Centuries Old Khmer Culture And Its Uniqueness
December 3rd, 2009 by Kevin Meas, under Travel and Leisure. 1 Comment
Starting with the Amok, the Cambodian delicacy, the dance, music, lifestyle and all other aspects of Cambodian life have deep cultural roots. The country’s strong and varied cultural inheritance dates back to many centuries and a major part of it is guided by religious principles, inspired from Hinduism and Buddhism.
Hinduism was embraced in the first centuries and then Buddhism spread in the later years of the Khmer Empire. Brahmanistic practices are a part of the Khmer culture and are now deeply intermingled with the practice of Buddhism, so much so that they are not considered as separate religions. Brahmanist and spirit practices are localized and Buddhism is a national tradition.
Khmer culture strongly defines every aspect of living, such as child birth, death, childhood, marriage, divorce, food, dance, music and literature. It is based on hierarchy and the level of respect a person gets depends on their age; the older they are the higher the status. It is a patriarchal society where the father is the head of the family and one of the most noticeable things about Khmer culture is the fashion of the Cambodian people, which is dependant on the social status and caste of a person.
Cambodians have a strong belief in the spirits and this is the reason the birth of a child, in spite of being a happy occasion, is also believed to bring harm from the spirits because the woman and the child are exposed. Similarly, a woman who dies in childbirth is believed to turn into an evil spirit. One of the most surprising cultural beliefs is that death is not considered as an occasion of grief, as it is said to be the beginning of a better life.
How can we not talk about the food of Cambodia, when talking about its culture? Rice and fish are the staples and a home-cooked meal is served on a mat on the floor, with the diners sitting on a slightly raised platform. Khmer culture dictates that the head of the family and other men eat first, with the women eating last.
Their rich music, dance and visual arts have been around ever since the beginning, but they were only given high importance during the Angkor period. One of the most popular music ensembles is the Pinpeat, which uses wind and percussion instruments. The rich melodies from this ensemble are said to flow deep into the heart. Other music categories include the Phleng kar and Mahori as well as the secular entertainment music. The classical dancers use their hands and feet to express different emotions. It was during the 20th century that modern art made its entry.
While the Khmer culture flourished until the–th century; the Khmer rouge era saw the devastation of the culture, but the pieces have long been picked up, and the rich Khmer traditions of science, art, architecture and spirituality again resonate throughout Cambodia, an exotic region located at the crossroads of India and China.
Kevin Meas has more articles about Khmer Rouge and the people of Cambodia.
Centuries Old Khmer Culture And Its Uniqueness | Cambodia today on December 4th, 2009
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