Elephants are family members too
More than two months after the death of the "King of the Central Highlands Elephants" Dang Nang Long, we returned to Lak district. Unlike previous times, this time, Mr. Y Vinh E Ung (a M'nong ethnic group, residing in Lien Son town) looked sadder, thinner and much darker.
Y Vinh is one of the prestigious elephant trainers in Dak Lak province and always has special respect for Mr. Dang Nang Long.
To him, the "Elephant King" is not only an elder in the community but also a respected teacher who has devotedly taught him how to care for, train and understand the personality of elephants.
Elephant Kham Sen, 31 years old, has been with Y Vinh's family for the past 20 years. To him, Kham Sen is not just an animal but truly a member of the family.
He takes care of and trains the elephant with all his heart. Especially during the elephant's mating season from July to December every year, Mr. Y Vinh has to spend more time taking care of Kham Sen's health.
That is the sincere and deep affection that Y Vinh and the M'nong elephant trainers have for this special animal.
Mr. Y Vinh shared: "For the M'nong people, elephants play a very important role in life. If a family has an elephant that dies, the whole family cries and mourns."
"The death of an elephant is a major event, and the funeral is held as solemnly as for a human. While waiting for the grave to be dug, the women in the family will cry for many days," Mr. Y Vinh added.
According to him, once the land has been chosen and the grave dug, the family will choose the right time to bury the elephant. Before lowering the elephant's body into the grave, they will spread a mat and a brocade blanket at the bottom of the grave.
After the burial, people covered the elephant's body with another brocade blanket. On the ground, the family prepared a tray of food including bananas, sugarcane and the elephant's favorite dishes to send the elephant to the other world.
After that, the family will gather firewood, light a fire and stay by the elephant's grave for 7 days so that the elephant does not feel lonely. When this time is over, the elephant trainer will prepare another meal, invite everyone in the village to attend the ceremony, officially ending the funeral.
Suddenly, Mr. Y Vinh looked towards Kham Sen – the elephant that his family had raised for the past 20 years. He seemed to be worried, afraid that one day, he would have to take care of Kham Sen’s funeral.
Not only him, the two young children in the family also consider Kham Sen as an older brother, always there for them in times of joy and sadness.
Memorable memories with elephants
Mr. Y Vinh's most memorable memory with Kham Sen was the Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in 2023. When parading on the street, Kham Sen was sometimes tired and walked very slowly.
But when the program ended, knowing that he was about to go home, the elephant walked very quickly. When he arrived at his home in Lien Son town, Kham Sen was so happy that he continuously hit his trunk on the ground, as if to express his joy. To Mr. Y Vinh, this proved that elephants also have emotions and personalities like humans.
Mr. Y Vinh continued: “When the elephant is in heat, I have to separate it from the residential area and prepare enough food and water. At this time, elephants are very aggressive and can easily attack even the caretakers. However, if we raise an elephant and are attached to it, we must be close to it, understand its personality and know how to pamper it.”
“If the M’nong people who raise elephants are attacked or even killed, we consider it our karma. No one blames the elephants, but learns to accept it, because the love for elephants is always deep and sacred,” Mr. Y Vinh affirmed.
