"The ethnic groups of the Central Highlands" is a publication with images and content distributed scientifically, elaborately and extremely carefully about 11 ethnic groups living in the Central Highlands for a long time including: Ba Na, Brau, Chu Ru, K'ho, E De, Gia Rai, Gie, Trieng, Ma, M'Nong, Ro Mam and Xo Dang living in 5 provinces: Kon Tum, Gia Lai, Dak Lak, Dak Nong and Lam Dong in Vietnam. It is known that this book is a continuation of two previous works by editor Nguyen Van Ku and Dr. Luu Hung: Central Highlands Tomb House (The World Publishing House, 2003) and Central Highlands Communal House (The World Publishing House, 2006, 2017).
Cover of the book "The Central Highlands Ethnic Groups"
With 475 photos and explanations and introductions about traditional culture, nature and typical customs and lifestyles (each ethnic group will have its own general introduction), the book is considered an extremely valuable source of comprehensive documents about the vast mountainous region of Vietnam that the four authors have painstakingly compiled.
In particular, Mr. Nguyen Van Ku - photographer, former staff of the Institute of Social Sciences - has spent many years living and conducting research in the mysterious and vast land of the Central Highlands, thanks to which he and his teammates have gathered hundreds of rich, authentic and valuable documents to select and put into this extremely dedicated photo book. Each person will have different views on the culture and stories of the wild land, but all share the same goal of creating a quality publication with content imbued with regional identity, and providing readers with the most authentic emotions and views of the sunny, gentle and strange Central Highlands.
In addition to the images created by the 17 main authors, the book also includes a number of photos contributed by many authors working in different fields, or from old archives, including black and white photos. Each image includes information such as: address, time of shooting and photographer very clearly.
In addition to reflecting the aspects, current status of life and culture of ethnic groups in general, the book "The ethnic groups of the Central Highlands" is also a useful tool to help readers have the opportunity to learn more about the issue of preserving and promoting traditional cultural heritage in reality, and at the same time is a valuable source of documents for individuals who are particularly interested in the culture of ethnic groups in the Central Highlands, meaning as an effective lever in research and study. Therefore, the photo book is suitable for all audiences, from general readers to those who are deeply interested in ethnic issues and Vietnamese culture.
Dr. Luu Hung in his overview article “The ethnic groups of the Central Highlands and traditional culture” stated: “The ethnic groups of the Central Highlands are facing a worrying challenge in preserving their long-standing cultural heritage. However, the “new” and the “old” are intertwined, and in the new life, there are still many traditional elements, even though they may have been more or less transformed, mixed, “modernized”, and in some cases, they are only formal or in the form of remnants and retrogrades. In such a context, the heritages of the Central Highlands that have been preserved to this day are extremely valuable and worthy of respect, and for the Central Highlands as well as the whole country, they need to be preserved, actively continued, exploited, and promoted for future generations.”
"The ethnic groups of the Central Highlands" provides an honest view through rich and detailed documents, helping readers to recognize the culture and life of the ethnic groups of the Central Highlands in the movement and change of the general society.
The Central Highlands - a land of red, sunny and windy land, still contains the barren wilderness as it originally was, with dense old forests, wild animals and arid people, all blending together, creating a land full of magical things and giving birth to unmistakable indigenous cultural features. The communal houses, the custom of drinking wine, elephant farming, stilt houses, farming practices, marriage customs... are all clearly reproduced in more than 260 pages of the book with concise, meticulous content along with high-quality and realistic images.
Mrs. Nang Bun - 90 years old, the remaining witness of the face tattooing custom. Photo: Nguyen Van Ku, 2006
"The Central Highlands Ethnic Groups" is now available at bookstores nationwide. Cover price: 456,000 VND/book.
About editor Nguyen Van Ku:
Nguyen Van Ku was born in 1940, in Hoang Quang commune, Hoang Hoa district, Thanh Hoa province. He currently lives in Hanoi. He studied History at Hanoi University and is a former staff member of the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences, a member of the Vietnam Archaeological Association, the Vietnam Ethnological Association, the Vietnam Historical Association, the Vietnam Association of Photographic Artists, and a member of the International Federation of Photographic Art (FIAP).
He is also the author and co-author of published books on customs and ethnic groups in Vietnam, including:
- Cham Cultural Heritage (World Publishing House, Hanoi 2007, 2008, 2012)
- Cham Sculpture (Social Sciences Publishing House, 1987 with Pham Huy Thong, Cao Xuan Pho, Pham Ngoc Long)
- Cham Cultural Tour (Social Sciences Publishing House, Hanoi 2005 with Ngo Van Doanh and Andrew Hardy)
- Vietnamese Pagodas (Social Sciences Publishing House, Hanoi 1993 with Ha Van Tan and Pham Ngoc Long; World Publishing House 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2013)
- Vietnamese Communal House (Ho Chi Minh City Publishing House, 1998 with Ha Van Tan)
- Le Dinh Vietnam (World Publishing House 2002 with Ha Van Tan)
- Central Highlands Tombs (The World Publishing House, Hanoi 2003 with Luu Hung)
- Central Highlands Communal House (World Publishing House 2006 with Luu Hung)
- The Xo Dang people in Vietnam (many authors, National Center for Social Sciences and Humanities - UNESCO, 1998).Contact information:
- Email: nguyenvanku@gmail.com.
- Phone: 0903265331 - 84.4.38521820
