Dugout canoes are a means of water transportation for many local communities around the world. In Vietnam's ethnic minority communities, dugout canoes have their own characteristics in terms of materials, size, and design in accordance with intended uses and river topography (e.g. rapids, or underwater rocks). Our study considers prior research on dugout canoes worldwide, including in Vietnam, and focuses on the plung dugout canoe of the Bahnar ethnic group in Kon K’tu village, Kon Tum Province, Central Highlands. Our field study shows that although the number of Bahnar canoes is declining, the remaining ones help preserve and transmit local knowledge and foster close interaction between humans and nature in the current generation. Understanding the cultural content and context of the Bahnar canoe is a first step before taking specific actions to help the community to maintain, transmit, and express their unique cultural values in their canoes.
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