spirit of the M’Nong people in particular, and that of the Central Highlands people in general.

Tourists at the festival have a chance to become part of the boisterous atmosphere, listening to the echo of gongs and watching the spectacular performances of the elephants from the Central Highlands forests.

(Source: SGT)