Traditional long house is a typical feature in Ako Dhong village. (Photo: daktip.vn) Dak Lak (VNA) - Only two kilometres northof Buon Ma Thuot city, Ako Dhong holds the hidden beauty of atraditional village of the E De ethnic group.
We were amazed to find a traditional villagestill thriving in a modern city.
In the past, Ako Dhong was nothing butforests. The village patriarch Ama H’rin was the first personto reclaim the area and turn it into a new land for the EDe ethnic community in 1956.
The tiny village used to have only three longhouses that housed 10 families. Since 1975, villagers have beenbuilding households and a village school.
Now, the 55ha village has around more than 100households and around 3,000 people who make a livingfrom brocade, ruou can (wine drunk out of a jar through straws)and handicraft products.
According to the Ede, “Ako” means upstreamand “Dhong” means valley.
This is easy to explain as the village lies atthe head of Ea Nuol Dtream.
The village has a peaceful vibe, and the roadsare clean and spacious. In front of each long house is a garden with manytrees.
Long houses are part of the architecture of theE De people. They are an embodiment of the matriarchy and placeswhere cultural and spiritual values of the E De people are preserved.
These houses, on stilts, are builtfrom wood and bamboo. They are long enough to house many people, andresidents here seldomly build new houses to replace the oldones. Instead they just expand the existing structures to make spacefor new family members.
One of the most imposing and beautiful longhouses in the village belongs to H.Linh Nie, and cost 3 billion VND(130,400 USD).
Nie is the owner of several hotels andrestaurants in the village, but her love for tradition made her invest in thetraditional long house.
“Nothing is as happy or warm as living ina traditional long house,” said Nie.
Coffee is the major crop for Ako Dhongvillagers, with plantations stretching 26 hectares and providing a stablesource of income.
Spring is the best time to visit Ako Dhong, whenall the flowers are in bloom.
We also had the chance to talk about thelocal gong culture with artisans and listen to songs about wildhigh mountain and thick forests.
The unique tombs also intrigued us.People here think that when they die, their souls will live on and go onto live in a better world. Statues are carved to pave the way,symbolising the ultimate joy of the living and the dead.
The last place we visited was Arul Café. Itis a popular destination not only for tourists but also for Buon Ma Thuotcitizens who love the peaceful space and E De culture.
As an intriguing and untouched minority village,Ako Dhong has been selected to become a community-based tourism spot inDak Lak province.
“Buon Ma Thuot city is setting up a detailedproject and invest infrastructure, with support to renovate long houses, andresurrect traditional festivals to put the village on the tourism map fordomestic and international visitors,” said Vo Tien Dung, head of the Divisionof Culture and Information of Buon Ma Thuot city./.
We were amazed to find a traditional villagestill thriving in a modern city.
In the past, Ako Dhong was nothing butforests. The village patriarch Ama H’rin was the first personto reclaim the area and turn it into a new land for the EDe ethnic community in 1956.
The tiny village used to have only three longhouses that housed 10 families. Since 1975, villagers have beenbuilding households and a village school.
Now, the 55ha village has around more than 100households and around 3,000 people who make a livingfrom brocade, ruou can (wine drunk out of a jar through straws)and handicraft products.
According to the Ede, “Ako” means upstreamand “Dhong” means valley.
This is easy to explain as the village lies atthe head of Ea Nuol Dtream.
The village has a peaceful vibe, and the roadsare clean and spacious. In front of each long house is a garden with manytrees.
Long houses are part of the architecture of theE De people. They are an embodiment of the matriarchy and placeswhere cultural and spiritual values of the E De people are preserved.
These houses, on stilts, are builtfrom wood and bamboo. They are long enough to house many people, andresidents here seldomly build new houses to replace the oldones. Instead they just expand the existing structures to make spacefor new family members.
One of the most imposing and beautiful longhouses in the village belongs to H.Linh Nie, and cost 3 billion VND(130,400 USD).
Nie is the owner of several hotels andrestaurants in the village, but her love for tradition made her invest in thetraditional long house.
“Nothing is as happy or warm as living ina traditional long house,” said Nie.
Coffee is the major crop for Ako Dhongvillagers, with plantations stretching 26 hectares and providing a stablesource of income.
Spring is the best time to visit Ako Dhong, whenall the flowers are in bloom.
We also had the chance to talk about thelocal gong culture with artisans and listen to songs about wildhigh mountain and thick forests.
The unique tombs also intrigued us.People here think that when they die, their souls will live on and go onto live in a better world. Statues are carved to pave the way,symbolising the ultimate joy of the living and the dead.
The last place we visited was Arul Café. Itis a popular destination not only for tourists but also for Buon Ma Thuotcitizens who love the peaceful space and E De culture.
As an intriguing and untouched minority village,Ako Dhong has been selected to become a community-based tourism spot inDak Lak province.
“Buon Ma Thuot city is setting up a detailedproject and invest infrastructure, with support to renovate long houses, andresurrect traditional festivals to put the village on the tourism map fordomestic and international visitors,” said Vo Tien Dung, head of the Divisionof Culture and Information of Buon Ma Thuot city./.
VNA
