What makes a Khmer a Khmer?
As Khmers we're used to using such terms as "Khmer blood," "Chinese blood," and "Thai blood" to describe our ancestry and ethnic make-up. From a scientific perspective such characterizations are rather silly since there is really no genetic basis to differentiate "Khmer blood" from, say, "Vietnamese blood". If I had an extensive blood transfusion from some Russian donors, would that have made me a Russian? I don't think so.
Unlike the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese, our people are highly heterogeneous. Some of us are dark skinned, whereas others have lighter complexions. Some have straight hair; others have curly hair...and so on and so forth. But we're all still Khmer.
What makes a Khmer a Khmer?
This is not just an academic question, but one with far-reaching social and cultural implications. We Khmers have been embroiled in ethnic and territorial struggles with our Thai and Vietnamese neighbors for centuries. Many fear the ongoing influx of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia will eventually allow Vietnam to swallow our country. Further, because of our recent tragic history, our people have been scattered all over the world, forcing us to adapt to new lands and cultures (and consequently become "less Khmer," I suppose?).
So, what does it take to be Khmer? How do we define the Khmer identity? How do we know who is more "Khmer" than who?
Unlike the Chinese, Koreans, and Japanese, our people are highly heterogeneous. Some of us are dark skinned, whereas others have lighter complexions. Some have straight hair; others have curly hair...and so on and so forth. But we're all still Khmer.
What makes a Khmer a Khmer?
This is not just an academic question, but one with far-reaching social and cultural implications. We Khmers have been embroiled in ethnic and territorial struggles with our Thai and Vietnamese neighbors for centuries. Many fear the ongoing influx of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia will eventually allow Vietnam to swallow our country. Further, because of our recent tragic history, our people have been scattered all over the world, forcing us to adapt to new lands and cultures (and consequently become "less Khmer," I suppose?).
So, what does it take to be Khmer? How do we define the Khmer identity? How do we know who is more "Khmer" than who?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bunthan on -
Regardless of how you look (fair or dark), because that's what you are born with, you are Khmer if you are proud to be one. You can speak the lingo, appreciate/respect the culture, always glad to meet another Khmer, and are prepared to uphold the interest of the country. There are good Khmer traits as well as bad ones, so you have to choose the good ones and discard the ones that are not so desirable. Gambling and excessive drinking and gossiping may be the vices to be avoided. Nobody can say that he/she is more Khmer than anyone else. You are not any less Khmer because you live far away from Cambodia, or have sworn allegiance to your adopted country. But you don't have to be too fanatic about your race. Who knows, maybe in the next life you may be born French or American or Thai or Vietnamese!
Don't worry and be happy.
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Permalink Reply by Alex P. on -
even if Cambodia isn't on the map, i still b khmer...will u b khmer if Cambodia isn't on the map?
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Permalink Reply by Kornanea on -
Hi !!! every body what I understand and what believe it is not easy to find real Khmer ? for what I say may be hit somebody arm or leg so I am sorry first :
Khmer mean they like to live peacefull
Khmer mean they like to have for what they make
Khmer mean they easy to believe what somebody try to lie them
Khmer mean they like to have what they need it not what they want it
it is just some for what I think , that why some people say if you are Khmer you can not be rich they are right because generation to come that why I think as long as the eart still there Khmer will there too
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Permalink Reply by Chan on -
"Many fear the ongoing influx of Vietnamese immigrants into Cambodia will eventually allow Vietnam to swallow our country. "---This was the fear of many Khmers especially our fathers' generation as they were migrating to the Khao-I-Dang camp. Thanks to the Geneva Convention, I don't recall what year was it (Bong Hang might knows), that make it next to impossible for one country to take over another country. However, this is what I belief, although they maybe can't swallow our country legally but if they can swallow our cultures, and traditions that would be sufficient. Like the saying goes: If you walk and talk like a duck, then you're a duck.
My father use to have this banner written in Khmer that say,"Jeat-ror-lut Proh-pey-ney ror-leay" I never understand why he wrote something like that at time. I guess I was busy trying to walk and talk like a kang. So if we all help do our parts by trying to help preserv our "Proh-pey-ney" (Cultures and Traditions), then there will always be Khmer. This is how Khmer Identity is defined, thru our "Proh-pey-ney" (Cultures and Traditions).
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Permalink Reply by Oudam ឧត្តម on -
I think "Proh-pey-ney ror-leay Jeat-ror-lut" also makes logical sense. In light of our historical struggles against our neighbors, I think there is a fine line that separates a genuine concern for Cambodian sovereignty and irrational hatred. We as a dignified people must ensure that the line is not blurred and not succumb to mob mentality. If our people only accept and value who we are and act honorably, and do not put personal wealth ahdead of collective wellbeing, I don't think we'd have to worry about other countries swallowing Cambodia.
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Permalink Reply by Chan on
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“I think there is a fine line that separates a genuine concern for Cambodian sovereignty and irrational hatred” --- Very well said, Oudam. I couldn’t disagree with you. I just want to express my sincere concern, and No irrational hatred on my part. However, on the other hand I hate to see us becoming so complacence, and naïve in believing that nothing happening in Srok Khmer in term of cultures and attitudes changes.
What cause these changes? Influence, maybe? Or by choice maybe, I don’t know. Let me tell you a story I have while I was in Srok Khmer a couple years ago, maybe then you understand where I’m coming from. During our visit in Srok Khmer we decided to go see my hometown, my birthplace if you will, and when we got there I wanted to see the rice field where I used to watch my Grandpa and the relatives worked when I was little. As we got to the places I saw a group of people sit around on the field, they seem to be taking a break or something. So with my big mouth I tried to greed them in a broken Vietnamese. They all turned around and looked at me some smiles at me some seemed a bit pissed off. Those people turned out to be my relatives and their friends. And here I thought they were all Vietnamese. They all pak-duoun (wearing these Vietnamese big hats) to protect them from the hot heat. How do I suppose to know that? Plus I don’t ever recall seeing my Grandpa and his relatives wearing duoun when they were working on the same rice field some thirty years ago. Is it good or bad? I don’t know only time will tell.
Also, if you watch the newly made Khmer’s karaoke for the way people dance, be it jonk-wak rum-vong, or saravann, the movement are different from the traditional style, more emphasis on hand movement, right now. Again, is it good or bad? I don’t know only time will tell.
Oudam, you put it best when you say, “To be Khmer is a choice, plain and simple.” And I say let’s choose to help te-rak-sa proh-pey-ney Khmer. Make conscious effort to support Khmer arts, buy what’s made in Khmer, or made by Khmer. Vacation in Srok Khmer?... Help support Website created by Khmer?...D:
Thank you,
Chan
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Permalink Reply by Oudam ឧត្តម on
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"Oudam, you put it best when you say, “To be Khmer is a choice, plain and simple.” And I say let’s choose to help te-rak-sa proh-pey-ney Khmer. Make conscious effort to support Khmer arts, buy what’s made in Khmer, or made by Khmer. Vacation in Srok Khmer?... Help support Website created by Khmer?...D:"
That's the spirit of Khmercity.net!
As for the Vietnamese duouns, I too was initially perplexed as why Khmer people would wear the cone-shaped hat. Did you know that the Chinese and Japanese also wear the hat? The hat itself is not distinct to Vietnamese culture. However, through centuries of Khmer-Viet animosity it became to symbolize the Vietnamese people. In some ways, a rejection of the hat symbolizes a rejection of the Vietnamization of Kampuchea.
Times have changed. The younger generations of Khmer people no longer refer to the Vietnamese as "Yuons" because the term is considered a racial slur by some people. This could mean that our country is becoming more and more subservient to Vietnam, or it could mark a new dawn of mutual cooperation, marked by understanding, tolerance and a shared desire for regional peace, stability and prosperity. Only time will tell.
I think culture is something that should remain fluid and evolving. An important tenet of survival is ability to adapt and change in response to external pressures. The same applies to culture. A living culture constantly adapts, evolves and changes with time. If it is too rigid and resistant to change, it may not be able to withstand the external pressure and die out completely. The ability to adapt and change is now more important than ever because of the trend toward globalization.
Did you know banh hoi originated in Vietnam? Not only did we Khmers adopt the food, but we even kept its Viet name. I don't think wearing the duoun makes one Vietnamese any more than eating banh hoi does.
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Permalink Reply by Chan on
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Good point...Man, bahn hoi is one of my favarite. Let's make bahn hoi an exception, maybe bahn-chave, too, and get rid of the duouns...o.k.?D:...Thanks for your comments, and your sense of impartiality.
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Permalink Reply by Hang, Chumnith on -
I was frowned upon when I refered to Vietnam/Vietnamese as Youn. The same reaction took place when I used the word "hope baay" to eat for "Nham." People say it is not politically correct to call Youn a Youn or a Siem a Siem.
I agree with Chan. You are who you say you are (provided that you behave accordingly). In other words, you are what you behave.
The word Youn came to be used as a reference to the Chinese dynastic rule of the Youn dynasty. The Youns were of Mongalian in origin. When the Mongols established courts in the Chinese capital, they established this dynasty. It so happens that at the time the Youn also established courts in their southern province of Tonkin (present day VN). Thus, when the Khmer court sent emisaries and embassy to this southern province, we referred to them as the Youns (refencing the name of the dynasty). Since then the word Youn has been referred to people who are living in that terrotory,
The same goes for Thailand. Up until 1940's, Thailand was not known as Thailand, As you might have guessed, it was Siam (Siem). Now, the Thais have struggled with their national identity for a long time. If you recall, the present king is of Chakry dysnasty. The first king to establish this dynasty was of Khme/Mon/Chinese stock. A general of the previous dynasty. He usurped the power and established this new dynasty. Henceforth, the mixture of Chinese/Siam/Khmer/Mon became stronger and stronger until the 20thth century when one group prevailed and decided that they should called themselves Thais because they are of the Tai origin. This is done so as to severe the ties with the ancient line of heritage that was heavily influence by Khme/Mon culture and tradition.
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Permalink Reply by Vuthy101 on -
Oudom ,you said;
"Make conscious effort to support Khmer arts, buy what’s made in Khmer, or made by Khmer."
We have only one or maybe two car(s) by now that were made by Khmer(?) in Srok Khmer for 14.5 million khmer and He's not even saling it, That's OK because ,I'm not into Mitsubishi that much. lolz. (Ok, Ok. I'll buy other stuffs , like beer, toek tnort chu, pong tea kon,Sra, barei(no smoke) khor chev and Srorm ...dai etc..etc..--I don't think, they make Srorm ..dai in Srok Khmer yet)lolz
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Permalink Reply by akah on -
like me, the real khmer is tall and strong like the warriors of angkor empire. the real khmer love angkor land and his history. the real khmer wear kama and respect the theravada bouddism. the real khmer loves khmer food and practice kbaght boran. the real khmer respect khmer people, the nices like bads people. the real one will teach khmer language and history to his children... etc. and must of all, the real want to finish his life in the empire of angkor.
Khmer people, don't forget who you are!
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Permalink Reply by Oudam ឧត្តម on
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There are many criteria that one might cite to differentiate Khmers from non-Khmers. They include:
Ethnicity
While it's easy to pick out a Khmer person from a group of people that includes Europeans, Africans, Arabs, and other non-Southeast Asians, the same cannot not be said for one consisting of Thais, Malaysians, Filipinos and other Asians. There is no such thing as "Khmer blood" as our people are so ethnically diverse. Measuring a person's Khmerness from physical traits is imprecise at best, and racist at worst.
Culture
Culture is a good indicator of Khmerness as it reflects a complex system of symbols and meanings, expressed through our music, food, art, traditions, religion, architecture, etc., that distinguish Khmers from non-Khmers. However, culture is not static and lacks well-defined boundaries. There is much overlapping among Khmer, Chinese and Thai cultures. Even within Cambodia alone, there are regional and ethnic differences in culture. Khmer people who live abroad tend to adapt to their new surroundings and, therefore, adopt cultures somewhat different from that in Srok Khmer. As culture is fluid and arbitrary, using it to judge one's Khmerness is problematic for same reasons as with ethnicity.
Language
Of the factors mentioned so far, language may be the best delineator of the Khmer identity. The Khmer language, unlike English, Spanish, and French, is spoken only by Khmer people. Language is an exceptionally powerful determinant of ethnic identity as it reflects shared thought, culture, tradition, and so on. This is why the British, the Americans and English-speaking Canadians tend to get along well with one another but are often at odds with the French and French-speaking Canadians.
Does one have to speak Khmer to be Khmer? Should a person's Khmerness be measured by his/her command of the Khmer language? If that's the case, then I am not as Khmer as I'd like to think I am. While I speak Khmer fluenty, I could barely read or write Khmer as I had immigrated to the U.S. at a very young age (9 yrs old) and have had no formal education in the Khmer language.
I think, ideally, one should strive to be as proficient in the Khmer language as possible to fully grasp the meaning of being Khmer. But what about American-born children of Khmer immigrants who do not speak much Khmer but are nevertheless "proud" to be Khmer? Do they not have a right to be Khmer?
This brings us to the last criterion, which, in my view, is the most important of them all....
Preference
In the end, one is Khmer if he/she chooses to be Khmer. A person could be born in Cambodia, look 100% Khmer, speak Khmer fluently, eat prahok, and so on and so forth, but if he chooses not to consider himself Khmer, who are we to insist that he is really Khmer? On the other hand, if a Vietnamese man immigrates to Srok Khmer, speaks our language, adopts our culture, and identifies himself as Khmer, who are we to insist that he's really "Yuon"?
To be Khmer is a choice, plain and simple.
As for the American-born Khmer child who chooses to be Khmer, it's only natural that she'll want to learn to speak and read Khmer, visit Srok Khmer, and do what she could to reconnect with her Khmer roots and help her people prosper.
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