A History of Cambodia
David P. Chandler (1996)
- very brief but good overview of several thousand years of Khmer history
The Tragedy of Cambodian History : Politics, War, and Revolution Since 1945
David P. Chandler (1993)
- account of contemporary Cambodian history focusing on historic figures and their actions up to 1975; policy descriptions and personal testimonies used to examine post-1975 Cambodia
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INTERNATIONAL DYNAMICS
Kampuchea Between China and Vietnam
Pao-Min Chang (1986)
- thorough analysis of regional dynamics focusing primarily on Chinese and Viet relations vis-a-vis each other and Cambodia from the late 60s to early 80s
Khmer-Viet Relations and the Third Indochina Conflict
Thu-Huong Nguyen-Vo (1992)
- revealing, detailed discussion of the historic relationship between Cambodia and Vietnam
Sideshow : Kissinger, Nixon, and the Destruction of Cambodia
William Shawcross (1987)
- excellent documentation of personnel and events that lead to the rise of the KR and destruction of Cambodia during the late 60s and early to mid-70s
Western Responses to Human Rights Abuses in Cambodia, 1975-80
Jamie Frederic Metzl (1996)
- discussion of responses by the western press, govts, and int'l organizations to events in Cambodia under the KR regime, detailing issues of credibility and how liberals and conservatives clashed on whether or not to believe "the worst"
Why Vietnam Invaded Cambodia : Political Culture and the Causes of War
Stephen J. Morris (1999)
- study of both domestic rational behind and international dynamics leading to Vietnam's invasion of Cambodia
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KHMER ROUGE
Brother Enemy : The War After the War
Nayan Chanda (1986)
Brother Number One : A Political Biography of Pol Pot
David P. Chandler (1999)
Cambodia : Report from a Stricken Land
Henry Kamm (1999)
Cambodia : A Shattered Society
Marie Alexandrine Martin, Mark W. McLeod (Translator) (1994)
Cambodia 1975-1978 : Rendezvous With Death
Karl D. Jackson(Editor) (1992)
The Cambodian Agony
David A. Ablin(Editor), Marlowe Hood (Editor) (1990)
When the War Was over : Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge Revolution
Elizabeth Becker (1998)
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NARRATIVES
A Cambodian Odyssey
Haing Ngor, et al (1991)
Music Through the Dark
Bree Lafreniere, Daran Kravanh (2000)
When Broken Glass Floasts
Chanrithy Him (2000)
Beyond the Killing Fields : Voices of Nine Cambodian Survivors in America
Usha Welaratna (1994)
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MILITARY ACCOUNTS
Lost Crusade : America's Secret Cambodian Mercenaries
Peter Scott (1998)
Road to the Killing Fields : The Cambodian War of 1970-1975
Wilfred P. Deac, Harry G. Summers (1997)
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CONTEMPORARY ISSUES
Cambodia at War
Dinah Pokempner(Editor), et al (1995)
- examination of human right abuses by both KR and govt forces in the mid 90s and the role of foreign support for each side
Cambodia and the International Community: The Quest for Peace, Development, and Democracy
Frederick Brown(Editor), David G. Timberman (1998)
- collection of 8 essays that provide a good overview of conditions in Cambodia during the late 90s; also identifies future prospects and challenges for the country
The Quality of Mercy : Cambodia, Holocaust and Modern Conscience
William Shawcross (1984)
- Cambodia as a case study of humanitarian efforts, exploring the roles and rivalry of different int'l relief agencies, the political context in which they work, and govts they had to work with and around
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HISTORIC TEXTS
The Customs of Cambodia
Ta-kuan Chou
- description of the Angkor Empire by 13th century Chinese explorer
Travels in Siam, Cambodia, and Laos, 1858-1860
Henri Mouhot
- account of 19th century Southeast Asia by French explorer
Cambodia : Year Zero
Francois Ponchaud
- 1st report of KR atrocities generally believed by int'l public (printed in French 1977, English 1978)
Murder of a Gentle Land : The Untold Story of a Communist Genocide in Cambodia
John Barron
- 1st report of atrocities in Cambodia given wide publicity in America (printed by Reader's Digest 1977)
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OTHER INTERESTS
Angkor : Heart of an Asian Empire
Bruno Dagens, Ruth Sharman (Translator) (1995)
- concise but thorough introduction to the ancient city of Angkor and historic archeological expeditions to the temples
Khmer : The Lost Empire of Cambodia
Theirry Zephir (1998)
- colorful little book that gives a nice overview of the Angkorian Empire
Sculpture of Angkor and Ancient Cambodia: Millennium of Glory
Helen Ibbitson Jessup(Editor), et al (1997)
- coffee table book with quality photographs of Khmer sculptures
Saturday, August 28, 2010
THE KHMER MENTALITY
(Based on a 1997 translation of the original Khmer text, "Proloeng Khmer," published in 1973)
Author: Professor Sar Sarun (deceased)
Faculty of Arts and Human Sciences
University of Phnom Penh
Editing author: Khmer Aphiwath Group
Publisher: Khmer Aphiwath Group, Melbourne, Australia
Translator: Kua Cham
Further Edited 2003 for the Khmer Institute by Vannareth Lamm and William Snyder
The First Root: MATRIARCHY
A principal component of the Khmer mentality is matriarchy. At all levels of organization within Khmer society, ranging from family life to national government, the accepted leader or decision-maker is a woman.
This pattern dates back to the beginnings of our recorded history. During the Funan Period we had as our monarch a queen known variously as "Soma," "Liev Yi," or "Neang Neak." An Indian prince known as "Kaodinhya" (Indian name), "Hun Tien" (Chinese name), or "Preah Thong" (traditional Khmer name) conquered the nation of Funan and eventually married the Khmer queen. During the wedding the prince followed the queen, and held on to the edge of her scarf so as not to be distracted by his surroundings.
Our Khmer ancestors carved this story into the walls of Angkor to remind us of the ancient origins of our matriarchy. At present-day royal weddings, custom still requires the groom to hold the edge of the bride's scarf. For ordinary people as well, matriarchy is a basic principle of social organization. This can be seen in the titles of important positions, in educational maxims, and in common social beliefs.
A) Within the family, female titles normally precede male ones:
"mother and father"
"grandmother and grandfather"
"aunt and uncle"
B) In the armed forces, important titles include:
"mother of the army" (army chief)
"mother of the command" (commander)
"deputy mother of the command" (deputy commander)
C) Government titles include:
"mother of the commune" (commune leader)
"mother of the town" (mayor)
"mother of the district" (district councilor)
"mother of the block" (block representative for a group of ten households)
D) An educational maxim:
"It is better to face a shipwreck than to have the house burn down." (meaning: it is better to lose the father than the mother, because the father is less important.)
E) Some common social beliefs can be expressed as follows:
Clean husband + Corrupt wife = Corrupt
Bribe-free husband + Bribed wife = Bribed
Husband's disapproval + Wife's approval = Approval
The wife is the chief of the family, while the husband seeks work outside the home in order to bring money back to her. If the sum is less than expected, his wife may chastise him. Khmer wives have the personality of "master-wife." In contrast, in Chinese society the husband controls the family's finances, and Chinese wives have the personality of "slave-wife."
The Second Root: HIDDEN STRENGTH
According to current research into our national history, a second element of the Khmer mentality is a "hidden strength," which has kept the nation from perishing despite repeated attacks from the outside world. We are now asking ourselves, "What is this hidden strength?"
Many academics, as well as other citizens who are concerned with the nation's future integrity, are now searching for the source of this defensive power. Historical research tells us that the Khmer nation has repeatedly been invaded. In some of these periods the Khmer were enslaved by the Thai. The successive Khmer capitals of Angkor and Longvek were subjected to terrible devastation. The great sages and scholars were taken prisoner and sent to serve in the invaders' country. How have the Khmer land and the Khmer people survived to the present day?
These case studies show that the Khmer have a hidden quality of persistence, which gives them defensive strength and keeps the Khmer nation from falling. For this reason our ancestors created the popular proverb, "The Khmer territories will never perish." The very fact that they had the confidence to say this clearly indicates the strength contained in the Khmer mentality. Yet, we no longer know the exact nature of this essential, hidden strength, nor exactly where it resides in the Khmer identity.
Only when we find this hidden part of the Khmer spirit can we continue to protect our land and our nation from danger. Until then, we will have no reason to believe the optimistic proverb mentioned above. The Khmer spirit and identity are tightly intertwined with our culture and civilization.
The Third Root: SELF-PRAISE
The third element of the Khmer mentality, based ultimately on considerations of geography, lies in the fact that the Khmer have considerable pride, and have a strong inclination to praise themselves. This is because the Khmer people originally belonged to an ethnic family known as the Mon-Khmer, which inhabited the entire peninsula of Indochina. At that time the region was called Sovanna Phum ('Golden Country'), and shared a border with China.
The name comes from the Pali words sovann, meaning 'gold', and phum, meaning 'land' or 'country'. People living in the Golden Country of Sovanna Phum led joyful lives, blessed with natural riches, and in their unconscious mind there slowly developed a high level of pride, as well as a tendency to boast. The inhabitants of Sovanna Phum belonged to three different ethnic groups: the Mon, the Cham, and the Khmer. They lived in tribal communities, without clear land boundaries, and mainly traded gold with the Portuguese, who traveled by sail in the China Sea.
The people of the Golden Country had no concerns other than the gold trade. This is what gave rise to their boastful attitude, and to the development of a high level of pride. In this respect the Mon ranked first, followed by the Cham and then the Khmer, who were the humblest of the three. Nonetheless, the Khmer were firmly trapped in the same up-bringing, and our Khmer ancestors made this explicit in the following parable:
The Mon take the heavens for their seat.
The Cham raise a single palm to the sky.
The Khmer ascend to the clouds, but then pass through the earthworm's shit.
According to this saying, the self-praise of the Khmer went as high as the clouds, but not so high as the sky or the heavens. Moreover, the Khmer usually came back down to earth quickly: They boasted, but then returned to reality. When the Khmer spoke among themselves, they did not realize that they were boasting, because they shared a common level of pride. But when they spoke with the Cham, who were even prouder, they could see that the Cham liked to boast. Likewise, the Cham did not see themselves as a boastful people, but when they spoke with the Mon, they did notice that the Mon were remarkably fond of boasting.
The Mon boasted more than anyone else, until they lost all their land.
The Cham, second only to the Mon in boasting, lost their land, too.
The Khmer boasted only moderately, and thus retained some of their land.
Yet, by no means should we expect the Khmer to retain their remaining land forever. At present the Khmer nation is headed for catastrophe.
How did boasting cause these three ethnic groups to lose so much of their land? The answer goes something like this. As they continued boasting and enjoying their natural resources, they forgot that the surrounding ethnic groups coveted their land. The Thai, who originated in China's southern province of Yunnan, became known in the Eighth Century when they started to migrate southward. When the Mongolians invaded China in the Thirteenth Century, the Thai took advantage of the resulting chaos and attacked the city of Sukhotey. They took over all the Mon areas, and also conquered a number of northern Khmer provinces beyond the Danrek Mountains, along the Semourn River. These included Nokoreach, Surin, Sangkeas, Kouk-khan, Sisaket, and Burirum. Moreover, they extended their control into southwestern areas, as far as Malaysia. All of this territory had belonged to the Sovanna Phum Peninsula.
Later, in 1794 and 1795, three Khmer aristocrats were competing for state power. Each considered himself superior to the others, because all three belonged to an unconditionally proud people. One of the aristocrats, Ben, tricked another, Sous, into assassinating the third, Mou. Afterwards Ben tried to kill Sous, but failed, because the latter had strong allies. Ben then requested the help of the Thai army, whom he allowed to enter Cambodia. In exchange for their help, Ben let Thailand annex several Khmer provinces, including Battambang, Mongkolburi, and Serisophan.
What led these Khmer aristocrats to fight one another for power? In that day there was an active race for power based on self-proclaimed superiority, with assistance from foreign armies. The aristocrats had placed on the throne a six-year-old prince named Ang Eng, the son of Prince Otey II, who was too young to rule. Their goal was to seize power for themselves.
Thus, we can see from history that foreign invasions of the Khmer territory were possible only because Khmer leaders were stubbornly convinced of their own superiority, and failed to realize that the country was headed for disaster.
The Khmer fondness for boasting is also well-documented, for instance, in such ethical poems as "Father's Testament," "Rules for Children and Grandchildren," "Fable for Children and Grandchildren," and "Conduct Rules for Men." All these writings seek to awaken the Khmer people from their dreams of self-praise and irrational pride.
The following are some examples.
"Father's Testament":
DO NOT BOAST ABOUT YOUR STRENGTH...
"Fable for Children and Grandchildren":
A FROG BOASTS THAT IT CAN FIGHT WITH THE ELEPHANT...
A TOAD BOASTS THAT IT IS AS BEAUTIFUL AS GOLD...
"Rules for Children and Grandchildren":
DO NOT BOAST ABOUT YOUR RANK...
Another example comes from an academic conference held at Chakdhumuk Hall on 9 November 1970, where a Buddhist monk argued that the Khmer language "has excellent linguistic rules that are superior to those of any human language in the world [sic]."
Further discussion of our people's taste for boasting can be found in a recently published book by Mr. Bun Chan Mol, The Character of the Khmer.
The Fourth Root: AGRICULTURE
The fourth element of the Khmer mentality is a link to agriculture. From the beginning, Khmer society relied almost exclusively on agriculture, and eventually it took agriculture as an important source of cultural identity. All aspects of Khmer education have their "roots" in agriculture, because the Khmer have a strong tendency to use agricultural metaphors in explanations.
A) In the family domain:
"WHEN YOU FARM, LOOK AT THE GRASS."
(meaning, when you marry off your children, look at their partners' roots.)
"START FARMING NOW, WHILE THE SOIL IS STILL WARM."
(meaning, start courting the girl now, while your heart is still aflame.)
"TRANSPLANTED RICE-PLANTS BRING ALONG THEIR ORIGINAL SOIL."
(meaning, a wife can elevate her husband.)
B) In the military domain:
"YOU FARM A FIELD WITH WATER."
(meaning, you fight a war with food.)
C) In the domain of national development:
"AGRICULTURE IS THE BREATH OF THE COUNTRY."
D) In education, more generally:
"DROP BY DROP, THE PALM TREE FILLS THE TUBE."
"VERTICAL RICE PLANTS BEAR NOTHING, LEANING ONES BEAR GRAIN."
"HAPPY FARMING AND PLANTING WILL BRING
TRADE, RESPECT, AND A GOOD MEAL.
REAL WEALTH ISN'T HARD TO GET.
THE JOY IS TRUE, BECAUSE IT LASTS."
(from "Father's Testament"; original verse in crow's-walk rhyme)
"THINK ABOUT, AND WORK ON, GROWING RICE
DURING ALL THE SEASONS.
A RICE FIELD SHOULD HAVE A SIGN,
WHILE A FRUIT FARM SHOULD HAVE A FENCE."
(from "Inherited Conduct Rules"; original verse in Bhramngit rhyme)
The Fifth Root: INDIFFERENCE TO RULES
The fifth element of the Khmer mentality, due once again to considerations of geography, is a relative indifference to laws and regulations. Why should this be so? The Khmer region is seldom threatened by the natural disasters found in Japan and Europe:
Freezing winters
Earthquakes
Volcanic eruptions
Savage storms
Typhoons
Large-scale floods
The Khmer territory seldom faces such disasters. Indeed, natural disasters are almost unheard of, aside from minor floods that occur every few decades, and even they are not especially brutal.
The climate is so warm that Khmer people can survive without clothing. The only significant "earthquakes" are caused by bombs dropped by B-52's, which come day and night, destroying both the farmland and the occupants of many villages.
Because the Khmer countryside is rarely subjected to natural catastrophes, the Khmer people are less aware of nature, and have little need to adjust themselves to natural constraints. This exemption from constraints has shaped the Khmer mentality, making it insensitive to social and legal rules except where there is coercion. This stands in contrast to countries in colder regions, where people cannot even survive without appropriate clothing.
Yet, people from those regions who migrate to the Khmer territory eventually adopt a mindset similar to the Khmer people's. Likewise, Khmer people who go to live in colder regions eventually adopt the mindset of the people there. Thus, the fifth element of the Khmer soul is explained by geographical conditions.
The Sixth Root: BEING INACTIVE
The sixth element of the Khmer mentality is inactivity. Because the Khmer people live in the tropics, they tend to avoid physical exertion. The Khmer artistic spirit dwells in a soft, fanciful, and romantic state, one that is low in energy. Khmer music tends to be sentimental, and to make people sleepy.
Khmer people move slowly. They set off for the workplace at a relaxed pace, as if they were on vacation. These factors have shaped the Khmer mentality to prefer people who are inactive rather than active, conservative rather than progressive.
Examples:
The Khmer admire people who work less and earn more, rather than people who work hard and earn little. Likewise, the Khmer admire a government official who simply signs a document and earns millions of riels, rather than one who works from morning till evening and hardly earns enough to survive. In fact they should appreciate the latter, who makes a personal sacrifice and saves money for the national budget. Yet, if an educator and a customs official simultaneously ask to marry a family's daughter, the former will end in despair. Where does this come from?
Indeed, this is the unfairness of society in a tropical country.
Shall we continue with this lifestyle, spoiled by nature? Or shall we try to win out over nature? Shall we destroy this root of the Khmer mentality, or leave it undisturbed? The solution lies mainly in the awareness of Khmer youngsters, but the right awareness will be possible only after education – that is, after enlightenment. If we lack enlightenment, our minds may unconsciously drift in the wrong direction. Being blind or ignorant is a great evil, and allows other people to manipulate us easily.
The authors of Khmer folktales exhibit this aspect of the Khmer mentality in the following ways:
An ignorant man finds two jars of gold hidden in the ground;
A senseless man usually has a wife of excellent quality;
A stupid man is the one likeliest to get sacred powers;
An uneducated man gets promoted to the rank of lord;
Kong Hean is made a Khmer hero by his own shit.
Another example is an old Khmer saying that tells us, "A sage falls into a hole, while a fool rises up to paradise." Shall we retain this root of the Khmer mentality, or cut it off?
The Seventh Root: FUZZINESS ON COMMITMENT
The seventh root of the Khmer mentality is a tendency to be confused about commitments.
This is because the Khmer people live in a country in which the various seasons are not clear-cut: the rainy season and the dry season, as well as the cold season, start and end at fuzzy dates, known to no one. In contrast, countries in colder regions have clear-cut seasons. For example, on the European continent:
Spring is from 21st March to 21st June;
Summer is from 21st June to 22nd September;
Autumn is from 22nd September to 21st December;
Winter is from 21st December to 21st March.
Clear-cut seasons have trained the people of that region to have clear plans:
When they work, they concentrate on working;
When they play, they concentrate on playing;
When they study, they concentrate on studying;
When they eat, they concentrate on eating;
When they rest, they stop all work.
In France it is almost impossible to find a restaurant that serves anything more than drinks before 9AM, or after 10PM. The Khmer region's fuzzy seasons have spoiled the minds of the people living there, with fuzziness in all aspects of commitment:
Work and play are mixed together;
Conflict at work is similar to conflict at home;
Study time and break time are intermingled;
Eating time lasts from morning through the middle of the night, until the sun rises again;
Office tasks and home tasks are mixed together;
A government-owned car is also taken as a personally-owned car, and used to carry the wife, transport the children to school, and even carry the mistress;
Experts at organizing theatrical plays, or at teaching in school, assume ministerial positions in the government (although different people have talents in different areas).
In order to correct this root of the Khmer mentality, it is necessary to impose truly strict laws, and also to have good examples from the top down.
The Eighth Root: EXTREMISM
The eighth element of the Khmer mentality is an ambivalent extremism. Khmer extremist thinking is not always oriented in one particular direction. When we come to like something, we go out of our way to stick to it. But when we start to dislike it, we go far in the opposite direction.
This is reflected in the following popular expressions:
The more loving, the more hating. For example, in the story of "Tum and Teav," Teav's mother initially loved Tum so much that she asked him to become her adopted son. But when she started to dislike him, she sought to have him killed in an extremely violent way.
Teav's mother: "OR-CHOUN, YOU HAVE POWER. WHY NOT USE IT RIGHT NOW? ARREST THAT STUBBORN SHIT TUM. HAVE NO MERCY. ORDER YOUR MEN TO BEAT HIM, STAB HIM, KILL HIM. HIS GUILT IS TOO HEAVY TO BE PARDONED ON EARTH" (original verse in seven-word rhyme)
When we believe people, we believe them a hundred and twenty percent. But if we stop believing, we stop forever.
If you drink, then drink so much that others have to carry you. If you can still walk by yourself, then what was the point in drinking?
, go ahead and taste the flesh.
If you put your hand into the fish paste, go ahead and stick your whole arm in.
If you want to cut someone, go ahead – don't just pretend!
The Ninth Root: HONORING OATHS
The ninth element of the Khmer mentality is the sanctity of one's "truth-word," or oath. Faithfulness to one's word is among the principal Khmer virtues. Examination of Khmer literature indicates that this has been true for a very long time. Some believe that it resulted from contact with Hinduism, for Hindu Brahmans were considered the agents of God, with a mission to spread their religion, and were said to honor their word strictly. Truth to one's word was seen as a major virtue of Hinduism, and indeed as the essence of its theology.
-The essence of the body is chastity.
-The essence of speaking is one's oath.
-The essence of the mind is courage.
We can see this philosophy in the Khmer version of an Indian legend called "Ramayana," where a king named Preah Bat Tusarath does not dare violate his oath. The King has promised a woman named Neang Kaikesi that he will leave his throne to a particular prince, Preah Phirut, if he wins a war with the Sun. In Part One of "Ramayana," the city of Aiyutya is at the center of a conflict over the throne, and the solution is for the King's oath to take priority over tradition. As a consequence, Preah Ream, Preah Laksma, and Neang Sita have to leave the kingdom and live in the forest.
In the story of "A Young Weaver of Palm-leaf Baskets," a personal oath is once again taken as a binding contract. The weaver is stuck at the top of a palm tree, and promises to become a slave to anyone who will save him from falling to his death. A person passing by, riding on an elephant, takes him at his word and initiates a rescue, without asking for any real guarantee of the promise. The elephant rider himself becomes trapped with the weaver. The two make the same promise to four bald men, who again come to their rescue without requiring any real guarantee, because they take the two men's promise as an oath.
In two other folk tales, "A Man and a Tiger" and "A Man and a Crocodile," the main character promises a wild animal that he will come back and be eaten, as soon as he has written his will. In each story, the man keeps his word. Likewise, in "Golden Arrow," a king states that he will kill anyone who interferes with his war plan. When he discovers that his own consort, the Queen, has made this mistake, he bitterly forces himself to keep his word, and executes her with the golden arrow.
To capture the sanctity of one's oath, the Khmer people have formulated the following proverb:
"ONE'S WORD IS AS PRECIOUS TO A HUMAN BEING
AS IVORY IS PRECIOUS TO AN ELEPHANT."
Yet, the sanctity of one's personal oath decreased somewhat after an event known as "the lord's tea-spilling," which first occurred around 1845 under an occupying Vietnamese general, Troeung Minh Yang. One night the general ordered his troops to behead four or five Khmer citizens, in response to an order from the Vietnamese emperor, Ming Mang. The victims' heads were then used to support the boiler for his tea.
This practice, which continued up until the French entered our country, shook the Khmers' spirit to its very core. In response, the Khmer people began to consider "tricky" approaches to problem-solving, as indicated in the following saying:
"CONSIDER THE CURVED ROAD; AVOID THE STRAIGHT PATH."
Yet, the value placed on one's oath persists to this day, and has been inherited in something close to its original form by people in rural and mountainous areas, whose strict adherence to their personal word resembles the practice of an ascetic monk. In mountainous regions, people teach their children that a person who fails to honor an oath cannot live on the mountain.
The Tenth Root: CHASTITY AND PURITY
The tenth element of the Khmer mentality is to place a high value on chastity and purity. Indeed, the Khmer essence is a devotion to chastity, especially in women. Khmer women work incredibly hard to preserve their chastity, including, of course, their physical purity, or virginity. Correspondingly, Khmer men are inclined to accept as "queen" of their heart only a woman of fairly complete chastity, for which bodily purity is a necessary condition.
When a single woman loses her purity, she generally believes that her body has no more worth, having lost its essence. Her life becomes meaningless, and she sometime tries to end it through suicide. This stands in stark contrast to European women, who generally accept the loss of bodily purity as a natural event in their life, and who are more inclined to value the reality of their heart, which they consider the essence of their life.
Khmer people place greater value on the quality of the body, than on the quality of the heart. There are those who believe that this emphasis on bodily essence has its roots in Brahmanism, for the Brahman likewise values bodily essence as a principal quality of Brahmanhood. Yet, we believe that such a transfer of values is possible only when the recipient was, at some level, already thinking along similar lines.
The existence of this value in the Khmer mentality is noted in many works of Khmer literature:
In the story of "Ramayana," when Preah Ream takes refuge in a forest, his wife Neang Sita accompanies him.
In the story of "Preah Vesantar," when Preah Vesantar is exiled to a forest, his wife Neang Metri goes with him.
Some people think that these stories are influenced by Indian thought. Yet, acceptance by one country of another country's influence, whether in beliefs, customs, religion, or ideology, is possible only when the influence is compatible with the accepting country's pre-existing ideas. Hence, we conclude that Khmer women's devotion to chastity existed even before the Indian influence, which simply added new momentum to our own way of thinking, and led to a greater fondness for stories that praise this value.
For example:
In the story of "Tum and Teav," which is a purely Khmer love story, we see the Khmer woman's devotion to chastity clearly in the deeds of Neang Teav. When she learns that her lover Tum has been executed with a knife, she follows him by cutting her own throat with a knife.
In the story of "Sophat," Neang Manyan believes that Sophat has drowned, and follows her sweetheart by drowning herself in a river.
Now, what evidence do we have that this characteristic is invariably present? One piece of evidence comes from the present-day rotation of Khmer soldiers through different locations, which is required by different missions of the armed forces. As the husbands respond to various dangers, the wives follow them and devote themselves to providing support. Despite the challenges to family finances, and the difficulty of constantly changing their habits and lifestyle, Khmer women take this devotion as their highest priority, and thereby preserve their chastity.
6. Tale of Crow and Night Heron becoming Enemies
According to legend, in ancient times all birds had similar white feathers. Only the size and shape of their bodies made them look different from each other. When they flew in the sky, there was no way to tell what kind of birds they were. Because they would be mistaken for one another in this way, all the birds got together for a meeting and consulted with each other saying, "All of us have come together at this time to decide on how we should have different colors so that we are not mistaken for one another." After the meeting went on for a long while, they decided, "Whoever prefers a particular color, go ahead and be that color. Just make sure that your color patterns are different from one another." At that time, all the birds further agreed that Night Heron would be the master artist.
Night Heron drew colors on all the birds in the patterns they desired, until only Crow and Night Heron himself were left. Night Heron asked Crow, "Brother Crow, what color would you like drawn on you?" Crow replied, "I will let you decide, Brother Night Heron, since you are the master artist. My only request is that whatever colors you choose to draw on me, just make sure it is done well and looks good." Night Heron responded, "Uy! If that is the case, I should only draw on you at night. That is when colors are most brilliant. Colors drawn during the day do not look nearly as good. However, Brother Crow, please draw colors on me first, then I will color you afterward."
Crow drew beautiful spots on Night Heron to Night Heron's delight. When the sun set and it became dark, Night Heron called all the crows together and mixed a big pan of charcoal. He dipped cloth into the pan and smeared the crows all over, not leaving even the slightest speck on their bodies uncolored. The next morning, the crows saw that they were all pitch black and became very angry. At the first glimmer of dawn, however, the night herons had all flown away and hid themselves. Together the crows flew thoughout the forest, squawking in anguish, looking for the night herons so that they could peck them to death.
For this reason, night herons forage for food only at night, because if they were to search for food during the day, they might encounter the crows, their mortal enemy who have sworn to kill them. Thus, when the sun rises, the night heron gather together and hide in the forest, something they continue to do to this very day.
5. Tale of Field Water Buffalo and Forest Water Buffalo
In the distant past, there were two water buffalos: one was a field water buffalo, the other a forest water buffalo. These two animals loved each other dearly, sleeping and eating in each other's company without fail. Rabbit knew that these two water buffalos loved each other in such a way and devised a scheme to make them fall into disfavor with one another.
One day Rabbit sought out these two water buffalos and spoke to them saying: "Neh! Brother Water Buffalos, both of you, do not walk and eat together. Be careful that people of the village will see and capture you both and put you to work for them." The water buffalos hearing Rabbit speak thusly became fearful that they should really meet the tragedy described by his words. From that day forward, the two water buffalos would eat apart from each other; but, in being apart, both animals thought about and missed each other dearly since they had kept one another company for so many years.
After a long while, however, both water buffalos began to no longer think about or miss the other. Rabbit, knowing that the two water buffalos were separate and no longer longed for or remembered one another, went to the forest water buffalo and said, "Neh, Forest Water Buffalo! I have heard another water buffalo say that he is extremely strong and powerful. He wants to compete in a test of strength." Forest Water Buffalo became very angry saying, "Yuh! Brother Rabbit, under the sky on this earth there is only I who am strongest. Now, where is this water buffalo who recklessly brags that he is stronger and more powerful than me. Brother, go beckon him to come here so that we may engage in a test of strength." Rabbit then went to tell the field water buffalo, "Neh, Brother Field Water Buffalo! Forest Water Buffalo is very angry with you. He says to bring you to him so that you may compete in a test of strength to determine who is mightier." Rabbit climbed onto Field Water Buffalo's back and took him to meet Forest Water Buffalo.
As soon as they reached the destination, Forest Water Buffalo ferociously lunged at Field Water Buffalo. Both water buffalos battled each other for an extremely long time, neither winning nor losing. Finally, they both gave up and parted ways: one remained in the field, the other retired to the forest, never to meet each other again to this day.
4. Tale of Crocodile and the Oxcart Driver
There was once a crocodile whose home was in a large pond. When the dry season arrived, however, the water of that pond completely dried up. The crocodile could no longer live there, so he rose onto dry land in search of water.
As the crocodile was crossing the road, an old man driving an oxcart came by and encountered him. Crocodile asked if he could ride on the old man's cart. The oxcart driver asked, "Where are you going, sir?" Crocodile told him, "I have no home because the pond where I use to live is now completely dry. I can no longer live there. Therefore, I am desperately seeking any pond, lake, or river with water in order to make a new home. Have pity for me, Grandfather, please take me to a place that has water and drop me off there."
Grandfather agreed and proceeded to unhitch his oxen from their yoke and lifted Crocodile stretched out onto the cart. Fearing he might fall off, however, Crocodile asked the oxcart driver to tie him to the cart with some rope. Grandfather honored the request and afterward harnessed his oxen and continued on his way. When they arrived at a pond that had water, Grandfather stopped the oxcart, unhitched his oxen, and untied Crocodile. "This pond has plenty of water," said Grandfather. "Go sir, make your new home in this pond."
A crocodile by nature is an ungrateful beast that does not appreciate the generosity of others. Add to this Crocodile's hunger from not having eaten for many days, he therefore spoke saying, "Grandfather, you tied me onto the cart causing me much suffering and misery. You must therefore give me an ox to eat, and only then will you be free of your guilt. If you do not give me an ox, I will have to eat you instead."
Grandfather, hearing Crocodile speak thusly, became very frightened and responded, "Neh Crocodile! I have done you a favor, having taken you to this place. Now you want to eat me, even though I have done you no wrong worthy of such a consequence. Since I do not agree to your terms, wait while I fetch a judge to have him help decide our current dispute, and then we can act on his decision." Crocodile agreed saying, "Sure, Grandfather, go quickly and find a judge while I wait right here."
Grandfather took with him one ripe banana as he set off to find a judge. Along the way he encountered a rabbit standing on a mound. Rabbit, glimpsing Grandfather walking across the forest toward him with a banana in his hand, went ahead and asked, "Grandfather, oh Grandfather, you have tearful eyes that express great regret. What kind of guilt or suffering do you have, come and tell me?"
Grandfather spoke of his conflict with Crocodile, telling Rabbit all the details of their interaction.
After listening to the story, Rabbit said, "Yes, that crocodile is an animal that did not appreciate your generosity. If I should agree to act as judge in deciding your case, you will not have to worry Grandfather. Let me first eat that banana, then we shall be on our way."
Grandfather gave Rabbit his banana. After Rabbit finished eating it, they both walked to the place where Crocodile was waiting. Upon arriving Rabbit spoke out saying, "Well, Mr. Crocodile, you had lost your way when Grandfather took pity on you and gave you a ride in his cart. Now that you have arrived at a very suitable home, what makes you think you have been harmed and should retaliate by eating him? How is he to blame for your suffering, sir?"
Crocodile responded, "Yes, oh wise one, it is true this old man gave me a ride to this place; however, he has inflicted much pain upon me by tying me too tightly to the oxcart where I could not even move or breath. In this way, he has caused me great suffering. That is why I am angry with him and demand he give me one of his oxen to eat, and if he does not agree to that, then I must eat him instead."
Rabbit replied authoritatively, "Oh Grandfather! You have tie him tightly beyond reason, that is why he is angry. Why did you tie him so tightly that he could not even move?"
Grandfather said, "No! I did not tie him too tightly, your honor. I tied him only just tightly enough that he would not fall off the cart."
Rabbit said, "Uh! The accuser says that he was tied too tightly. The accused says that he tied him just tightly enough. Both of these statements cannot be corroborated by any kind of evidence. Therefore, Mr. Crocodile, you must crawl back onto the oxcart so that Grandfather may tie you once again. In this way, we will be able to see whether you were tied tightly or loosely. Only in this way may we arrive at justice."
Crocodile, being an ignorant creature, agreed to climb onto the oxcart and let Grandfather tie him down. As before, Grandfather tied him to the oxcart with a rope. Rabbit asked, "Well, sir, did Grandfather tie you down this tightly?" Crocodile answered, "No, sir! When he tied me before, it was much tighter than this. If he only tied me this much, I would have no reason to be angry with him." Rabbit said, "Okay, tighten it some more Grandfather until he is satisfied." So Grandfather tightened it some more. Rabbit asked, "Well, sir! Now is it tight like before?" Crocodile said, "Not yet! It is not as tight as before yet." Rabbit instructed, "Grandfather, go chop some wood so that you may use it as a twisting device to help you tighten the ropes even further." Grandfather did as Rabbit instructed and tightened the ropes with all his might. Crocodile endured the tightening to the point where he could barely breath then stated, "I beg of you, when he tied me before, he tied me this tightly. Oh lord, no one could tolerate this. Please, sir, witness this and decide who is right and who is in the wrong."
Rabbit, seeing that Crocodile could not move, instructed the oxcart driver saying, "Grandfather, what are you waiting for? Take that large axe in your cart and split his head with it. Why allow such a creature to live? Do not have pity for an animal that does not feel gratitude for the generosity others have done it." Grandfather followed Rabbit's suggestion, grabbed his axe and chopped Crocodile to pieces. He ended the life of that crocodile who lived by treachery.
Wise Rabbit advised, "You should smoke his tail and use it to make soup or simply eat it plain. His stomach and other innards taste very good when eaten right away, Grandfather." The oxcart driver acted as Rabbit suggested in every detail, and gave Rabbit some bananas and cucumbers for helping him avoid a tragic ending. Then he hitched his ox to the cart, bid farewell to Judge Rabbit, and started off for home.
3. Tale of the Tiger that ate Grandpa Wildsnake's Child
A long time ago, there lived an old man named Grandpa Wildsnake who was a very poor farmer working by the foot of a mountain with his wife. It took them a long time to have a child, a son who they lovingly raised from infancy until he safely grew to one year of age.
One day Grandpa Wildsnake and his wife left the boy in their hut to sleep after feeding him, like they had done many times before without incident. They took their farm tools and went to work in the field from morning until noon, leaving the child to sleep by himself. As soon as Grandpa and Grandma were out of sight, a large tiger who lived in the nearby mountain jungle snuck into the hut. Seeing the child sleeping alone, he decided to take the child with him to eat as a meal. The child did not even cry since he was still sound asleep.
Grandpa Wildsnake and his wife kept busy working hard under the hot sun harvesting the rice since morning without resting for even a moment. By afternoon, when they could no longer tolerate the heat from the sun, they collected their rice harvest into bundles and tied them together. Grandpa Wildsnake lifted the bundles onto his shoulder and walked home behind Grandma, who was carrying her bundles on her head. After they got home and set down their harvest bundles, they looked into the house and did not see their child. Both husband and wife felt immediate despair and despiration. By the place where they kept their child, they saw only the print of a large tiger's foot. From the place their child slept all the way to the foot of the jungle were blood drops. Grandpa Wildsnake and his wife knew for certain that the tiger had taken their son to eat and felt deep sorrow for their small helpless child.
Everyday from dawn until dusk, Grandpa Wildsnake and his wife experienced no joy. They reflected on their situation saying, "Spending our time constantly crying and pitying ourselves serves no purpose whatsoever. We should stop weeping and wailing and think about a foolproof way to kill that tiger." The next morning, after resting their tired spirits, they set their sights on finding and killing the tiger that ate their child. From that day forth, every morning Grandpa Wildsnake's wife woke up at dawn to prepare food and water for her husband so that everyday he could pursue the savage tiger that took the life of their child. And so, each morning, after his wife finished preparing and packing food for the day, Grandpa Wildsnake would leave for the mountain jungle. On one shoulder he would carry his small bag of food; on the other shoulder he would carry his ax as he walked into the mountain.
Grandpa Wildsnake searched for that tiger from the foot of the mountain to its peak, looking for it behind every rock, small or large, across thick woods and open meadows, from open meadows back into thick woods. He looked for that tiger from the dry season until the rainy season, when the monsoons flooded the fields to the foot of the mountain. Fearing they would drown, all the animals in the jungle ran onto the mountain to find shelter.
One day, as Grandpa Wildsnake was walking, he caught sight of the tiger that ate his child. He thought to himself, this is surely the tiger that ate my child because the footprint that I saw and this tiger's feet are about the same size, and I have never seen another tiger as large as this one. Only the largest of tigers would dare enter my home and eat my child in broad daylight. Grandpa Wildsnake considered, if I try to use brute strength to kill this tiger, there is no way I can win. To succeed, I must use my wit and wisdom. With this in mind, Grandpa Wildsnake spoke loud enough for the tiger to overhear, saying: "Use small vines to tie up pots and pans, use long vines to tie up family members onto the trees." As he spoke, his eyes kept watch all around. His right hand held the ax, his left hand pulled on the vines acting as if he was really collecting vines. He continued in this manner until the tiger took notice.
Tiger became curious and asked Grandpa Wildsnake, "Grandpa, what are you taking all those vines to tie up?" Grandpa Wildsnake replied, "I am taking the vines to tie up my pots and pans, my family members, to hang them from the trees, because in only 2 days from now the waters that have flooded the fields and flooded the jungles will flood the mountain killing everyone, including you." Upon hearing this, Tiger became fearful of drowning and pleaded for Grandpa Wildsnake to tie him up to a tree as well. Grandpa Wildsnake refused saying, "I will not tie you to the tree, Tiger. I will let you drown. If you do not believe me, climb onto the highest boulder and look down the mountain and you will see the waters that are rising all around."
Tiger quickly ran to the highest boulder he could find at the top of the mountain and saw the flood waters just as Grandpa Wildsnake described. Hebecame desperately frightened and ran back down to find Grandpa Wildsnake and begged him again and again, pleading Grandpa to tie him up to a tree. Grandpa Wildsnake taunted Tiger saying, "I am willing to tie you up but I will use only the small vines so that you will fall into the flood waters and die." This compounded Tiger's fright as he continued to beg Grandpa Wildsnake, pleading with his paws pressed together in prayer. Grandpa Wildsnake, viewing the situation as ripe, said to Tiger, "Don't worry, Tiger. I will find an extra large vine to tie you up." Hearing this made Tiger excited with joy.
Grandpa Wildsnake instructed Tiger to lie down, then took a very large vine and tied Tiger's four legs together and tied him up to a tree just high enough that a club could reach him. Afterwards, Grandpa Wildsnake went to find the largest club he could in order to beat the tied-up tiger. When Tiger saw Grandpa Wildsnake chop at a tree to make himself a club, he became curious and asked, "Grandpa, grandpa! Why are you chopping away at that wood?" Grandpa Wildsnake lied saying, "I'm chopping the wood in order to make a yoke to carry the vines back home." After Grandpa Wildsnake finished chopping the wood into a club, he went and beat Tiger from that afternoon until nightfall, breaking Tiger's ribcage until it caved in, using both hands to wield the club as he exclaimed, "Take that Tiger! See if you'll ever bite a child of mine again."
No matter how hard Tiger struggled, he could not get loose. After the beating, Grandpa Wildsnake collected kindling and firewood into a pile beneath the tiger and set fire to it, singeing Tiger's fir and burning patches of skin. The vines that held up the tiger caught fire and eventually broke, dropping Tiger to the ground, whereupon he dashed off into the thicket. Grandpa Wildsnake returned home and told the tale to his wife of how he beat the tiger with satisfaction. Thereafter, he lived contently with his wife until the end of their lives.
From this story comes the explanation for why tigers today differ from all other animals in the following 3 ways:
Whenever a tiger dies, its rib cage appears as if it has caved in.
The tiger prays twice a day that it will not encounter us humans, fearful of people since the day Grandpa Wildsnake tied and beat it up.
The tiger's markings come from being burned by the fire set by Grandpa Wildsnake
2. Tale of Rabbit Stuck on a Tree Trunk
One day, Rabbit was foraging for food when he unexpectedly ran into the base of a Trach tree that was recently chopped down and caked in sticky resin. Rabbit jumped onto the resin and got his tail and feet stuck. Unable to move, he remained motionless there on the stump of that tree.
In time, along came a baby elephant seeking to drink water at the pond by that Trach tree, a place where he went to drink everyday. Rabbit, having intelligence, spoke to frighten the baby elephant saying, “Neh! You, Baby Elephant! Do not drink this water of mine. This water the Great Lord Indra has ordered me to guard.” The baby elephant was scared and did not drink. Instead he returned to his mother crying, “Oh Mother! I was going to drink water from the pond when I saw some kind of animal sitting on a tree stump. It ran me off, prohibiting me from drinking the water. It said that it was in the service of Indra. I am very thirsty Mother!”
The mother elephant, listening to her child tell the story, grew angry and took him to the pond where they saw Rabbit sitting on the tree stump. Yelling in a threatening manner, Elephant said, “Yuh! You mean little rabbit, from where do you come from to end up sitting on this tree stump? What power do you have to prohibit and prevent my child from drinking this water? I’ll stomp on you and smash you to bits right now.” Rabbit responded by saying, “Yuh! You big windbag, you have the nerve to scold me? This pond water the Great Lord Indra has ordered me to guard, that is why I dare to prohibit others from drinking it.”
Elephant grew even angrier at Rabbit for cursing at her in this manner. She lunged forward at the stuck rabbit and pushed him off the tree trunk, planning to toss and kill him. A very frightened Rabbit screamed, “If you toss and kill me, do not toss me to the ground. I will not die that way. Throw me up instead, then I will die.” Elephant, lacking intelligence and hearing Rabbit speak thusly, threw Rabbit up into the air. When Rabbit fell to the ground, he darted off and disappeared into the jungle.
Khmer Folktales
1. Tale of Vulture Duping Elephant
In the distant past, there was once a vulture king who had a powerful army of warriors at his command. One night that vulture king dreamt in his sleep that he had captured the white elephant king. The next day, he sent his warriors to the realm of the white elephant king, and upon reaching their destination they called to the elephant king saying, “Brother Elephant! Our master has ordered you to immediately come with us to our domain because our master understands his dream to mean that he should eat your flesh.” Upon hearing these words, Elephant became startled and frightened. He cried as he bid farewell to his wife and children, and followed the warriors as ordered by the vulture king.
Midway through their journey, they came upon a wise rabbit judge who asked the elephant king, “Yeh! Where are you going, Brother Elephant, that you should be in such a rush and weeping uncontrollably as you go?” Elephant replied telling Judge Rabbit his ordeal. “Ye! Brother Elephant, as large as you are, why do you freely agree to permit yourself to be eaten by a vulture? I will help release you from your suffering so that you may be free to live,” said Rabbit. The elephant king, hearing Rabbit speak thusly, became very happy and invited Rabbit to ride on his back as they walked toward the dominion of the vulture king.
Upon seeing Elephant’s arrival, the vulture king became very gleeful and giddy and exclaimed, “Ey! Brother Elephant has finally arrived! We must eat you this day because we understand our dream to say that we should eat your flesh.” As Vulture spoke to Elephant, Rabbit acted as if he were asleep on top of Elephant. The vulture king then looked up at Rabbit and yelled, “Neh! Brother Judge, what are you doing sleeping on Elephant’s back like that? Get down from there quickly, as we are about to eat Elephant.” Rabbit responded saying, “Stop, stop! Not yet! Brother, what did you say to Brother Elephant just now? I did not get to listen because I was too busy sleeping.” Vulture answered, “I had a dream in which I ate white elephant meat.” “Ey! Really,” said Rabbit, “just now as I was asleep I dreamt that I slept with your wife, King Vulture.” “Yuh, Brother Judge! We do not need to give our wife over to you,” said the vulture king. Rabbit retorted, “If you do not permit me to live out my dream, then your claim is equally unenforceable, and neither will I permit you to eat Elephant.”
Vulture therefore did not get to eat elephant meat due to his defeat by Judge Rabbit’s clever ruse. White Elephant went ahead and returned to his dominion. Rabbit hopped back into the forest and disappeared.
Pchum Ben (Prachum Benda) Festival “Ancestors’ Day” History
In Cambodia, there are various religious festivals. Among those, Prachum Benda (“ Ancestors’ Day” ), more commonly known as Pchum Ben, is a big Cambodian religious festival, culminating in celebrations on the 15th day of the tenth month in the Khmer Calendar. It lasts for fifteen days. Pchum Ben is the fifteenth and final day of the ceremony and consists of a large gathering of laity for festivities at the local Buddhist temple. The days leading up to Pchum Ben are known as Kann Ben. In 2007, the holiday falls on the 11th of October in the Gregorian calendar.
Religiously, Cambodians believe that although most living creatures are reincarnated at death. However, due to bad karma, some souls are not reincarnated but rather remain trapped in the spirit world. Each year, for fifteen days, these souls are released from the spirit world to search for their living relatives, meditate and repent. So, the fifteen-day is time when Cambodians pay their respects to deceased relatives. Furthermore, it is an important opportunity for living relatives to meditate and pray to help reduce the bad karma of their ancestors, thus enabling the ancestors to become reincarnated and leave the torment and misery of the spirit world. People cook meals for monks, bring offerings to the temple and throw rice near the temple early in the morning, believing that their ancestors will receive it.
Terminology:
Prachum Benda (Pchum Ben): means “gathering together to make offerings”
Prachum (Pchum): means “gathering together”
Benda (Ben): means “offering”
Kann: means “ hosting or holding”
Cambodia Water Festival Highlights
The Water Festival (”Bon Om Tuk”), the most exuberant festival in Cambodia, took place on November 15-17th. According to Jinja, the Festival marks the start of the dry season and of Bon Kathan (a Buddhist practice done yearly where new robes are offered to monks).
Up to a million people from all walks of life and from all over the country flocked to the banks of the Tonle Sap and Mekong Rivers in Phnom Penh to watch traditional boats racing. As Phatry notes about the crowds, “I woke up amazingly late at 10 in the morning. already, hundreds of thousands phnom penhois, country folks, and tourists swell the waterfront and independence monument area. “
Hundreds of boats and paddlers will compete, including a boat team of HIV-positive men and women.
According to Jinja, many villages send a boat team to Phnom Penh. The village boat is usually stored at a community temple ('Vat') and the team begins practicing in the months before November. Companies, nonprofits, associations and groups of friends assemble boat teams.
There is great pride for the local village boat team. As KhmerAK notes,”People going to see the boat racing along the river and especially giving support to the one comming from the province where they from, and maybe me too, going to support the one from my province . . .”
In addition to the photograph above, Jinja captured some amazing photos of the Water Festival boats. He also photographed some of the illuminated boats on the river in the evenings, like this one:
Meanwhile, Cambodian bloggers living out of country, like Wanna, are reminded of the Water Festival.
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Cambodia Times: Camodia Preface
Cambodia Times: Camodia Preface: "Cambodians comprise a variety of kids who are commonly called Khmer. The Khmer constitute about 91 percent of the population. The population..."
Life in Cambodia: Living Conditions & Farming
“I now think of Pursat and the project that we have set up there. This time, I visited Pursat in a different manner. This time we did not just base ourselves at the Sylvia Lasky Memorial School, an open aired building which provides free English classes twice a day to one hundred students. Instead, we went to the homes of many of the families in the project. It was at that time that another level of Cambodia life opened itself up to me. I say that we visited the homes. But these were not really homes, they were solely shelters from the elements. These shelters where simple grass and bamboo structures, one room with no electricity or running water, usually with straw mats to sleep on.
The families that live in these huts are rice farmers but have only a basic subsistence living. Few own their own land, many of them having sold whatever ownership they may have once possessed after a series of floods and droughts ruined their yearly rice crop. As there is no legal control on money lending, persons in need must often take out loans at eighty to one hundred percent interest on the value of the loans. When farmers do this to simply feed their families and have a bad crop, they lose everything.
Now these families rent another person’s land. In exchange for this use, they give the owner a shocking thirty to forty percent of the profit from their rice. As they must first pay back the landlord for use, the rice the farmers grow often does not even go to feed their own families. The extended and bloated bellies of many of the under-nourished children who stared, cried and waved at us as we wandered through their village was a testament to this sad fact.”
Sustainable Cambodia has now started buying the rice supplements for the most indigent families from the farmers who produce enough rice to sell and whose children are in the program. By cutting out the middleman at the rice mill we are getting more rice for the families and giving the farmers more money than they would get from the mill. These are the types of "win-win" capacity-building solutions we are seeking in our work in Pursat.
Camodia Preface
Cambodians comprise a variety of kids who are commonly called Khmer. The Khmer constitute about 91 percent of the population. The population also includes a diversity of other ethnic backgrounds: Chinese, Vietnamese, Chams, and hilltribes, called Khmer Roeu. The Khmer are believed to have lived in the region from about the 2nd century CE. They may constitute a fusion of Mongul and Melanesian elements. They have been mainly influenced over the centuries by the powerful Indian and Japanese kingdoms. The Khmer-Loeu - or upland-Khmer - are one of the main tribal groups and live in the forested mountain zones, mainly in the North-East. Traditionally, the Khmer-Loeu were semi-nomadic and practiced slash and burn agriculture. In recent years, because of their increasing numbers, they have turned to settled agriculture and adopted many of the customs of the lowland Khmer.
There are about 500.000 Cham-Malays, descended from the The Chams of the royal kingdom of Champa, based in the present day central Vietnam. They now constitute the single largest ethnic minority in the country. The Chams were badly persecuted during the Pol Pot regime and their population more than halved. They are Muslims and their spiritual centre is Chur-Changvra near Phnom Penh. The Chams are traditionally cattle traders, silk weavers and butchers. The Chinese migrated in the 18th and 19th century to Cambodia, where most of them became involved in commerce. During the Pol Pot years and later many Chinese left the country or were killed. Today there is a population of about 100.000 left in Cambodia. Estimated 200.000 Vietnamese live in the country today. The southern part of Cambodia has always had many inhabitants of Vietnamese decent as well as the area around Phnom Penh.
Religion- Kaitlyn
The Cambodian religions on the whole are strongly influenced by early Indian and Chinese cultures. As early as the beginning of the Christian era the Indian traders brought - along with their products - their religion to the first Khmer state in Funan. Most of them were followers of Brahmanism (a forerunner of Hinduism), which merged with the existing animistic beliefs into a kind of new religion - hinduistic and local deities existing side by side.
During the Angkor period, which started at the beginning of the 8th century, various Hindu sects were promoted by the Angkor kings, especially the cults of Shiva and Vishnu, which is still to be seen in the art and architecture of that period. Jayavarman II crowned himself as a reincarnation of Shiva and reigned on the basis of the Hindu concept of the god-kings or devaraja. Hindu cosmology had a great impact on the whole Cambodian culture. Today, almost 91% of the population are Theravada-Buddhists - the faith has had a formative influence on everyday live and still has. It was reintroduced as the national religion in 1989.
Theravada-Buddhism entered the country in the 13th century and began to spread under King Jayavarman VII in the whole country, till it became state religion in the 15th century. As a popular religion, it held great attractions to a population which for many centuries had been denied access to the more elitist and extravagant devaraja cult. Many Cambodian males at some point of their lives, spend time in a Buddhist monastery and almost every village has a Buddhist temple - or wat - around which village life centers. Buddhist rituals follow the lunar calendar and there are several significant religious holidays and festivals that are widely observed. Cambodian Buddhism appears an easy going faith and tolerates ancestor and territorial spirit worship, which is widely practised. There are often small rustic altars to the guardian spirits in the corner of pagodas. Many Khmer communities have achars, who share in the spiritual guidance of people but do not compete with the monks. Most important ceremonies - weddings, funerals, coming of age - have both Buddhist and animist elements. Today other religions in Cambodia are Islam and Christianity - there are around 500.000 Cham-Muslims belonging to the Sunni school and approximately 60.000 Christians, most of them Roman Catholics. Almost all the Chinese in Cambodia are Taoist or Confucianist.
Arts & Architecture
The height of Khmer art and architecture dates from the Angkor period. All the surviving monuments are built of stone or brick, and all are religious buildings. The culture and art of the early kingdoms of Funan and Chenla were central to the evolution of Angkorian art and architecture. Relics of the pre-Angkorian periods have been found all over South-Cambodia. Most of it is Hindu art, but a number of Mahayana-Buddhist Bodhisattvas have been found also. During Angkor period, architecture and its decoration were governed by a series of mystical and religious beliefs.
Common motifs in Khmer sculpture are apsaras (celestial nymphs), which have become a kind of symbol of the Khmer culture. The apsaras are carved with splendidly ornate jewellery, clothed in the latest Angkor fashion and represented the ultimate ideal of feminine beauty of that time. Other motifs are nagas (sacred aquatic snakes), which play an important part in Hindu mythology and are possibly more than any other motif charac-teristic of Southeast Asia. Most of these motifs have been taken from Indian art and have been modified into what is now known as traditional Khmer art.
Temples were designed to represent the cosmic Mt. Meru, the home of the gods of Indian cosmology, surrounded by oceans. Angkor literally means "city" or "capital", Wat means "temple". Angkor Wat is the largest and most famous of the architectural masterpieces of Cambodia and probably the largest religious building on earth. Conceived by Suryavarman II, Angkor Wat took an estimated 30 years to build. It is generally believed to have been a funeral temple for the king. It has been continuously occupied by monks and is well preserved.
Intricate bas reliefs surround Angkor Wat on four sides. Each tells a different story. The most celebrated of these is "The Churning of the Ocean of Milk", which is located on the east wing. Again, the central sanctuary of the temple complex represents Mt. Meru, the five towers symbolize Meru's five peaks, the enclosing wall represents the mountains at the edge of the world and the surrounding moat, the ocean beyond.
The symmetrical towers of Angkor Wat are stylized on the Cambodian flag and have become a symbol of Khmer culture. Language
The official Cambodian language, called Khmer, is part of the Mon-Khmer family, enriched by the Indian Pali and Sanskrit languages and influenced by Thai and French. Khmer is related to the languages spoken by hilltribe people of Laos, Vietnam and even Malaysia. It has no tones and the script is derived from the South-Indian alphabet, written from left to right and leaving no space between the words. English and French are spoken also - French mainly by some old people, whereas the younger generation learns English.
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