Starts 0:17 ; The Ma People of Vietnam: Life in the Forest of Cat Tien (1963 Documentary)

The Ma People of Vietnam: Life in the Forest of Cat Tien (1963 Documentary)

Original was uploaded on 2026-01-04

This rare ethnographic film documents the Mạ (Ma) people, an indigenous community living in Tà Lài village along the Đồng Nai River, near Cát Tiên National Park in southern Vietnam.

Filmed in 1962 and produced in 1963, the documentary captures the traditions, craftsmanship, and daily life of a society deeply connected to the forest. The film shows traditional skills such as pottery, basketry, weaving, blacksmithing, and house construction, as well as recordings of traditional songs in the highland language.

For generations, the Mạ people lived as a self-sufficient community in the forests of the Southern Highlands. Their culture, social structure, and way of life were closely tied to the natural environment surrounding the Đồng Nai River and the forests of Cát Tiên.

Today, initiatives like Katien Safari aim to support local indigenous communities, including the Chau Mạ and S’tiêng, by creating sustainable jobs and economic opportunities that help protect both culture and nature.

FILM CREDITS

Author: Jean Boulbet (EFEO)
Directors: Jean-Pierre Barry & Jacques Fabre (French Cultural Mission of Saigon)
Production Year: 1963
Format: 16 mm
Duration: 30 minutes

This film remains an important historical and ethnographic record of the indigenous cultures of Vietnam’s Central and Southern Highlands.

ABOUT KATIEN RANGER PATROL

Katien Ranger Patrol works with local communities near Cát Tiên National Park to create sustainable livelihoods that help protect the forest and its wildlife. By supporting responsible tourism, we provide alternatives to practices such as illegal hunting and logging while preserving cultural heritage.

For more information, visit: https://katienrangerpatrol.com/

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This 1963 documentary captures the daily life of the Ma people in Vietnam's Cat Tien forest. Villagers engage in traditional crafts like weaving bamboo, pottery making, and food processing around thatched huts on stilts. The footage shows communal activities in a lush, natural setting, with people in simple loincloths and wraps suited to the tropical environment.