Cambodian culture

Khmer culture also has developed and spread by the Khmer empire, has distinctive styles of dance, architecture and sculpture, which have been exchanged with neighbouring Laos and Thailand through the history. Angkor Wat (Angkor means "city" and Wat "temple") is the best preserved example of Khmer architecture from the Angkorian era and hundreds of other temples have been discovered in and around the region. The Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, and other places where the body of people died in Pol pot Regime is infamous prison of the Khmer Rouge, like Choeung Ek, one of the main Killing Fields are other important historic sites. Khmer new years, In ancient countries of Chompou Tvip (the central continent of the seven continents surrounding Mount Meru) the elder people adopted the Khmer New Year's date in Khè Mikasè (January), i.e. the early year. According to the lunar calendar, they formerly chose three seasons including Heman Radov or winter, Kimha Radov ir hot season and Vasan Radov or rainy season. Since Chol Sakarach (Lesser Era) they have formally adopted the solar calendar and held the Khmer New Year Festival in Khè Chèt (fifth month) that is a free time from their farming. Four main seasons in the solar calendar contain winter, spring, summer and autumn. The Khmer people have adopted the fifth solar month, known as Khè Chèt, to celebrate their New Year festival. Usually, according to the solar calendar, the Khmer New Year falls on the 13th of April although sometimes it falls on the 14th of April. The auspicious occasion of the Khmer New Year is detailed in the astrological almanac and extends over three days. The first day is known as Maha Sangkran or "Great Almanac Day", the second day is called Veara Vanabath or "Worshipping Day", and the third day is known as Veara Leung Sak or "Rank and Promotion Day". Of the three days Veara Leung Sak is considered the most auspicious. The history of the Khmer New Year is closely connected to the seven signs of the zodiac for the week. The legend of the New Year is detailed in the Almanac which says: In ancient, happier times, a young man by the name of Thoamabal, the son of a tycoon, had an extensive knowledge of three Vedas (ancient books on Hinduism) by the age of seven. Thoamabal's father built a temple under the spread of a large Chrey tree (a fig tree) on the banks of a river that was home to many species of birds. He had an innate ability that enabled him to understand the languages of birds. He had an innate ability that enabled him to understand the languages of birds. Thoamabal's attributes allowed him to become a layman in charge of religious ceremonies for all classes of people. Upon hearing this news another religious leader Kabel Maha Prohm, decided to challenge Thoamabal with tree riddles. He vowed that if Thaomabal could successfully answer the riddles he, Kabel Maha Prohm, would be beheaded; however if Thoamabal could not answer the riddles correctly then it would be Thoamabal who would be beheaded. Thoamabal insisted on having seven days to answer the puzzling enigma until Kabel Maha Prohm agreed. For six days Thoamabal could not solve the problems and knew that he faced the prospect of being killed by Kabel Maha Prohm the next morning. He therefore decided ton hide himself and let his life fade away by natural causes. He hid himself beneath a pair of sugar palm trees in which a pair of eagles were nesting, that night Thoamabal overheard the eagles talking. The female asked, "What will we eat tomorrow morning?" The male eagle replied, "We will eat the flesh of Thoamalobal because tomorrow he is going to be beheaded by Kabie Maha Prohm due to his inability to solve the riddles". The female then asked, "What are the riddles?" The male answered, "The first riddle is, where is luck to be found in the mornine?" Of course the answer is that luck is on the face because people always take water to wash their faces. The second riddle asked, where is luck located at noon? It is on the chest because people always take water to wash their chests. Finally, the third question asked, where is luck located in the evening? The answer is that luck is on the feet because people always wash their feet in the evening. Thoamabal overheard all of the conversation and so happily returned to his temple. In the morning Kabel Maha Prohm came to ask Thoamabal if he could answer the three riddles. Thoamabal successfully answered each of the riddles. Kabel Maha Prohm realixing he had failed, called his seven daughters, who were maids of Branma, to learn of his fate.Kabal Maha Prohm said, "Your father is foing to be beheaded in front of Thoamabal. If my head is set on the earth , if will set fire to Earth, if my head is thrown into the air, the rain will evaporate, if my head is thrown into the sea, the sea will dry up. Therefore I ask you, my seven daughters to get a holy metal tray on which to set your father's head". Having said this, he beheaded himself and his head was passed to Neang Toungsa, the eldest of his daughters. She placed her father's head on the holy tray and then proceeded to walk around Mount Meru for one hour, respectfully keeping the tray on her right hand. She then took the tray to the temporary sanctuary of Phnom Kailas. At Phnom Kailas, Preah Visakam created a hall where seven holy glasses (Pheakabatei Saphea) were set. The glasses were for use by angels during ceremonies. Each year the seven angels took turns to invoke the head of Kabel Maha Prohm to and complete a holy procession around Mount Meru. Following the holy procession the angels returned to their heaven. The Seven Angels of the Almanac: If the annual procession talls on a Sunday then the day will be known as Toungsa. The other days are, Monday is Kooreak, Tuesday is called Reaksa, Wednesday is named Monday, Tuesday will be Kereney, Friday is known as Kemera and Saturday is Mahaotra. During the Khmer New Year Festival, youths gather to play popular traditional games such as Chaol Chhoung (throwing a ball) and Bas Angkunh (throwing brown seeds). The youths are normally divided into female and male teams to play these games. In some parts of Cambodia, e.g. Siem Reap and Battambang, they play a game known as the "Trot Dance". Trot performers dance and ask for alms from house to house in their village. A man will ride on a long curved stick with a deer's head on one side and with a cluster of grass on the other side like the deer's tail. Two men pretend to be hunters and are armed with a crossbow. When they receive alms they will donate it for the benefit of the local pagoda. In villages along the Mekong Riverinthe province of Kandal women gather to rowboats in front of the pagodas. This action is believed to appease the crocodiles. This custom originated long ago when many crocodiles lived in the river. In some villages, people trample on effigies to appease the ghosts that live in the trees near the pagodas and ask for happiness in the coming year. The Khmer people will gather together and visit pagodas and temples on the occasion of the Khmer New year. Each year many residents from other provinces visit Angkor Wat to worship to the powerful gods and trace their ancestors' heritage. Bonn Om Teuk (Festival of Boat Racing), the annual boat rowing contest, is the most attended Cambodian national festival. Held at the end of the rainy season when the Mekong river begins to sink back to its normal levels allowing the Tonle Sap River to reverse flow, approximately 10% of Cambodia's population attends this event each year to play games, give thanks to the moon, watch fireworks, and attend the boat race in a carnival-type atmosphere.Popular games include cockfighting, soccer, and kicking a sey, which is similar to a footbag. Recent artistic figures include singers Sinn Sisamuth and Ros Sereysothea (and later Meng Keo Pichenda), who introduced new musical styles to the country. Rice, as in other Southeast Asian countries, is the staple grain, while fish from the Mekong and Tonle Sap also form an important part of the diet. The Cambodian per capita supply of fish and fish products for food and trade in 2000 was 20 kilograms of fish per year or 2 ounces per day per person.[39] Some of the fish can be made into prahok for longer storage. Overall, the cuisine of Cambodia is similar to that of its Southeast Asian neighbours. The cuisine is relatively unknown to the world compared to that of its neighbours Thailand and Vietnam. Soccer is one of the more popular sports, although professional organized sports are not as prevalent in Cambodia as in western countries due to the economic conditions. The Cambodia national football team managed fourth in the 1972 Asian Cup but development has slowed since the civil war. Western sports such as volleyball, bodybuilding, field hockey, rugby union, golf, and baseball are gaining popularity while traditional boat racing maintains its appeal as a national sport. Martial arts is practiced in Cambodia, as well the native art of Pradal Serey and Khmer Traditional Wrestling. Bonn PChum Ben (Spirits Festival) is the one of other special day in Cambodia, help for gathering khmer people and dedicate the good action ( Bun) to the soul of the dead people who are their relatives... វប្បធម៌បរទេសហូរចូលស្រុកខ្មែរ ភាពទាន់សម័យតាមៗគ្នារវាងប្រទេសមួយទៅប្រទេសមួយធ្វើ​ឲ្យចំលងគ្លាទៅវិញទៅមក វាជារឿងធម្មតា ប៉ុន្តែបើ យើង ជ្រុលនិយមវប្បធម៌គេពេកធ្វើឲ្យវប្បធម៌របស់ខ្លួនបាត់ប្រជាប្រ័យភាព ហើយធ្វើឲ្យគេដៀលថាយើងភ្លេចវប្បធម៌ខ្លួន។ បញ្ហានេះវាអាស្រ័យលើខ្លូនយើងម្នាក់ទេ ហើយត្រូវ ប្រកាន់ខ្ជាប់នូវអ្វីជាភាពថ្លៃថ្នូរបស់ខ្លួនបាទ អញ្ចឹងហើយបានជា ម្ថាយឪពុក របស់យើងម្នាក់តែងទេស នាជាញឹកញាប់ពេលញ់ាំបាយក្ថី ពេលនូវជុំគ្នាក្ថី កូនខ្លះធុញចំពោះពាក្យជ្រាំដែលៗរបស់ពួកគាត់ តែបើនិយាយទៅ អ្វីដែល គាត់និយាយគឹចង់ឲ្យយើងក្លាយជាមនុស្សល្អក្នុងសង្គមទេតើ។ ជាពិសេសគាត់ខ្លាចយើងក្លាយជាមនុស្សអាក្រក់ជាហេតុឲ្យខូចពូជពង្សរបស់គាត់ មួយវិញទៀត ដោយសាយើងធ្វើមិនបាននូវអ្វីដែលគាត់ទេសនាបានជាគាត់នយាយដដែលៗ។។។។ ម្ថាយឪពុកខ្ខះវាយធ្វើបាបកូនដោយសាតែកូនមិនធ្វើតាមពាក្យទូម្មានរបស់ខ្លួន ហើយកូនក៏អញ្ចឹងដែរ ​រឹងទទឹងមិនធ្វើតាមទេព្រោះចង់យកឈ្នះឪពុកម្ថាយខ្លួន។ បាទ​ សូមជំរាបថា អំពើនេះ បាបខ្លាំងណាស់ ហើយបើគិតពីទឹកចិត្តគាត់វិញ គាត់ខូចចិត្តខ្លាំងណាស់បាទ។។។ម្ថាយឪពុក គ្រប់រូប​ ទោះកូនខូច យ់ាងណា ក៏គាត់មិនប្រាប់គេ ហើយ​​ខឹងគេពេលគេបង្អាប់កូនគាត់ សូមទោសបាទបើពុំគួរ click to read more Walk through the door of a traditional Khmer house in the center of an old warehouse building in Phnom Penh and center the intricate and fascinating world of Cambodian handicrafts – a centuries-old world reviving in fine fashion. In front of you is a room of silks in muted, earthy colors woven on looms similar to those used hundreds of years ago. Look around and find carved dancing Apsaras, threatening Garudas and other figures from a mythic past. On one side you see baskets, platters and plates woven of tough vines harvested from the jungles by generations of women. And look over there -silver bowls in the shape of elephants, deer, wild pegs, fish and goats. Here is traditional furniture; there, leather goods. This is a Bassac Crafts Center, comprising a group of organizations that are leading the Kingdom’s crafts revival and working to establish high standards for quality. These community development organizations -including the Sobbhana Foundation, Lotus Pond, the School of Fine Arts Association, Tabitha, Wat Than Crafts, Khemara House, JSRC, the Women’s Association of Cambodia and Krousar Thmey- assist poor families and the disabled. Their crafts are for sale –retail and wholesale- with proceeds supporting efforts to revive the traditional crafts. Cambodia’s culture of handicrafts goes back to the early years of the county’s history, to the day when god-kings were erecting the massive monuments of Angkor. The ancient traditions of weaving, sculpting and carving were passed on from generation to generation. Most of this came to a halt in the 70s, when the Khmer Rouge considered the arts elitist and artisans were forced into the fields. But the revival is well underway.Across this land of green rice paddies, shining blue waters, great wandering rivers and lush forests, the people of Cambodia are learning and re-learning the arts of their ancestors. In doing so, they are creating a market for lovers of fine handmade goods available at markets around the country. The revival is occurring with the assistance of long-term Government rural development programs, and is complemented by national and international non-government community development programs throughout the Kingdom. The Sobbhana foundation –founded by Her Royal Highness Princess Norodom Mari Ranariddh in 1983 as a shelter of war orphans in a refugee camp on the Thai border –now operates three training centers in Phnom Penh. It is named in honor of Samdech Rasmi Sobbhana, the Royal Aunt of King Norodom Sihanouk , who dedicated her life to social action -in particular, the education of women and children. The Foundation signifies the important role the Royal family plays in culture and the arts. Since its establishment, the Foundation has trained more than 4.000 women in weaving, embroidery and sewing, passing on skills and at the same time reviving the arts of Khmer ancestors –silk weaving, basket making, wood carving, silver working and stone sculpting. SILK WEAVING Go to a long, thatch-walled shed west of Siem Reap. In mottled sunlight and shade, a young Khmer woman sits at a wood-frame loom. Patiently she works colorful threads of silk, blocking the sshuttle back and forth, watching quietly as a lovely fabric of subtle hues emerges. She is a student at Chantier Ecole, funded by Caisse Francaise de Developpement, a French financial institution supporting the development. Around her, other young women sit at looms. In another hut a carpetful of young men wind spindles and skeins of silk thread unraveled from bright yellow and whit cocoons bobbing in a metal pot of water heated over a small fire. In still another hut, hundreds of silkworms much away at long mulberry leaves on a round wicker platter, or slumber away in cocoons woven on frames. Outsides, other students tend 33,000 young mulberry trees grown from gifted twigs, learning to cultivate and fertilize them. When the student finishes the course, she and the others will know all there is to know about making silk, from the planting and caring for mulberry trees to selling the colorful dresses, purses and bolts of find silk cloth they produce. then she will returned to her northwest village of Prayut, apply for a small loan, buy a loom and become a businesswoman in an 800-year-old trade. You also can visit silk weavers on the island of Koh Dach in the Mekong north of Phnom Penh, historically a center for weaving; purchase the colorful purses and dresses, exuberant bolts of silk. Color, texture and patterns determine the use of silk: they are embroidered with gold and silver threads, woven with bold vertical stripes, shimmering contrasting color, or in ancient patterns of elephants, fish and jasmine flowers. When a woman is to be wed, she weaves a fabric for her husband that he will treasure for years and be wrapped in on the day of his death. In the smallest villages, women take great pride in donning their heirloom silk, glistening with age. SILVER Travel to Kampong Luoung, the old Royal port in Kandal Province, where villagers craft intricate silver bowls in the shapes of fruits, elephants, deer, wild pigs, fish and goats. Or they fashion fine plates and trays, cutlery and candlesticks. The villages have specialized in silver work for centuries, says Ros Chan Thou, who retails their work in Phnom Penh and wholesales it to Thailand, Hong Kong, Singapore and the Philippines. The silver is imported from Singapore and Hong Kong but the craft is pure Khmer, ornate filigree work passed on from early generations. Silversmithing reached its height during the 11th century when the crafted objects were used primarily by Royalty and the upper class for ceremonial purposes, funerary and religious rituals. BASKETS Go west of Seamreap again. Down a dirt road through sparkling rice paddies you will find weavers at every house. In the shade under one stilt house, three generations of women laugh and gossip while their fingers deftly shape pencil-thick reeds into traditional platters, baskets, plates and bowls. They range in age from 15-year-old Chon Noy to 57-years-old Heang Nung, who learned the craft from her mother and grandmother. Weaving steadily from dawn to dusk, they produce a plate in two days for sale locally, and big baskets for export to neighboring Thailand. They harvest the vines themselves, trekking off toward the jungle and returning at night with material to last several days. At dusk, one can easily see bicycles packed with the day’s harvest returning to the villages. They do all the work. Chun Neng, 18, cross-legged in a traditional sarong, skillfully strips thin threads for weaving, running them along a razor–sharp knife. A few meters down the road five teenage girls sit in a thatched lean-to at roadside, with a fat pink-and-gray pig asleep at their feet. They weave small bowls with "legs" used to make offerings at pagodas, weddings and other occasions. Each makes three bowls a day, and sells them to help contribute to the livelihood of the family. They sit along the roadside; they giggle to attract customers. Their marketing plan is simple, but effective, as their day’s production sell quickly. It is a small triumph of art and business in a distant rice paddy, but it is part of a larger success across the country, the revival of tradition, and the rebirth of native art. Wood carvings reflect strong spiritual beliefs with roots in animism –from the pillars of a house to the elaborate motifs of moons, stars, fruits and flowers. Houses are built with great attention given to the pillars, each having its own spirit, that of a woman and the roofs feature elaborate carved motifs. Miniature "spirit houses"-used to make offerings of food, flowers and incense- are strategically placed at homes and other buildings. Boxes and other carvings are used for ornamentation and furniture.