For many years, many local stilt houses have stood firm against the changing Central Highlands.

The house of village patriarch Ama H'rin

The elephant, one of the Ede people’s symbolic animals

The entrance gate of a household is decorated with carved patterns depicting the daily activities and traditional dances of the Ede people.

Each long house has male and female staircases. The staircase for the men is at the front, while the women’s staircase is at the back. The Ede long house reflects the Ede culture of Vietnam’s Central Highland region, where people of several generations of a clan, typifies the Ede ethnic group’s matriarchy.

The staircase in longhouses is designed with 5 or 7 steps. The Ede people believe that odd numbers can bring wealth and prosperity to the homeowners.

According to Nguyen Minh Thang, 58, a visitor from HCM City, there are hardly any villages left in the Central Highlands region where so many long houses and Ede cultural items are preserved such as in Ako Dhong.

H Min Nie, 40, said that many villagers are devoted to traditional weaving and are keen to introduce this cultural aspect to tourists.

Ako Dhong Village currently has around 1,000 residents, including 317 from the Ede ethnic group. It has 32 old long houses.