I was in Pleiku in 1965

I had the honor of being invited to attend a Montagnard funeral in the mountains near Pleiku. We had befriended the Montagnards in that area volunteering to treck back in to bring clothing, cigars, food, and primitive medical treatment to them on our off time. The chief of this particular tribe of Montagnardsmen had a young son who died of natural causes. The young boy was cremated on a platform on top of a pile of wood. Afterward we ate water buffalo and drank rice wine which was being held in large earthan jars. There were straws inserted into the jars to a certain level and one was to drink until they drew air through the straw. I was also honored with a round brass bracelet. The Montagnards were normadic people who had been shoved about by the war and I often saw a Montagnard woman "carrying" her fire with her as they traveled to a new location.