Ethnic people living around Cu H'lam mountain never touch the forest, but join hands to protect the sacred forest.
In a small garden halfway up the hill in Hanh Rac 1 village (Phuoc Binh commune, Bac Ai district, Ninh Thuan province), Mr. Kator Kinh is meticulously taking care of the grapefruit trees that have just bloomed.
"Illegal loggers"… protect the forest
Few people know that more than 10 years ago, Mr. Kator Kinh was an "enemy" of the forest. Having no land to produce, Kator Kinh and some people in Hanh Rac village secretly cut down the forest many times to make fields. On one such occasion, he was discovered and had to pay the price with a 4-year prison sentence.
"I always have a guilty conscience. I realize that forests are not only a source of life but also a common home for all species. I don't want my children to live in a devastated environment, and I don't want my neighbors to follow in my footsteps," said Kator Kinh.
With the help of prison officers, he worked enthusiastically, reformed and received positive comments from the prison.
After being released from prison, Kator Kinh returned with the determination to do everything to make up for the mistakes he had made. In 2015, he decided to join the community forest protection group of Phuoc Binh commune. With his enthusiasm and dynamism, Kator Kinh quickly won the hearts of the group members and the villagers. To date, the former prisoner has become the head of the community forest protection group of sub-region 29A, Phuoc Binh National Park, with 20 members and is the Head of Hanh Rac 1 village.
"In our village, people often clear forests to grow corn. Due to farming habits, changing people's awareness is very difficult. In many cases, people still strongly oppose it. However, with perseverance, flexible persuasion, and my own lessons, my team members have convinced people to gradually stop clearing forests to grow crops," said Mr. Kator Kinh.
According to Mr. Chamaléa Năng, a member of the forest protection team, during the process of patrolling and protecting the forest, many villagers were advised by team leader Katơr Kinh to return to the fields near their homes to cultivate.
"Instead of continuing to destroy forests to plant corn, many people were persuaded by the group, headed by Mr. Kator Kinh, to plant durian, grapefruit, fruit trees and raise livestock near their homes. Thanks to that, the sub-areas protected by the group were completed well. In 2023, we were entrusted by the forest owner to manage more forests in sub-area 29A, 550 hectares wide, a hot spot for deforestation in the past, to mobilize people to protect the forest together" - Mr. Chamaléa Nang excitedly said.
Legend of the sacred mountain
Cu H'lam Mountain is located in the heart of Ea Pok town (Cu M'gar district, Dak Lak province), less than 15 km from Buon Ma Thuot city. However, for hundreds of years, Cu H'lam Mountain has retained its pristine green appearance thanks to the awareness of the surrounding community, associated with the legend of a tragic love story.
According to the local people, the name of the mountain is taken from the Ede language. In which Cu means mountain, H'lam means immoral marriage. Legend has it that in the past, the Ede village lived peacefully around the mountain. In the village, there were two brothers with the same surname, H'Hoan Nie and Y Nhai Nie, who fell in love with each other but were forbidden by their families and villagers. One bright moonlit night, the two went up the mountain to confide in each other and then gave themselves to each other. After that, the villagers found out about the incident and according to customary law, the two had to be punished.
Mr. Kator Kinh (right cover) and members of the community forest protection group of Phuoc Binh commune participate in planting forests in the area destroyed for farming. Photo: CHAU TINH
Y Nhai Nie protested his punishment by leaving the village, while H'Hoan climbed the mountain every day to cry, praying for her lover to return. Her longing for her lover caused H'Hoan Nie's whole body to melt into the water and into the ground. After that, the village there gradually collapsed, creating Cu H'lam Lake next to Cu H'lam Mountain today. Y Nhai Nie, after a long time away from home, returned to his old place but could not find his lover or the village. Day after day, he cried for his lover and then died on the mountain.
Later, the villagers named the mountain Cu H'lam to remind their descendants not to bring disaster to themselves and the village. The villagers believe in the curse that the spirit of H'Hoan Nie still reigns on the mountain, becoming the queen of the green forest. Anyone who cuts down trees to build a house will sooner or later encounter disaster. Anyone who has a hidden problem can go up to the mountain to pray and feel relieved and at peace.
Mr. Y Xy Nie said that because of this belief, for many years, the people in the area have always joined hands to protect the forest, never cutting down trees or hunting wild animals. Households farming near the forest have also never cleared nearby forest trees to encroach on the land. "The legend of the sacred mountain has been passed down by word of mouth for generations. The ethnic people living around Cu H'lam mountain have never touched the forest, but joined hands to protect the sacred forest" - Mr. Y Xy Nie said.
Covering only nearly 20 hectares surrounded by residential areas, Cu H'lam Mountain today is still like a primeval forest untouched by humans. The forest trees here still have 5 canopy layers with the 3 upper layers having many large trees, some of which are so big that 4-5 people cannot hug them, the next layer is shrubs and the bottom layer is grass. In an investigation by the authorities, Cu H'lam has more than 100 species of trees, including many precious woods and medicinal herbs, along with many animals such as monkeys, pythons, porcupines, weasels, monitor lizards, etc. Cu H'lam Mountain has been recognized as a provincial-level scenic relic.
Mr. Nguyen Cong Van, Permanent Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cu M'gar district, said that Cu H'lam mountain is very well managed and protected. For many years, there has been no land encroachment, deforestation, or forest fires, partly thanks to the story of the sacred forest.
Source: https://nld.com.vn/giu-rung-cho-con-chau-196250122095802837.htm
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