Resized to 72% of original (view original)
Artist's commentary
Mike Force A-113 Montagnards (Rhade) 1966
The American’s affectionately called them Little People or Yards.
The Vietnamese call them Moi, or savages.
They are the Indigenous People of Vietnam’s Central Highlands.
Montagnard means "mountain dweller in French, and the Rhade or Rade are one of the more than forty distinct and recognizable aboriginal groups that inhabit the Central Highlands of Vietnam. They are a unique culture, with matrilinial naming conventions and multi-family longhouses, not unlike some Native American cultures.
During the Vietnam war, many Rhade men were recruited to become a part of the MIKE Force (Mobile Strike Force). The MIKE Force was a rapid reaction unit trained by U.S. Army Special Forces to conduct guerrilla operations in remote areas.

Leave a comment