Giơ Climbs to Gather Wild Longans: A Ba Na Epic (Abridged Edition)

Diơ hao jrang – Giơ trèo hái nhãn rừng (Giơ Climbs to Gather Wild Longans) is a traditional epic of the Ba Na people of Vietnam's Central Highlands. The narrative centers on a journey into the forest to gather wild longans, which develops into a series of confrontations between heroic figures and powerful adversaries. What begins as a seemingly simple effort to collect forest fruit for villagers unfolds into an expansive world of adventures, supernatural battles, and trials of courage, ingenuity, and solidarity. Central to the story are the heroes Giơ Tu Krong, Giơ Hreng, and Pham, who confront Bok Kiek La Dia Kla Kong in a dispute involving a wild longan tree. Beyond celebrating heroic strength and character, the epic reflects Ba Na understandings of nature, access to forest resources, and communal life. Originally performed by the storyteller Bok Ponh, the epic was collected by Nguyễn Quang Tuệ, and transcribed and translated into Vietnamese by Siu Pết. The complete version was published in 2006, followed by an abridged edition in 2009. Both publications serve as valuable resources for preserving, studying, and transmitting the Ba Na epic tradition.