Ceremony praying for elephants’ health signifies bond between human and animal

After preparing offerings for the ceremony, organisers covered the elephants' backs with brocade. The mahouts then rode the elephants to the ceremonial area. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

The commence the ceremony, a shaman holding a dried gourd led a group of people carrying the offerings from Don hamlet's communal house. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

Behind the shaman were his assistants carrying offerings, straw liquor jars, and sacrificial pigs. There were also gong players, xoang dancers, Don hamlet's officials and residents, and tourists. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

(Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

People gathered around an empty lot near Bay Rong wharf to prepare for the ceremony. Gong players and xoang dancers began to play music, while others prepared the straw liquor, and arrange the offering trays. The trays consisted of 3 straw liquor jars, and 3 male pigs, each weighting 30kg. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

After the preparations, sham Y Han Bkrong began the wharf worshiping ceremony. The Mnong ethnic minority's worshiping ceremony consists of 3 parts: worshiping ancestors, the wharf, and a thanks giving ceremony. The shaman was responsible for every steps in the ceremony, after which he began chanting beside the straw liquor jars. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

(Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

The group of people then moved to the riverside, where they continued their ceremony in marked spots to give thanks to their water god for the fresh water, bumper crops, and prosperity. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

The most anticipated part of the ceremony was praying for the elephants' health. The ceremony was held for 7 elephants in Krong Na commune, and signified the bond between human and animal to educate people to love and care for the elephants. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

(Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

After the ceremony, people in the commune enjoyed straw liquor to the joyous sound of gongs and xoang dance and shared an jovial time together. (Photo: H Xiu/VOV)

Ceremony praying for elephants’ health signifies bond between human and animal

14-03-2023 18:47

(VOVWORLD) - A ceremony praying for elephants’ health is part and parcel of Don hamlet’s annual Elephant Race Festival in the Central Highlands province of Dak Lak. On the day before the festival, which opened on Sunday this year, a ceremony praying for the elephants’ health was held at Bay Rong wharf in Krong Na commune, along side the wharf worshiping ceremony.