In the Central Highlands of Vietnam, a young M’Nong girl named Kim Luan has formed an extraordinary friendship with a fully grown wild elephant.
The M’Nong people, an ethnic minority in Vietnam, have a long-standing tradition of taming wild elephants and incorporating them into their communities.
Kim’s deep connection with her gentle giant companion is heartwarming, although one false move could be lethal.
Despite the inherent risks, the young girl and the massive animal appear entirely at ease with one another, and the elephant even allows her to play around without hesitation.
French photographer Réhahn, who has lived in Vietnam for seven years, was fortunate enough to capture the emotional bond between Kim and the elephant at Buon M’Lieng.
Réhahn observed the unique relationship between the M’Nong people and their elephant companions, noting that elephants are treated as valued community members.
For the M’nong people, having an elephant is as normal as having a cat, according to Réhahn. He was struck by the profound respect shared between Kim and the elephant, revealing that the girl seemed more afraid of him than of the massive animal.
Though Réhahn has taken approximately 45,000 photos in Vietnam, this was the first time he had witnessed such an intimate interaction between the M’Nong people and their elephants.
He emphasized that the elephants are peaceful creatures unless provoked and that the M’Nong, who live in harmony with nature, know how to keep them calm.
The uniqueness of this bond, combined with the fact that the M’Nong people no longer wear traditional attire, makes these photographs particularly special.
