In the Central Highlands, Y Thu K'nul is revered as a legend for his prowess in hunting and taming wild elephants. With the young men of his tribe, he roamed vast forests across Dak Lak, Gia Lai and Lam Dong in Vietnam, and Cambodia and Laos to hunt and domesticate elephants.

During one of these expeditions, his group captured an albino elephant with rare black tusks. Y Thu decided to give the original elephant to the King of Thailand, who, in recognition, bestowed upon him the title "King of Elephants."

The story of Y Thu K'nul is like an epic saga, passed down with reverence by his descendants, who see him as an exemplar of perseverance and courage.

H'Ngua Bya (Ami Phuong), the great-great-grandchild of Y Thu’s sister, shared that Y Thu K'nul (born 1828, died 1938, M'nong ethnicity) had a Lao mother, a M’nong biological father, and a Lao adoptive father. From birth, locals believed he was a child of the spirits.

In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Y Thu and others migrated from Dak Nong along the Serepok River to Buon Don, settling down near the Seven-Branch Waterfall to establish a village.

Y Thu purchased land from Ya Wam, an Ede woman, spanning from the dry stream to the border between Buon Don and Ea Sup. He and his community began clearing land for farming, with elephant hunting and taming as their primary livelihood.

This title "King of Elephants" greatly elevated Y Thu’s fame, earning him respect from people in Cambodia and Laos.

According to Ami Phuong, Y Thu had a wife but no children. When his sister gave birth to a son named R'leo, Y Thu adopted and raised him. R'leo later became a renowned elephant hunter in the region.

Ami Phuong added that Y Thu K’nul founded Buon Don and personally hunted and tamed over 400 wild elephants. His successors, like R’leo K’nul (over 300 elephants) and Ama Kong (298 elephants), also achieved great feats.

“At that time, Y Thu was the most powerful chieftain in the Central Highlands. He had immense wealth and invested in the most skilled hunters of Buon Don, like R’leo, Y Keo and Ama Kong,” she said.

Y Thu was also known for his trading acumen and wide-reaching relationships.

He and his tribe frequently traded goods and hunted elephants to Laos and Thailand, earning deep respect and admiration from local communities.

In 1938, Y Thu passed away at the age of 110 and was buried near the Yok Don National Park Ranger Station. 

Hai Duong