The Khmer were faced with incredibly rich cultures, such as the Chinese, the French, and the Indians, which lead to various borrowings: religious forms, new languages and dialects, arts and crafts, and many traditions and holidays. On the other hand, local geography influenced these borrowings to such a degree that today one can rarely see a set of beliefs or traditions in Cambodia that hasn’t been influenced by local structures.
COMPLEX TRADITIONS OF A DISTINCTIVE CULTURE
Most of Cambodian traditions are related to their agricultural way of life and to a circular calendar. As such, just like many other cultures, they have grown customs for specific moments of the year. Cambodians are open to syncretism, but up to a point. Trying to impose a new lifestyle in rural communities may prove both risky and futile. Modern changes created a certain discrepancy between urban and rural life, visible even during a one-week trip.
With the predominant religion being Theravada Buddhism (accounting for more than 90% of the total population), holidays are highly influenced by faith. New Year’s Eve, the birth of a child, their joyful and vivid weddings, resembling Malaysian weddings, everything is related to faith and to the general belief that men are a part of nature. This is the main reason why Cambodians don’t assign dramatic features to death as Western societies do. The cultural ensemble is rather a combination of hope and anticipation of a better life. travel
ARTS AND LIFESTYLE
The arts and literature of Cambodia should be regarded as a direct consequence of the specific development of the country. In this case in particular, it encompasses a rich written culture and various crafts which evolved to the point where they earned a distinct identity. You can easily find silversmiths in Cambodia, as well as stone carvers, and painters. Pottery making and painting is still widely developed, even if globalization tends to affect it, as it does to other traditional crafts.
In Cambodia, during a representation of a shadow theatre (Nang sbek) the story is said using a combination of dance, rhythmic poetry, songs, and miming, and the scene is merely a projection, instead of a “real” representation. Dance is very important throughout the country. Folk danceslike Trot, Sneak Toseay, or Robam Kom Araek are fascinating and styles vary from one place to another.
In order to understand lifestyle, you need to spend more time in Cambodia than you may initially think. In general, there’s a notable gap between urban and rural life. Patriarchal traditions coexist with local beliefs, and people are generally friendly and have a positive nature, which is mainly rooted in religion.
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