Bahnar

The Bahnar are an indigenous ethnic group of Vietnam's Central Highlands, primarily living in Kon Tum and Gia Lai provinces, with smaller communities in Dak Lak and Quang Nam. They are part of the Austroasiatic language family, speaking Bahnar, a Bahnaric language within the Mon-Khmer branch, although many also use Vietnamese.

Traditionally, the Bahnar economy centers on wet-rice cultivation in upland fields and subsistence farming. They also grow maize, cassava, and, in some areas, peppers. Crafts such as weaving, basketry, and pottery are common, and village life is organized around extended families and lineages. Houses are typically built on stilts with thatched roofs, reflecting adaptation to the highland environment.

Social structure is clan-based, with village leadership often held by respected elders or a local headman, and shamans playing roles in rituals and healing. Agricultural and seasonal rituals help mark the farming year. Religious beliefs were traditionally animist with ancestor worship and a belief in spirits; in more recent times many Bahnar have adopted Christianity or practiced syncretic blends, though gong ceremonies and other traditional performances remain culturally significant.

Gong ensembles are a notable aspect of Bahnar musical culture and ceremonies, used in community celebrations and rites. The Bahnar have a long history of contact and interaction with neighboring ethnic groups and the Vietnamese state. Today, language and cultural preservation efforts accompany ongoing modernization and integration into the national economy.