The Phnong Tribe

The highland Phnong people of Cambodia is and aboriginal minority ethnic group populated part of Mondulkiri province. There are many minority ethnic group settled in this region and surrounds as Mondulkiri highland, Rattanakiri, Stung Treng called Khmer Loeu, many small indigenous group estimated more that 20 minorities to make up the of Khmer Loeu tribal community and the Phnong probably the largest.

The Phnong reside on a fertile beautiful highland since probably backs to 2000 years ago; the group is part of the nomadic community and move from one to another places. They maintain their own tradition; speak their own language, nomad and some of the still practicing shifting cultivation.

The tribe plants coffee (the best coffee in Cambodia), fruit trees, rice, cashew nut trees, sweet potatoes, squash, banana, avocado, herb and spices. Most of the region still covered with rich tropical rain forest where we still find wild boar, deer, wild buffalos, wild cows, Asian elephant, Asian tiger, bear, monkey, beautiful bird and many more. They are simple peoples with less desire live in very low roofed houses. A family will live in one house together. The house consists of storage, kitchen, and bedroom for family. There is no toilet in the house. Every house will have many jars to store wine, large jars to store water collected from the water source or rainwater and also traditional gongs that used during the traditional ceremonies.

About the image above: low house of the Phnong people

About the image above: a lawn of the Phnong house
where their animal kept

About the image above: Phnong family in front of their grass roofed house

About the image above: Phnong highland village

About the image above: young Phnong played in their lawn

About the image above: Phnong girls danced for tourists

About the image above: fermented Phnong wine
kept in ceramic jars made in Vietnam

About the image above: inside of Phnong house
a mother that just delivered baby.
To warm the house, she keep the bonfire nearby the bed

About the image above: kitchen and bedroom
usually to be at the same house at Phnong

About the image above: old basket of Phnong
where the most secret and sacred valuable things are kept

About the image above: posed with Phnong man

Most of the Phnongs are traditionally believed in nature spiritual, animism; they believe in the harmony of the nature that everything has spirit. Before you enter the house you will find red pole decorated with bamboo fibers painted with animal blood. This pole also can be found in the farm field to protect the farm or rice paddy field. The purpose of this pole is to invite the good spirit to come and protect the house, the farm etc.

As they believed in animism; usually they do animal scarification and offer it head to the spirit.

Today, many of the Phnong people start lifting their life to better level. The government is paying attention to educate them the important of the settlement and education. Some of the kids is now can go to school and study for their better future. Hope in the future we will be able to see more and more people from this lovely land get better education and better life.