Language The official language of Cambodia is Khmer whose script is believed to have been derived from the South-Indian alphabet, written from left to right and leaving no space between the words.
The Khmer alphabet contains 33 consonant symbols and 21 dependent vowels and 12 independent vowels. The language use can be categorized into 4 areas; the language used with equal status, with elderly people or superiors, with monks, and with the royal family. Not like English, Khmer language has no tones and stress.
The word choice of the language is what should be mastered since Cambodians are usually quite sensitive to the word uses. Other languages spoken by people includes Chinese, French, especially English that has recently become active. Family The Cambodian family is typically an extended family consisting of parents, children, and grandparents. Cambodian husbands are the breadwinner and head of the family, thus making most of the important decisions.
The wife, on the other hand, deals with household work and raises the children and is expected to show much respect to their husband and the elderly. The attachment within the family is strong and mostly inter-dependent. The family conflict is usually resolved by the parents of the both sides, while divorces are rarely the case in Cambodia. Arts & Architecture The Cambodian art and architecture are visually stunning, dating back from the Ankor period, when Khmer architects became more skilled enough to use sandstone instead of brick or laterite as the main monument material.
What is undeniably impressive about Khmer architecture is the perfection of the finely balanced elements of the building and its precisely arranged proportions. The common motifs of Cambodia architecture are redented towers shaped like lotus buds, half galleries to broaden passageways, and the cruciform terraces usually stretching along the main axis of the temple. Apsaras (celestial nymphs), on the other hand, take the best example of Cambodian sculpture and culture as a whole. Carved with fabulously ornate jewelry and dressed in the latest Angkor fashion, Apsaras symbolize the ideal beauty of the femininity of the era. Other common motifs include nagas (sacred aquatic snakes), widely known as Khmer traditional characteristic, which are most likely seen at the religious monuments in the present days.
Cambodian Festivals Khmer New Year Khmer New Year is one of the most enjoyable festivals of Cambodians, taking place from the 13th to 15th of April, the driest month of Cambodia. House decoration during the festival is nationally common to Cambodian families with the belief to keep happiness for the new year. An entire population usually looks forward to it one month before hand, expecting to enjoy the traditional games, Khmer dancing, and family union. Elderly prefers to go to pagodas to offer food to the monks and pray for good luck and success.
Pchum Ben This is the most important religious ceremony in Cambodia, celebrated in September for fifteen days to commemorate the spirits of the dead. In religious term, during Pchum Ben people are expected to visit at least 7 pagodas and offer food to their passed-away ancestors. In Khmer belief, those who neglect Pchum Ben’s days ( not going to pagodas) will be cursed by their angry ancestors and in return will encounter bad lucks for the whole year. Water Festival Cambodian people cannot help feeling excited towards the Water Festival. Taking place in late October or early November, the 3-day festival marks the unique natural phenomenon of the reversing current of Tonle Sap River.
More than a million of people are seen flock to the river bank where the boat racing is held annually. The boat racing celebration is dedicated to the success of the powerful Khmer marine forces of the Khmer empire. This is the only occasion that gathers all people from the provinces to visit Phnom Penh to see the boat races, witness the colorfully floating lighted boats, and enjoy Khmer traditional games and so on.
Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal (The Royal Ploughing ceremony) The Royal Ploughing Ceremony is the official remark of the starting ploughing season of the year in Cambodia. The ceremony is held by using a pair of sacred cows ploughed by some representative in a sacred Phnom Penh rice field called Veal Men. After three laps of ploughing, the sacred cows are led to seven dishes containing rice, corn, beans, water, alcohol and other foods, each of which symbolizes the possible outcomes of harvest as well as the country condition of the coming year. For instances, while water and grain are good signs, herbs and alcohol signify the coming cattle disease and country calamities respectively.
January 01, International New Year's Day January 07, Victory Day over Genocide Day (Liberation Day) February 13, Meak Bochea Day March 08, International Women's Day May 01, International Labor Day May12, Visaka Bochea Day Birthday of Buddha May 13-14-15, King's Birthday His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah Boromoneath NORODOM SIHAMONI's birthday. June 01, International Children's Day June 18,Former Queen's Birthday Her Majesty Samdech Preah Reach Aka Mohesey NORODOM MONINEATH SIHANOUK's Birthday. September 24, Constitution's Day October 23, Paris Peace Agreement on Cambodia October 29, Coronation Day October 31, Former King's Birthday His Majesty Preah Bat Samdech Preah NORODOM SIHANOUK's Birthday. November 09, Independence Day December 10, Human Rights Day Cambodian Dance Dancing is believed to have been part of Cambodian culture for more than a millennium due to innumerable Apsaras seen on the walls of Angkorian and Pre-Angkorian temles. And Cambodian dance should be categorized into 3 types; namely, classical dance which developed in the royal courts, folk dances which portray everyday life, and vernacular dances which are danced for social functions. (Classical Dance) Main article: Khmer classical dance Khmer classical dance, also known as Khmer royal ballet or Khmer court dance, is a form of Cambodia dance originally performed only for royalty.
It is called robam preah reachea trop in the Khmer language, which means 'dances of royal wealth.' The dances have many elements in common with Thai classical dance, most likely a result of the royal Khmer court exchanging culture with the royal Thai court throughout the post-Angkor era. Khmer and Thai classical dance costumes once looked very similar to each other, but Khmer dance and costume have gone under slight changes and reforms brought on by the former Queen of Cambodia, Kossamak Nearireath.
During the mid-20th century, it was introduced to the public where it now remains a celebrated icon of Khmer culture, often being performed during public events, holidays, and for tourists visiting Cambodia. Folk Dance Folk dances here refer to a performing art where it is performed for an audience. Khmer folk dances are fast-paced. The movements and gestures are not as stylized as Khmer classical dance. Folk dancers wear clothes of the people they are portraying such as Chams, hill tribes, farmers, and peasants.
Some folk dances are about love, or are folktales about animals. The folk dance music is played by a mahori orchestra, which is similar to a pinpeat orchestra except that it contains many stringed and plucked instruments and a type of flute in place of the sralai (an oboe-like instrument). Vernacular Dance In Cambodia, vernacular dance (or social dance) are dances which are danced at social gatherings. Such dances include ram vong, ram kbach, ram saravan, lam leav (literally: "Lao dance") and so on.
Some of these dances have much influence from the traditional dances of Laos. But rom kbach, for example, take heavily from the classical dance of the royal court. Rom kbach is a simple dances which uses hand gesture similar to that of classical dance and rom kbach song also utilize the melodies of classical dance songs and combine them with traditonal Khmer and Western instruments. Other social dances from around the world have had an impact on Cambodian social culture include the Cha-cha, Bolero, and the Madison. Such dances are often performed at Cambodian wedding receptions and banquets. |
