Discovering the Mystery of Preah Vihear

by: Vongsen Pisey

Prasat Preah Vihear is an ancient Khmer temple in Cambodia situated at the top of 525 meters cliff in the Dangrek Mountains. Preah Vihear province is about 320 km from Phnom Penh.

This temple was constructed to dedicate to the Hindu God, Shiva and it is the first temple in the early 9(th) century. We can find inscription at the temple about sacred rituals, celebrations, religious festivals and making gifts of Suryavarman II.

Phreah Vihear temple was selected by UNESCO World Heritage as the world’s greatest landmark. The architecture of this temple was adapted to the natural environment and religious function. The design of buildings and their materials express well values of the property.

Preah Vihear temple is unique in its style of architecture with an overwhelming view of the province atop. This temple has four courtyards and levels comprising five Gopuras.

On the first level Gopura is Greek architecture style and each doorway adorned by stone lions. Moreover, Nagaraj Courtyard is made from a single solid stone that had seven headed snakes called Ngu Suang. The front stone stairway is a large stone located on the first and second steps with stone signa statue. Third level Gopuras was the place where the king prays to the God, and the two wings on its side were the shelters for the pilgrims.

The best time to see the beauty of Phreah Vihear is in the morning and evening. In the morning time, one can watch mountains bathed in sunlight while unwinding in fresh cool air from surrounding mountains and forests. Evening is also a great time, where clouds and thick fog spells cold ambiance. Picture taking is good at this moment as sun sets in.

SINN Sisamouth: the man with a golden voice

by: Kanha CHOEUK

SINN Sisamouth - photo from www.angkoriansociety.com

          

Sinn Sisamouth is a famous singer during 1950s-1970s. People knew him with a golden voice. He was successful with his study and his business by writing songs. After he died, he stayed in the people’s heart.

Born in August 23, 1932 in Stung Treng province, Sinn Sisamouth is a kind person, full of emotion and sympathy for the other people. He is a quiet person; does not talk too much, spend most of his time locked in room writing songs.  Most people said he is soft and have a sweet voice. His father is name Sinn Leang and his mother is name Seb Bunlei. He was the youngest of four siblings. His father was a prison warden in Battambang province then was a soldier during the colonial Cambodia period, His father died because of disease then his mother remarried and had two more children (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Sisamouth ,2006).

At five years old, he studied at Stung Trang elementary school, and at the age of six or seven, he started to show interest in guitar and always perform at school when there is a ceremony. By the time he was fifteen or sixteen, he had completed primary school and received his "Certificat D'etude Primaire".  At this time, he had an option of either joining the work force or pursuing further education to strengthen his skills.  He decided he wanted to study for a career in medicine, and he moved to Phnom Penh for that purpose in 1950-51. (http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com/sisamouth_links.html). 

Despite the rigorous demands of medical school, Samouth still managed to find time to learn how to sing and compose songs. Just as he had in elementary school, he became well known in his school for his musical skills and lyrical talent, and was asked to sing at school ceremonies. (http://www.khmeroldies.org/singer/sin-sisamouth, 2011)

He continued to work as a singer and write songs. After he finished medical school, he married Keo Thorng Gnut and had four children, but one of his sons was killed during Khmer rouge regime.  He married twice because his wife left her to become a nun.

He became a famous singer and songwriter in the1950s to the1970s. In early 1950s he became a protégé of Queen Kossomak Nearyrath. He was selected into the Vong Phleng Preah Troap (Classical ensemble of the Royal Treasury) where together with Sos Matt, he performed at Royal receptions and state functions. He knew genres such as: Psychedelic rock, Garage rock, Traditional Khmer music, Romvong saravan, Jazz, Bosanova, Twist, Jerk, Latin, Blues, Cha cha cha, Madizon, Hala Hala, Ago go, and flim music. He is a singer, Lyric and music composer, blndleader, producer, flim producer. His active when he became a singer was from 1957-1975. Furthermore, He had associated acts with Ros Serey Sothea, Pan Ron, So Savoeun, Houy Meas, and Haim Sovann.

In the mid of 1950s a romantic ballad “ Violon Snaha”, composed by violinist Hass Salan, catapulted Sisamouth into stardom. In recent years the song has been re-issued by a large number of modern performers, including Song Seng Horn, who comes from Rhode Island, Molkamach ( a singer and guitarist of the 1960s who escaped the khmer rouge rule and is now living in France), Nay Sieng( a Khmer based in France), and Him Sivonn( a female vocalist from Phnom Penh) (http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinn_Sisamouth ,2006)

Keo Chamnab recalls this story: "Samouth, looking very sad, told me that he was sent from Prek Eng, Kien Svay district, Kandal province, where he had been jailed for three days.  He did not commit any fault but he was accused by the Khmer Rouge of being an imperialist.  It was difficult for Sinn Sisamouth to hide his identity and his face because he was a very famous singer dubbed the emperor of the country since long ago.  Even if the Khmer Rouge did not accuse him of being a singer serving a regime which was a sworn enemy to that of the Khmer Rouge, he was also a soldier serving the former regime." (http://khmermusic.thecoleranch.com/sisamouth.html)

The circumstances of his death in the Killing Fields are unknown, but he had connections with the old government, was highly educated, and was an artist – all trappings of a society that Pol Pot sought to eradicate. One apocryphal story is that before he was to be executed, Sisamouth asked that he be allowed to sing a song for the cadre; but the cold-hearted soldiers were unmoved and after he finished singing, killed him anyhow.  (

From Worms to Silk

by: Se Sothida

 

 

Khmer Silk is very popular in the world for many years. Few countries can produce silk, considering the complexity of the process which requires several days to produce.

Silk is produced from different types of insects, but only the silk of moth has been used for textile industry. The female adult silkworm can produce approximately 400 eggs a time and as soon as it lays eggs, it will die instantly.   

To produce silk as a final or semifinal product, the silkworm egg is laid on a flat large basket where they are placed under gauze with the intention of keeping larvae of the silkworm egg following its hatch. The incubation from silkworm egg to larvae takes around 10 days. After six weeks the larvae will then be mature enough to spin a web of silk cocoon. The web of silk cocoon emerges with the fibrin secretion from the salivary glands of mature larvae. This rotation of silk cocoon which produces a thick silk thread will take about a week. At this time, it is called pupating. After that, the silk threads are separated from cocoons to make a single thread by using traditional tool. Sometimes, a single filament of thread is taken from many cocoons.

At the end of the process, the product is raw silk that is turned into varieties of different purposes for example: dress, shirt, tie, bed sheet, and other products. Besides, silk is designed by weaving into traditional fabric, sarong, and scarf that Cambodian people always wear in any special ceremonies such as Khmer New Year, Pchhom Ben Festival, wedding, and other events.      

The process of producing Khmer Silk is quite complicated and required deep attention. Khmer silk is famous for both foreign and local tourists as souvenir for their beloved as well.

Struggle breeds perseverance: a story of success

by Socheata RATH

Hagiwara Sopana - taken by Socheata RATH

Hagiwara Sopana is a Japanese-Cambodian who was born during Pol Pot Regime. The wrath of was made his life miserable and forced his family to migrate in Japan. Japan gave him the inspiration to pursue and study hard to be able to reach his goal to run his own business in Cambodia. All his efforts paid off. Currently he is now the Representative Director of JCAM Systems Technology in Cambodia.

We are privilege to have a face-off interview with him to share his experiences and secret recipes for business. Here are the highlights of our interview.

KL: Can you give us a little background of yourself?

A: I was born on 13 July 1968 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. When I was a child I had studied at Malika Elementary School until grade 4. Unfortunately, the Khmer Rouge siege Cambodia from 1975-1979. That the time I could not continue my study; life became miserable, cruel, and millions of Cambodian died. After the fall of Pol Pot, I continued to study at Baktok Junior for one year and migrated to Japan a year after. I attended Yamato Junior High School in 1982, after that, I studied at Mukaino-okka Technology High School from 1985 to 1988.

KL: How was your life in High School?

A: Certainly, while I was studying in High School I also had a part-time job as a waiter at small restaurant to earn money for my schooling fee and I changed to work as a road repairer because it has more salary. Then I changed to another job as an assistant of design at I-com and set up telephone for business (service). Moreover, I often involve myself to help less-fortunate people in both Japan and Cambodia whenever I have a chance to help them.

KL: When did you become Japanese National?

A: I became a Japanese Citizen in 1993.

KL: How many jobs that you work after you graduate until today?

A: After I graduated from 1988, I worked as an electrician in Fuji-tech for one year and I changed to work as a chip computer maker for cars. Then, I studied engineering and work as a software developer in Upload Company because I would like to get more experiences. I also worked as a telecom in NTT and later as technician of CT scan machine in Canon Company. My last job in Japan is creating games and DVD Recorder and a server system of television in Sony Company and sold the program to another country. But now I come to run my own business in Cambodia as a Representative Director of JCAM Systems Technology Co.,Ltd.

KL: How did you become successful in business?

A: First of all, I do research of Location and infrastructure in Cambodia such as: Security, Electricity (have enough energy), Internet process, and Computer spec.

For me I must have a goal to make a plan such as:

•  Should have an abstract idea.
• Do not abandon your goal even if it’s hard for you.
• Must work from the bottom to the top of our goal.
• In order to achieve my goal I had to change many jobs to upgrade my experience from one to another.
• For my main goal I want to establish a company in Cambodia since I had first charity for orphan children in Cambodia in 1994 but there was not enough material, money and electric system. Especially, I couldn’t find the people who would help me to succeed in my goal but I can see the way to reach my goal closely that I choose to establish my Company.
• I do not believed in destiny that it’ll bring you all what we need.
• I don’t care how long I can get my success but I still take effort to reach my goal.

POL POT

by Sopheak HOR

POL POT - photo from www.racketboy.com

Pol Pot was one of the most savage dictators in the world, a communist leader of Khmer Rouge that ruled Cambodia between 1975 and 1979, and caused the death of more than one million people. Pol Pot was born on 19 May 1925 in Prek Sbav, Kompong Thong province in central Cambodia. His real name is Saloth Sar. He got scholarship to study in Paris, after he came back to Cambodia in 1953, he become a communist leader movement.  Pol Pot made guerrilla bases to fight the government of King Sihanouk.

           

Originality, he was believed to have a good morality of Buddhist monk rather than a dictator. Historian David Chandler gathered analysis of Pol Pot’s characteristic from various researches, interviews and from people who know Pol Pot. Chandler said that “Victims of Pol Pol’s regime, they were unwilling to alter or deny their relatively pleasant recollections of the man [Saloth Sar]”. Pol Pot’s siblings described him as “sweet-tempered, equable child”. His schoolmates remembered him as “mediocre student but a pleasant company” and very polite. One said, he “thought a lot, but said very little”. No one thought that he become a sinister man like this. And there is no one who knew clearly how can was able to get scholarship at Paris in 1949 because he was only an average student. He lost his scholarship in 1953 because he never took examination. When he was at Paris he volunteered work with Cambodian student and joined the work with communist party at there. After he came back home in 1953 without degree, he joined Kampuchea People’s Revolutionary Party that was communist party. He was known by everyone as Brother Number One or Pol Pot. He overpowered the government of Cambodia led by Lon Nol in 1975. April 17, 1975 his regime evacuated people out of Phnom Penh and no culture, education, religion, entertainment and commerce. He was behind everything and no one know why and how could he do all of these. Pol Pot’s regime overthrew in 1979. He was arrested and sentenced to life under house arrest. On April 15, 1998, he heard the news on a Voice of America radio program that he was going to be sentenced to an international tribunal. He died that night by heart attack.

Pol Pot was intelligent enough to brainwash the majority of the people, but he was ignorant to aim for something he will never get. Even though he overpowered the entire country for more than three years, he was weak. He could not control his own ego. He let his greediness and ego controlled himself. Consequently, when he died of heart attack, much later after his regime, no one shed a single tear. He was repaid back with no respect, love, or empathy. His name will forever remain a symbol of hatred.

Sources:
 http://asianhistory.about.com/od/cambodia/p/Pol-Pot-Biography.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/historic_figures/pot_pol.shtml

Experience Mondulkiri: Elephant Trekking

by: Nou Pichdalice

MONDULKIRI - photo from www.globaltravelmate.com

 

An elephant ride is something that cannot be forgotten and will stay in the memory of tourists who have visited Mondulkiri’s waterfalls and rain forests. One can find Elephant Trekking in different places across Cambodia specifically in Mondulkiri – Cambodia’s top trekking destination site.

Mondulkiri is located in the northeastern of Cambodia about 543km from Phnom Penh. One can reach Mondulkiri safely by bus. Mondulkiri is considered the biggest province in Cambodia; however the density is very low. It is full of natural resources; forests with huge trees, many of which have survived for more than a hundred years. Mineral such as gold and gems can also be found in this province.

Tourists consider the place as breathtakingly beautiful due to its the rich culture and natural beauty one can see and experience while traversing the land. One can still find indigenous people whose culture is still very much alive. These are the tribes who make Mondulkiri a unique province in Cambodia worth everyone’s visit. The place boasts of interesting activities like elephant ride, while trekking the rain forest where you can see and experience the green wild thick forest or unwind at Busra waterfall. Mondulkiri offers every visitor a chance to fully interact with nature with the locals as guide who will accompany you on the trek in an elephant ride. Since its inception, the trekking tour has helped local people earn extra income by acting as tour guides for tourists and is considered an environment-friendly transportation means. These tribe people pay a high respect for these elephants by praying to elephant gods as part of regular praying ritual and death ceremonies because domestic elephants are very important for them in their daily life. If you like adventurous trip do not lose this chance and join these fascinating activities.

Tourists can arrange from the travel agency or somewhere at the guesthouse, hotel, or communities. It is recommended to book the tour one day in advance so they will have enough time to arrange everything for you smoothly.

ROS Sereysothea

by Davy SOK

Photo from www.last.fm

 Ros Sereysothea was among the greatest female singer in Cambodia. She was born in 1948 in a small village in Battambang. She was very charming and had a very powerful voice that could make people easy to fall for her. In her childhood, she grew up in a very poor family. Her family could not afford to send her to school that is why she did not even know how to read and write Khmer.

In her early teens, she and her family started to perform traditional band in order to earn money for their living. Serey Seng and Sothea were vocal while the rest of her family played the music. Her family had been struggling for living so, she needed to perform daily throughout small village in Battambang.

From day to day, her band had been known over the province, and her audience has recognized her by "Serey-Sothea" naming the band after its two featured signers. Then, they moved to Phnom Penh to make more money and gain popularity. After performing for free in the spot light at the local clubs, both of them were hired by one of the clubs to be their regular singers without any connection. At that time, Sothea quickly became successful, and her popularity increased over the crowds in the city. The songs she sang made the audience breathless, and had her first hit is "Steung Khieu" during 1967.


During the late 1960s to 1970s, King Norodom Sihanouk awarded her with the title "Preah Reach Ny Som Leng Meas" after she starred in a few films, and produced some amazing music, classics, in many genres. Even though she was very famous, she was not happy with her personal life. In the late 60s, she got married to a Muslim singer, Sous Mat. Her husband did not want her to sing for others. This made her feel painful. Then she decided to divorce him in the early 70s.


Tiv Heng whose hometown was at Kompong Speu described Sothea's life during her horrible years. In 1977, Sothea was very sad when Pol Pot forced her to marry with one of their assistants. As a result, they both always had conflict with each other. He was very jealous with Sothea when she performed the song for other people. When Sothea arrived home, he hit her. There was domestic violence almost all the time in their family until this news was known by people at work site. Then the district leader started to do the investigation. People thought, "It was because of her husband that Sothea and her family were killed."


"Some people saw that Sothea and her family had been sent to the new town by riding on a cow cart to Jeum Sankae. People were very happy for that, but they never saw people who were sent out to a new town comeback. In fact, I believed that they were all sent to be killed instead at Tro Phaung Phlong. We have specific information about Ros Sereysothear's death coming from her serving sister, and she claimed to know the news about Sothea that she was seriously sick and could not eat anything in Phnom Penh Hospital”, Tiv Heng said.

Ros Sereysothea died in Phnom Penh just few weeks before the Vietnamese invasion.

Reference:http://khmermusic.thecolerranch.com/rossereysothea.htm [Accessed on June 19, 2012]