Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Deep in the forests of South Vietnam, the Mnongs have long been known for their unique relationship with elephants. For generations, capturing and taming wild elephants was both a practical skill and a sacred tradition, rooted in stories, rituals and beliefs passed down through the community.
Makoun, known as the last "Ivory Knight," is one of the final guardians of this knowledge. Alongside his sons Issan, Mavé and Majoung, he works to preserve traditions that connect the Mnongs to the elephants they regard as members of the family.
As wild elephant populations decline because of deforestation and poaching, hunts have become longer and more difficult. Near the Cambodian border, the hunters search for the remaining herds while Makoun continues the careful process of taming captured elephants and preparing the next generation to carry on the tradition.
Set between forest expeditions, village life and ceremonial practices, this film offers a rare look at a culture whose bond with elephants remains at the heart of its identity.
Documentary: Ivory Knights
Directed by: Jean Queyrat et Jérôme Segur
Production: ZED (1998)
#documentary #freedocumentary #vietnam #mnong #mnongpeople #elephants #asianelephants #elephanttradition #sacredanimals #indigenousculture #southvietnam #daklak #yokdon #elephanttaming #culturaltraditions #ethnography #humananimalbond #wildlife #cultureddocumentary
Deep in the forests of South Vietnam, the Mnongs have long been known for their unique relationship with elephants. For generations, capturing and taming wild elephants was both a practical skill and a sacred tradition, rooted in stories, rituals and beliefs passed down through the community.
Makoun, known as the last "Ivory Knight," is one of the final guardians of this knowledge. Alongside his sons Issan, Mavé and Majoung, he works to preserve traditions that connect the Mnongs to the elephants they regard as members of the family.
As wild elephant populations decline because of deforestation and poaching, hunts have become longer and more difficult. Near the Cambodian border, the hunters search for the remaining herds while Makoun continues the careful process of taming captured elephants and preparing the next generation to carry on the tradition.
Set between forest expeditions, village life and ceremonial practices, this film offers a rare look at a culture whose bond with elephants remains at the heart of its identity.
Documentary: Ivory Knights
Directed by: Jean Queyrat et Jérôme Segur
Production: ZED (1998)
#documentary #freedocumentary #vietnam #mnong #mnongpeople #elephants #asianelephants #elephanttradition #sacredanimals #indigenousculture #southvietnam #daklak #yokdon #elephanttaming #culturaltraditions #ethnography #humananimalbond #wildlife #cultureddocumentary
