The Ede are long-established people in the Central Highlands, belonging to the Austronesian ethnic group. The Ede language belongs to the Cham language subgroup of the Malay-Polynesian language branch of the Austronesian language family.
The Ede people are under a matriarchy and live to the East of Dak Nong UNESCO Global Geopark (mainly are Ede Kpa people), mostly in the Cu Jut district, in the villages of Nui, Buor, Trum and Ea Po in village communities. They mainly live on cattle breeding, agricultural and industrial crops.
Nui village (Hnui village in Ede language) was named after the Ea Hnui stream, meaning “The late stream”. This village was established in 1965 after the Americans drove the Ede to Bridge 14 (on the Serepok River) where they formed a strategic hamlet. In 1975, when the country unified, the Ede Kpa people chose this place to settle down. Later on, Nui village was divided into 4 sub-villages, including: the villages of Nui, Buor, Trum and Ea Po like today.
The traditional culture of the Ede Kpa ethnic community is very diverse and rich. Their heritage values are clearly expressed through long-houses of boat-like shape, and Kpan benches inside long houses, and other ritual activities such as wharf worship, new rice celebration, and brocade weaving using Kteh pattern, which display complex weaving techniques of multi-color format (mainly are black and red).
Of special significance, Ede gong space is a part of The Gong Culture Space of the Central Highlands, which was recognized as a Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity (in 2005) and inscribed in 2009 on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
Moreover, the gong music performances of the Ede people are quite different from other ethnic groups of Dak Nong province through the art of punching on the inside of gongs with a mallet. Also, the H’Gor drum is used as part of a gong performance, creating a completely different rhythm. The Ede people in Nui village have preserved these traditional values and taught them over generations to ensure they last forever.
