Buon Don Ethnic Traditional Cultural Festival was opened on March 11th with ceremonies on praying for river wharf and elephants’ health as a part of the 7th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival which was expected by the majority of visitors.

Elephants are waiting for a ceremony on praying for their health  
            

As the main subjects of the Festival, elephants participating in the Elephant Racing will be prayed for their health. The praying ceremony for elephants’ health is highly appreciated by local people. The shaman must be the good and reputable ones who well know the local people’s traditional customs. The ceremony’s offerings consist of tube wine, pork, pigs’ heads and blood which have been well prepared for the shaman to invite the Yang, god of mountain, god of river to witness the ceremony. In the busy gong language, the shaman asked name of each elephant, offered the pig's head, and then put pig’s blood and tube wine on the elephant's head and reads vows to pray for Yang and gods to bless elephants healthy.

A shaman and offerings to pray for elephants’ health

For centuries, elephants have been considered a symbol of the Central Highlands. Elephants hunted and tamed by Gru (valiant men hunting elephants) have become family members of Ede, M’nong, Jarai ethnic minorities. Elephants share daily work with their owners or replace them to do the heavy work. Hence, the ceremony on praying for elephants’ good health shows people’s love and respect for animals, therefore regarding people to care and protect the elephants.

A shaman sprays blood and wine on elephant’s head and prays to gods for its health

Previously, the wharf ritual also was organized aiming to thank to water god for giving clean water and good health for people in the village. Simultaneously, they wish water god to continue bring better luck in the next year.

The traditional cultural festival of ethnic people in Buon Don district was held to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of ethnic minorities in Buon Don District in particular and in Dak Lak in general with many unique activities such as: river wharf worshipping ritual, praying ceremony for elephants’ health, god worshipping ritual, a contest for musical instrument producing, knitting, weaving and the Central Highlands wooden statue carving contest; Gong cultural festival, folk songs, folk dances, traditional musical instruments and costumes performance.

Outstanding activities took place during Buon Don Ethnic traditional cultural Festival 2019

Apart from the mentioned activities, Buon Don Elephant Racing had several interesting activities: restoration of hunting and taming wild elephants; elephant beauty contest, football match and race, etc.

The Festival was officially opened in the evening of March 11th, 2019 at the festival center of Krong Na commune, Buon Don District.