Visiting Preah Vihea

Visiting Preah Vihea

Preah Vihear is quite a big northern province of Cambodia. Its capital is called Phnom Tbeng Meanchey. The province itself is named after the temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, what is definitely the hotspot of this province. Much of the province is extremely remote and strongly forested. Unfortunately do large logging companies reduce the natural landscape by carving huge tracts of pristine tropical hardwoods out of the locations. It is also one of the least populated provinces in the Kingdom of Cambodia. This tranquil site is popular for the Preah Vihear temple, standing in the vicinity of the borderline between Thailand and Cambodia. The province has one of the worst infrastructures in the country – there are even no proper Major Roads in existence. Going around this province is not that easy if you’re used to proper roads and usual transportation possibilities, as there are only a few pick-ups or some money-hunting moto drivers to take you where you would like to go.Whatsoever the province has a lot to offer for those, who are interested in ancient temple structures and remote villages without touristy influence. Here in Preah Vihear you may find three of the most impressive legacies from the Angkorian era: the mountain temple of Prasat Preah Vihear, the 10th-century capital of Koh Ker and the mighty Preak Khan. Koh Ker is nowadays easily accessible from Siem Reap via Beng Mealea, but the other two still remain difficult to visit, requiring long and tough overland journeys and a distinct possibility to spend a night in the jungle. During the wet season these places are more or less unreachable. But there are governmental plans to develop the region for a smooth but constant tourism, building roads and improving infrastructure.The provincial capital Tbeng Meanchey is due to the state of the infrastructure and it’s geographical location not visited by a lot of foreigners. Most of them don’t make it here worrying about the street conditions and the backcountry feeling of no fast supply in need. The city is sprawling and dusty and consists of little more than two small major dirt roads form South to North. There is nothing interesting in town or to do, so it has necessarily become more a stopover on the way to Koh Ker and Preah Khan.

SIHANOUKVILLE - BEACH RESORT

SIHANOUKVILLE - BEACH RESORT

'Beach town', 'port community', 'fledgling resort destination' - all describe Sihanoukville, Cambodia's premier beach town. Sihanoukville's white sand beaches and warm Gulf of Thailand waters combine with a laid back, beachy atmosphere to provide a great little tropical getaway. Sihanoukville is a place to unwind by the beach, enjoy the fresh from-the-ocean seafood, take in a snorkeling or scuba trip, and generally slow-down, lay back and chill-out. Sihanoukville has a different look and feel than most Cambodian towns. Constructed as a port city in the late 1950s, the town is much newer, more urban and cosmopolitan than most Cambodian provincial cities. Nowadays, Sihanoukville is as much a beach town as it is a port town, catering to beach-going weekenders from Phnom Penh as well as a steadily increasing number of foreign visitors. Still, the pace of life in Sihanoukville is very relaxed. Cows occasionally wander the main road, outside town foreign faces draw smiles and curious stares, and most of the beaches offer only beach umbrellas, thatched roofed eateries, and a growing number of restaurants, bungalows and hotels. Sihanoukville has a more than ample supply of accommodations, including a 5-star resort complex on Sokha Beach, several mid-range places downtown and at the beaches, a few 'upscale' three-star hotels, and dozens of budget guesthouses, especially on Weather Station Hill (Victory Hill). Considering the moderate number of visitors to Sihanoukville, the town offers a surprising number and variety of restaurants and bars. Fresh seafood, especially crab, prawns and ocean fish, has always been one of the town's biggest draws, but there is also a wide variety of places offering foreign cuisines - Australian, French, Indian, German, Sri Lankan, British, Italian, pizza places, a couple of western bakeries and even a espresso coffee shop. And these days Sihanoukville offers a pretty good night life as well with a wide variety of bars staying open well into the wee hours, especially on Weather Station Hill, in the downtown area, and the beach bars on Ochheuteal, ‘Serendipity’ and Victory Beaches. ORIENTATIONSihanoukville is not a small place, and the best way to get around is to hire a motorbike. Sihanoukville itself is east of the main backpackers' beach and close to the more mid-range Ochatial Beach. Due south of town is tiny Ko Pos Beach, which ha a solitary mid-range hotel, and the larger Independence Beach, which has the crumbling Independence Hotel - slated for redevelopment. INFORMATIONCambodian's only deep-sea port is located here and considerable international aid has been spent to improve the infrastructure in the province. Although tourism has increased over the past few years, the beaches of Sihanoukville are some of the most unspoiled in all of Southeast Asia. It is a prefect tropical getaway, filled with lovely beaches and facilities for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving or just sunbathing. Boat trips are also available to many of the nearby islands. There are several hotels and local restaurants serving fresh, delicious seafood on the beach. On the weekend, there are many local visitors from Phnom Penh to relax, swimming and enjoy fresh seafood.

Khmer History

Migrations into the mainland regions of Southeast Asia from the north continued well into historic times. The Khmer came with earlier waves following in the wake of the Malays.^{[citation needed]} Most scholars believe they came at least 3,000 years ago, much earlier than Tai people who now inhabit many parts of what was originally Austroasiatic territory. The reason they migrated into Southeast Asia is generally debated, but scholars believe that Mon-Khmer were pushed down by invading Sino-Tibetans from the north as evident by Austroasiatic vocabulary in Chinese or because of agricultural purposes as evident by their migration routes along major rivers. The Khmer are relatives to the Mon who settled further to the west.

After establishment in Southeast Asia, the history of the Khmer people parallels the history of Cambodia. Like the other early peoples of Southeast Asia such as the Pyu and Mon, the Khmer were influenced by Indian traders and scholars, adapting their religions, sciences, and customs and borrowing from their languages. The Khmer also acquired the concept of the Sivite Deva Raja (God-King) and the great temple as a symbolic holy mountain. Although Cambodian kingdoms waxed and waned and were eventually eclipsed, the Cambodian penchant for building temples of stone throughout their kingdoms left monuments still extant today.

Khmer Art, Museumsinsel Hombroich, Germany

Jayavarman II (802 – 830), revived Cambodian power and built the foundation for the Angkorean empire, founding three capitals--Indrapura, Hariharalaya, and Mahendraparvata--the archeological remains of which reveal much about his times. After winning a long civil war, Suryavarman I (reigned 1002 – 1050) turned his forces eastward and subjugated the Mon kingdom of Dvaravati. Consequently, he ruled over the greater part of present-day Thailand and Laos, as well as the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. This period, during which Angkor Wat was constructed, is considered the apex of Khmer civilization. The Khmer kingdom became a great empire, and the great temples of Angkor, considered an archeological treasure replete with detailed stone bas-reliefs showing many aspects of the culture, including some musical instruments, remain as monuments to the culture of the Khmer. After the death of Suryavarman II (1113 – 1150), Cambodia lapsed into chaos until Jayavarman VII (1181 – 1218) ordered the construction of a new city. He was a Buddhist, and for a time, Buddhism became the dominant religion in Cambodia. As a state religion, however, it was adapted to suit the Deva Raja cult, with a Buddha Raja being substituted for the former Shiva Raja or Vishnu Raja.

A Khmer woman

The rise of the Tai kingdoms of Sukhothai (1238) and Ayuthaya (1350) resulted in almost ceaseless wars with the Cambodians and led to the destruction of Angkor in 1431. They are said to have carried off 90,000 prisoners, many of whom were likely dancers and musicians.^[4] The period following 1432, with the Cambodian people bereft of their treasures, documents, and human culture bearers, was one of precipitous decline. In 1434 King Ponhea Yat made Phnom Penh his capital, and Angkor was abandoned to the jungle. Due to continued Siamese and Vietnamese aggression Cambodia appealed to France for protection in 1863 and became a French protectorate in 1864. During the 1880s, along southern Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia was drawn into the French-controlled Indochinese Union. For nearly a century, the French exploited Cambodia commercially, and demanded power over politics, economics, and social life.

During the second half of the twentieth century, the political situation in Cambodia became chaotic. King Norodom Sihanouk (later, Prince, then again King), proclaimed Cambodia's independence in 1949 (granted in full in 1953) and ruled the country until March 18, 1970, when he was overthrown by General Lon Nol, who established the Khmer Republic. On April 17, 1975, the genocidal Khmer Rouge led by Saloth Sar, better known by his alias, Pol Pot, came to power and virtually destroyed the Cambodian people, their health, morality, education, physical environment, and culture. On January 7, 1979 Vietnamese forces ousted the Khmer Rouge. After more than ten years of painfully slow rebuilding with only meager outside help, the United Nations intervened resulting in the Paris Peace Accord on October 23, 1992 and created conditions for general elections in May 1993, leading to the formation of the current government and the restoration of Prince Sihanouk to power as King in 1993. Nonetheless, the Khmer Rouge continued to control portions of western and northern Cambodia until the late 1990s when they surrendered to government forces in exchange for either amnesty or re-adjustment for positions into the Cambodian government, and security outside the capital remains problematic.

khmer herritate

Our mission is to preserve, promote, and celebrate Cambodian arts and culture in an effort to advance the Cambodian community and to create an environment for artistic innovations.

We have produced cultural events in Khmer language and sponsored exhibitions of traditional Cambodian visual and performing arts forms in various venues with other organizations in Long Beach and the surrounding communities, including:

• The Lotus Festival in Los Angeles
• The Anaheim Street International Festival
• Cambodian New Year Festival and
• The 5K Spiral Walkathon sponsored by Friends Without A Border.

We also has supported and provided services to the number of local Cambodian and Southeast Asian artists.

khmer herritate

Khmer Cultural Center is a non-profit community based arts organization rooted in the arts and cultural tradition, and experience of Cambodia.

Khmer Cultural Center was founded by Mon Duch, Chum Sambath, Chetra Keo, Narin Antoniades, and Sean Theng Ban in 1998.

It was founded on the conviction that our cultural legacy can play a major role in developing a positive identity, preserving traditional arts, encouraging a vision of entrepreneurial possibility within the Cambodian neighborhood of Long Beach, and in turn, the Cambodian communities throughout America. Our aim is to position Khmer Cultural Center as a national center for Cambodian arts and culture in an effort to advance the Cambodian community and to create an environment for artistic innovations.

Chamroeun Yin

Chamroeun Yin

Chamroeun Yin was born in the province of Battambang, Cambodia, in 1957. He received his initial training in Khmer folk arts from his father, a carpenter and cabinetmaker who crafted the ritual furniture and objects needed for weddings and in Buddhist temples, as well as everyday artifacts. His father was a musician, and Mr. Yin developed a knowledge and appreciation of music and dance in these early years.

Through an apprenticeship with a cousin, he became a tailor and dressmaker crafting Khmer traditional clothes. His talents were further developed in the Khao I Dang refugee camp in Thailand, to which he escaped in 1979. There, he encountered classically trained court musicians and dancers who recruited young people for classes in Cambodian art and culture. Soon he became, in his words, "crazy for dancing." While other people in the camps worked to earn extra money for food, Mr. Yin spent his days practicing the disciplined art of court dance. What money he earned as a tailor in the camp he spent not on food, but on fabric and materials to make the elaborately beaded dance costumes for the group's performances.

Mr. Yin came to America as an artistic refugee as part of the Khmer Classical Dance Troupe, which toured the nation to great acclaim in 1981-1982. The troupe settled in the Washington, D.C., area but eventually disbanded as artists had to find ways of making a living. Mr. Yin moved to Philadelphia in 1989. Here he works in several mediums. He is a teang ka, or "ritual beautician," someone who creates wedding costumes and makes the bride and groom "beautiful like the king and queen." He teaches Khmer court dance and mask-making to Khmer youth, and performs regularly. He continues to develop his artistry, devising new ways to make items such as dance crowns out of laminated cardboard and papier mâché, and adding to the community's growing collection of dance costumes.

Through dance, sculpture, choreography, teaching, performances, and weddings, Mr. Yin tries to explore and communicate Cambodian values, creating "movements that show you what is polite or rude, beautiful or ugly." He dances with passion and delicacy, and with a sense of the importance of keeping alive the fragile threads of Khmer dance tradition: "I dance because I want to keep my culture. I want this dance to stay alive forever in the future."

Since coming to Philadelphia, Mr. Yin has been recognized by the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts and the Dance Advance program as a master dancer. He has received grants to teach classical Khmer dance to apprentices in the local community and to pursue his own work in both dance and crafts. He has also organized, choreographed, and presented the annual dance performances for the Khmer New Year before audiences of about 500 people. He has performed at LaSalle University, Penn State, Community College of Philadelphia, the Samuel Fleisher Art Memorial, International House, and at various community sites. His craftsmanship has been exhibited in exhibitions curated by the Philadelphia Folklore Project. In the Folklore Project's folk arts residency program, he teaches crafts and dance, linked arts of central importance to the Khmer community today.

Khmer Society

Khmer Society
History of Cambodia

To glimpse into the Khmer Society, we can understand that the top of the hierarchy should have been the god-king or deva-raja, surrounded by his tutors who were brahmins, and also by the members of his royal family. The priests residing in the temples were also powerful as they seem to own many lands and the paddy fields.
The stone inscription found in many temples gave some glimpses to the donors whose names were written with the titles. These donors could have been the noblemen or the dignitaries of the Khmer's ruling class responsible for the administrative and judiciary tasks, however, their titles were unfamiliar to the historians and the hierarchical ranks were not known, thus it is difficult to draw a complete table of hierarchy for the Angkor Empire.
Since the economy of the Khmer civilization was based mainly on agriculture, the majority of the people should have been the peasants or the farmers living in the villages. It was not clearly certain that there were any small landowners in the kingdom since most inscriptions often referred to large landowners of the elite class or of the temples.
The lowest hierarchy of the Khmer civilization should have been the slaves. Interestingly, there were two types of slaves in the kingdom which are worth mentioning and distinguished. As previously discussed in the chapter of "inscription", some of the Khmer stone inscriptions were found to list the names of slaves who belonged to the temples. Since their names were carefully crafted and enshrined in the holy place, they could not have been the low class slaves as its word "slave" implied. The historians believed that they were actually the temple servants and the priests who were "the slaves only to the gods", and not to any human being. In reality then, the "actual slaves" were mostly the captives from the neighboring countries, however, it was found that the Khmer people themselves could fall into the lowest status of being a "slave" if they failed to pay their rents or loans to the upper ruling class.