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Ethnic Composition
The population of Cambodia today is about 10 million. About 90-95 percent of the people are Khmer ethnic. The remaining 5-10 percent include Chinese-Khmers, Khmer Islam or Chams, ethnic hill-tribe people, known as the Khmer Loeu, and Vietnamese. About 10 percent of the population lives in Phnom Penh, the capital, making Cambodia largely a country of rural dwellers, farmers and artisans.The ethnic groups that constitute Cambodian society possess a number of economic and demographic commonalties- for example. Chinese merchants lived mainly in urban centers and play middlemen in many economic cycles, but they also preserve differences in their social and cultural institutions. They were concentrated mostly in central and in southeastern Cambodia, the major differences among these groups lie in social organization, language, and religion. The majority of the inhabitants of Cambodia are settled in fairly permanent villages near the major bodies of water in the Tonle Sap Basin-Mekong Lowlands region. The Khmer Loeu live in widely scattered villages that are abandoned when the cultivated land in the vicinity is exhausted. The permanently settled Khmer and Cham villages usually located on or near the banks of a river or other bodies of water. Cham villages usually are made up almost entirely of Cham, but Khmer villages, especially in central and in southeastern of Cambodia, typically include sizable Chinese communities.

The Khmer Loeu
The Khmer Loeu are the non-Khmer highland tribes in Cambodia. The Khmer Loeu are found namely in the northeastern provinces of Rattanakiri, Stung Treng, Mondulkiri and Crate. Most Khmer Loeu live in scattered temporary villages that have only a few hundred inhabitants. These villages usually are governed by a council of local elders or by a village headman. The Khmer Loeu cultivate a wide variety of plants, but the man crop is dry or upland rice growth by the slash-and-burn method. Hunting, fishing, and gathering supplement the cultivated vegetable foods in the Khmer Loeu diet. Houses vary from huge multi-family long houses to small single family structures. They may be built close to the ground or on stilts. The major Khmer Loeu groups in Cambodia are the Kuy, Phnong, Brao, Jarai, and Rade. All but about 160,000 Kuy lived in the northern Cambodia provinces of Kampong Thom, Preah Vihear, and Stoeng as well as in adjacent Thailand.

The Cham
The Cham people in Cambodia descend from refugees of the Kingdom of Champa, which one ruled much of Vietnam between Gao Ha in the north and Bien Hao in the south. The Cambodian Chams are divided into two groups, the orthodox and the traditional- base on their religious practices. The orthodox group, which make up about one-third of the total number of Chams in the country, were located mainly in Phnom Penh - Oudong area and in the provinces of Takeo and Kapot. The traditional Chams were scattered throughout the midsection of the country in the provinces of Battambang, Kompong Thom, Kompong Cham, and Pursat. The Chams of both groups typically live in villages inhabited only by other Chams; the villages may be along the shores of watercourses, or they may be inland. The inhabitants of the river villages engage in fishing and growing vegetables. They trade fish to local Khmer for rice. The women in these villages earn money by weaving. The Chams who live inland support themselves by various means, depending on the villages. Some villages specialize in metalworking; others raise fruit trees or vegetables. The Chams also often serve as butchers of cattle for their Khmer Buddhist neighbors and are, in some areas, regarded as skillful water buffalo and ram breeders.

The Chinese
The Chinese in Cambodia formed the country �es largest ethnic minority. Sixty percent of the Chinese were urban dwellers engaged mainly in commerce; the other 40 percent were rural residents working as shopkeepers, as buyers and processors of rice, palm sugar, fruit, and fish, and as money lenders. It is estimated that 90 percent of the Chinese in Cambodia were in commerce and that 92 percent of those involved in commerce in Cambodia were Chinese. In rural Cambodia, the Chinese were moneylenders, and they wielded considerable economic power over the ethnic Khmer peasants through usury. The Chinese in Cambodia represented five major linguistic groups, the largest of which was the Teochiu (accounting about 60 percent), followed by the Cantonese (accounting about 20 percent), the Hokkien (accounting about 7 percent), and the Hakka and the Hainanese (each accounting for 4 percent). Those belonging to the certain Chinese linguistic groups in Cambodia tended to gravitate to certain occupations. The Teochiu, who make up about 90 percent of the rural Chinese population, ran village stores, control rural credit and rice marketing facilities, and grew vegetables. In urban areas they were often engaged in such enterprises as the import-export business, the sale of pharmaceuticals, and street peddling. The Cantonese, who were the majority of Chinese groups before Teochiu migrations began in the late 1930s, live mainly in the city. Typically, the Cantonese engages in transportation and in constriction, for the most part as mechanics or carpenters. The Hokkien community was involved import-export and in banking, and it included some of the country�fs richest Chinese. The Hainanese started out as pepper growers in Kompot Province, where they continued to dominate that business. Many moved to Phnom Penh , where, in the late 1960s, they reportedly had virtual monopoly on the hotel and restaurant business. They also often operated tailor shops. In Phnom Penh, the newly arrived Hakka were typically folk dentists, sellers of traditional Chinese medicines, and shoemakers.

The Vietnamese
The Vietnamese community is scattered throughout southeastern and central Cambodia. They were concentrated in Phnom Penh, and in Kandal, Prey Veng, and Kampong Cham provinces. No close cultural or religious ties exist between Cambodia and Vietnam. The Vietnamese fall within the Chinese culture sphere, rather within the Indian, where the Thai and Khmer belong. The Vietnamese differ from the Khmer in mode of dress, in kinship organization, and in many other ways- for example the Vietnamese are Mahayama Buddhists while most of the Cambodians are Theravada Buddhists. Although Vietnamese lived in urban centers such as Phnom Penh, a substantial number lived along the lower Mekong and Bassac rivers as well as on the shores of the Tonle Sap, where they engaged in fishing.

Written by Stephanie Mee

Wednesday, 25 March 2009

Phnom Penh restaurants Irrawaddi and Win Myanmar offer a taste of Myanmar hospitality and cuisine with signature dishes that are bound to make your mouth water Photo by: Tracey Shelton Win Myanmar restaurant in Phnom Penh serves tasty fare. Although not as internationally renowned as the fare in neighbouring countries such as Thailand, China or India, Myanmar cuisine is just as fresh, flavourful and varied as any other type of food in Asia.

The culinary tradition in Myanmar, formerly known as Burma, has been influenced over the centuries by its bigger neighbours, and more recently, England and Bangladesh, and this has resulted in a medley of diverse dishes, all with a distinct twist.

Typical dishes in Myanmar range from many types of noodle and rice dishes, stir-fried vegetables and meats, curries, fresh and spicy salads, crispy fried fish, sweet sticky rice with shredded coconut, and all manners of soup.

"Most Burmese food is fresh, such as the salads, soups and fish dishes, although some fried dishes can be a bit spicy, oily and salty at times," said Cho Cho, former Yangon resident, and owner of Irrawaddi restaurant in Phnom Penh. "That's why we try to attune our dishes to the customer's tastes. We try to change them just a bit so that they suit everyone's palate."

Cho Cho estimates that there are about 200 Myanmar nationals residing in Phnom Penh, and her restaurant appears to be a home away from home for many, as well as an assortment of Western and Asian clientele.

With some 72 dishes on offer, the menu at Irrawaddi reads like a crash course in the flavours of the diverse regions of Myanmar, with such options as fried bamboo shoots with garden peas and a crispy onion topping, ginger salad, fried bitter gourd and tea leaf salad.

"Tea leaf salad is very special in Myanmar," said Cho Cho. "Whenever you go to someone's house to visit, the host will often serve tea leaf salad to the guests, along with hot tea."

The tea leaf salad, or le ptet thow, at Irrawaddi is a combination of mild, moist green tea leaves; crunchy white beans; tiny, salty, dried shrimp; fresh tomatoes; fragrant garlic; toasted sesame seeds and a few roasted peanuts for good measure, all tossed in a light oil dressing.

Another popular signature dish at Irrawadi is Hilsa fish. Hilsa is an oily fish rich in omega-three fatty acids that is found only in the Bay of Bengal, and a few rivers in Bangladesh and Myanmar.

Cho Cho and her team at Irrawaddi import the fish from Myanmar and serve it piping hot and tender, in a rich stew of onions, lemongrass and gravy.

I want people to experience the authentic burmese style of hospitality.


"Most of the staff here is from Myanmar, and we have become like family," said Cho Cho. "At first they were nervous to serve people because they had no international serving experience, but I said to them: ‘Please maintain your own culture. Do what you did in your family, in your community,' I want people to experience the authentic style of hospitality."

Coming from a country that is renowned for its generous and welcoming treatment of guests, it is not surprising that the style of service at Irrawaddi is first rate, with no water glass falling below the halfway point nor a complimentary peanut dish remaining empty for long.

Win Myanmar is another restaurant in Phnom Penh that specialises in Myanmar cuisine, and although the atmosphere is not quite as cosy or visually stimulating as Irrawadi's, what they lack in decorative elements, they make up for in impeccable service and tasty Myanmar and Khmer cuisine.

Dishes at Win Myanmar include pork and chicken salads, catfish curry, Myanmar-style Biryani rice, and a special dish available every Sunday called mohinga.

Often called the national dish of Myanmar, mohinga varies from the north to the south of Myanmar, but a standard mohinga consists of rice vermicelli noodles in a thick fish soup, and contains garlic, onions, lemongrass, ginger, slices of banana tree stem, fish paste, chickpea powder and roasted catfish.

"Mohinga is typically a breakfast food, but can be eaten any time of day," said Soueng Vorn, a waiter at Win Myanmar. "We get many customers from Myanmar who come here for our mohinga special, and to sit and chat and enjoy their Sunday afternoon."

To enjoy the unique flavours of Myanmar in Phnom Penh head to Irrawaddi Myanmar restaurant, 24 Street 334 or Win Myanmar restaurant, 23 Street 110.

Written by Anita Surewicz

Thursday, 26 March 2009

Tini Tinou will bring its unique blend of local and international talent to the big top beginning Friday, with preview performances in Phnom Penh and a 4-day festival in April in Battambang. Photo by: Photos Supplied This year’s Tini Tinou will feature high-flying trapeze acts, tight-rope walkers and an assortment of clowns and contortionists. Feats of acrobatics, trapeze acts, tightrope displays, contortionists and the antics of clowns are set to dazzle and amuse at the upcoming Tini Tinou circus festival. In its sixth year in Cambodia, Tini Tinou, meaning "here and there", will kick off in Phnom Penh on Friday before moving on to Battambang for a four-day extravaganza.

Attracting a bevy of performers from around the globe, this year's festival, organized by the Battambang NGO Phare Ponleu Selpak (PPS), will feature 150 artists from 10 countries, giving the event a truly international flavour.

Renowned international performers from Canada, France, Australia, Germany and Japan descended on Cambodia this month to share their knowledge with young circus performers during two weeks of interactive workshops that took place prior to the commencement of this year's event.

"A big part of the 2009 festival is the training exchange between artists," said PPS artistic director Khoun Det.

While the majority of young artists who took part in the workshops were Cambodian, students from Laos, Romania and Japan also participated.

"There were approximately 50 students from PPS and around 10 from Phnom Penh's National Circus School, and around 30 students from overseas," said Dorothee Alemany, the organiser and coordinator of this year's Tini Tinou festival.

Angkorian roots
Performance art has a long history in Cambodia stretching back to Angkorian times, as evidenced by the 12th century bas-reliefs at the Bayon temple at Angkor Wat, which pay tribute to acrobats, contortionists, jugglers, musicians and animal handlers.

"Traditional circus has roots in 11th-century Cambodia. While the Asian circus is to some extent similar to the European circus, the main difference between the two is the accompanying music, which here is traditional Khmer music," said Khoun Det.

PPS took over organising the festival in 2007 from the French Cultural Centre, which launched the event in 2004, and opened it up to more international performers.

"The goal of the festival is to promote Asian circus arts and to share knowledge," said Alemany.

PPS, which literally means "Light from Arts", has its roots in the refugee camps on the Thai border, initially starting in 1986 as a project utilising visual arts as a means of encouraging creativity in young people to help them overcome the trauma associated with the Khmer Rouge regime and years of civil war.

Healing through creativity
"The idea was to give children in the camps something to do so that they wouldn't get bored and have something to think about other than war," said Alemany.

The project continued after its co-founders returned to Battambang following the 1991 Peace Accords. The project was formalised in 1994 when its organisers decided to create PPS.

The circus branch of the school began in 1998 with support from the National Circus School of the Royal University of Fine Arts in Phnom Penh and today has approximately 130 students, said Alemany.

Today the mission of the PPS school is to renew the circus by taking traditional Cambodian circus roots and mixing them with new international elements.

"Traditional Cambodian circus is very technical in nature. It is a chain of separate performances that follow one another. At PPS, we try to incorporate other elements such as stage management and artistic management into traditional circus performances - we bring music, stage and a more technical environment," Khoun Det said. "Contemporary circus is more about building one whole story with stage management."

THE GOAL ... IS TO PROMOTE ASIAN CIRCUS ARTS AND TO SHARE KNOWLEDGE.”


And to facilitate this stage management, training has been incorporated into the school's curriculum.

"Our new project is the training of technicians, which has been organised through Performing Philippines Educational Theater Association. A trainer from the Philippines came to Cambodia to train technicians from Battambang, PPS and the Performing Arts Department from Phnom Penh. He taught technicians how to prepare a show - lights, materials and sounds," Khoun Det said.

The focus of this year's Tini Tinou festival includes clowns and aerial acrobatics such as flying trapeze and tightrope displays.

Clowns from different countries will perform to display each country's unique jesters. In fact, the whole festival will be presented by two very different clowns - one Cambodian and one French, said Alemany.

"The Cambodian clown is more about speaking and making people laugh rather than about mime and gestures," said Khoun Det. "They wear sleeveless shirts and kramas, usually hang out in a fishing hut and spend their time trying to pick up girls."

"We are trying to make the traditional Khmer clown more international - we want them to do more than just speak," Khuon Det said, adding that PPS trains women to be clowns, an element that breaks with Cambodian tradition.

Another unique feature of this year's festival will be its guest of honour, the PA-RA-DA Foundation from Romania.

"We decided from last year to have a guest of honour at the festival, and we try to choose an organization that has a similar social mission to PPS, and PA-RA-DA seemed appropriate," said Alemany.

The foundation was created in 1996 by a French clown, Miloud Oukili, who started teaching workshops for children living on the streets after he arrived in Bucharest in 1992.

Uncertain future
But Tini Tinou is now in danger of extinction due to insufficient funding, and organisers say it may not return next year. This is the first time in the event's six-year history that a cover charge had to be introduced, creating the very real danger that the festival may not attract the usual numbers this year.

"There may be less people this year due to the cover charge. It is a risk that the NGO is taking, but because the circus is well-known now, it is a risk worth taking," said Khoun Det.

However, Alemany is quick to point out that the Khmer communities around the NGO in Battambang will be able to attend the performances for free.

"We will have different prices for Cambodians and the international community, but local communities will still have free access to the festival because we feel that they are our first audience," said Alemany.

Even though the festival is supported by a number of local and international organisations, Alemany says the current level of funding is not sufficient and that this year the circus will go over its allocated budget.

The Tini Tinou festival kicks off Friday with a show at the French Cultural Centre in Phnom Penh and continues Saturday with a parade
beginning on Street 13 (in front of Friends), continuing to the National Museum, down Sisowath Quay and culminating with a stage show at Wat
Botum.

In Battambang, the four-day festival running from April 2 to April 5 will comprise of three shows nightly and smaller performances by pre-professionals.

The cover charge for Friday's show at the French Cultural Centre in Phnom Penh is US$8 for general admission and $4 for students. In Battambang the cost of a one-night pass is 3,500 riel for Cambodians and $10 for foreign nationals. A three-day pass will cost $3 for Cambodians and $20 for foreign nationals. Children will be able to enter at the discount price of $4 for a one-day pass and $8 for a three-day pass.

Happy New Year From Sydney, Australia

Khmer-Thai Relations: The Good Old Days

I bumped into this pictures by chance at Monkgol's blog. I thought it is wonderful that Mongkol has dug out these historical artistic relations between the Cambodian and Thai people. I do hope that the Preah Vihear and border issues can be resolved amicably to the satisfaction of both the Khmer and Thai people so that trusts and mutual understandings can be rebuilt - Khmerization

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Cambodian stars Dy Saveth and Chea Yuthorn as seen in a Thai magazine from the early 1970’s. The two were in Thailand to promote a movie called “ស្នេហ៍ឆ្លងវេហា” or “รักข้ามขอบฟ้า,” which was jointly produced by Cambodia and Thailand.

The Khmer and Thai versions of the movie’s soundtrack were sung by Sin Sisamuth and Dy Saveth. Until these days, it remains an everlasting hit greatly loved by people from both countries. Hmmm! Good old days!

Written by Brendan Brady

Monday, 23 March 2009

Cambodia’s openness to homosexuality contributes to its growing reputation as a destination where gay tourists can travel without fear of prejudice Photo by: Rick Valenzuela Drag diva Deedee dances August 22, 2008, at Blue Chilli, a popular gay-friendly bar in Phnom Penh, in this file photo. A livelier scene across the border THE beaches of Patong and Pattaya in the Thai island haven of Phuket have attracted waves of gay travellers for years. The website gaypatong.com says Phuket is “one of the world’s most exciting Gay playgrounds” on par with the likes of Amsterdam, the Spanish resort town of Sitges and San Francisco. Phuket has been at the vanguard of an effort by tour operators to get their slice of the growing gay travel market, which Mintel International Group, a market-research company in Britain, said would grow by more than US$20 billion worldwide between 2006 and 2010. Travelocity, which has offered a database of gay-friendly hotels since 2005, includes hotels certified by the gay-tourism marketing company Community Marketing as enforcing non-discrimination policies. FROM tastefully decorated gay-owned restaurants where "the all-male staff are gorgeous and friendly" to spas frequented by gay expats that guarantee an "absolutely magic" massage from male masseurs, Utopia Asia tips gay travellers to Siem Reap.

While a far cry from Thailand's Phuket Island, where Speedo-clad beefcakes paint an exuberant scene, Cambodia is offering an increasing number of venues catering to gay travellers.

"People living here have a very open approach to gay people. That's been recognised, and so more gay travellers are coming here," said Dutch national Dirk Degraass, who designed and manages the aptly named Golden Banana guesthouse in Siem Reap.

He says the number of gay travellers in Siem Reap, the jump-off hub to tour the temples of Angkor Wat, has steadily risen over the three years he has lived in Cambodia. To keep pace with demand, the boutique guest house has expanded twice, mostly recently opening a third addition three months ago.

Even venues that have made no effort to attract gay customers seem to be benefiting from Cambodia's growing reputation as a destination where gay people can travel without experiencing prejudice.

La Veranda Resort in the coastal town of Kep receives a steady stream of gay tourists, according to its manager, Craig Pollard.

"You can come here and feel there's no problem; you can feel no one will look down on you," said the Australian.
Laurent Notin, with Indochina Research, which has offices in Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, said Cambodia is well-suited to cultivating a niche tourism market to target specific demographics, as the country has yet to draw the numbers of a major tourism destination.

"Big companies are unlikely to come and push them out," he said, referring to the prospects of small hotels trying to attract gay travellers. "And niche markets are often lucrative - a small, but focussed, market can be very profitable."

A tough tourism year
In dismal economic times, any growth market may be worth jumping on. Tourism Ministry officials earlier this month announced that January tourist arrivals dropped by more than 2 percent compared with the same period last year - a sign that a key economic driver is flagging in the face of the global economic downturn.

Looking to keep people interested in travel even as their budgets shrink, a US-based travel company catering to gay travellers sees promise in Cambodia. Last month, it opened a new tour of Southeast Asia that includes Cambodia, along with Thailand and Laos.

Howie Holben, head of Spirit Journeys, bills his tours as "spiritually uplifting gay travel" and says he has found Cambodia to be a "very accepting environment".

The company is tapping into a destination that has largely gone under the radar, but that is already registering as a rising star. For Purple Dragon, Asia's longest-running travel company tailored to gay travellers - with routes to eight countries in the region - Cambodia is the second-most popular destination behind Thailand, according to Douglas Thompson, managing director of the company's headquarters in Bangkok.

Holben distinguished his tours from those of other gay travel companies. "Typically, there would be gay-oriented experiences like going out to gay nightclubs," he said. "But we're not going to experience gay life. We are just offering to the gay community the opportunity for a spiritual journey."

Spirit Journey's three-week trips, the first kicking off in November, focus on historical sites and include meditation exercises. The visit to Cambodia is dedicated to the Angkor temples around Siem Reap.

And for the time being, observers see Cambodia's "pink" tourism tailored more to ensuring accepting spaces than to providing lively spots for socialising.

Unprejudiced hospitality
Craig Duncan is on his fourth trip to Cambodia. For the 40-year-old from Australia, it is an "absolute priority" to search for the availability of gay-oriented venues before travelling somewhere - and Cambodia has fit the bill.

"Going online and finding gay-friendly places made a big difference. I was able to find out Cambodia would be a good place even before I got here," he said.

For Duncan, a gay-friendly hotel means "if you meet someone, you can take them back there, or if you're travelling with you're partner, they don't try to put you in different beds."

His impression has remained positive. He says he has not experienced an insult or any incidents of discrimination in the nearly five weeks he has spent in Cambodia as a tourist. In Southeast Asia, he observed, there is a sense of intimacy among people of the same sex that is comforting for gay visitors to see.

Duncan said the "services" for gay travellers have expanded along with the growing number of gay travellers to Cambodia. He has noticed a growth in the number of male prostitutes, or "money boys", in nightclubs in Phnom Penh and Siem Reap.

But the scene remains limited, he said, and he was eager to see Cambodia become livelier in its nightlife - bars and dance clubs - for gay visitors. Phnom Penh has a handful of gay bars, and Siem Reap offers a few gay-friendly watering holes, but it is a low-key scene compared with the globe's most storied gay destinations.

As Duncan put it, a gay destination in Thailand "would mean more".
And travel writer Nick Ray says it will likely stay that way for the near future.

Ray has authored Lonely Planet guides for Cambodia, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam and other countries in the region.
There has been a doubling of venues catering to gay visitors in Cambodia over the last three years, he's observed, but he thought the scene would remain subdued compared to that of some of its neighbour.

"It's following the Thai pattern more than the pattern of some of its conservative neighbours - like Vietnam, where it's considered a social evil - but I don't think it will reach the scale of Thailand."

Govt position unpredictable
Ray doubted there would be a public outcry if Cambodia's tourism scene for gay travellers became more pervasive and visible, but he said the possibility of a government backlash was difficult to predict.

"All it takes is one or two senior officials to decide they don't like it." But, at the moment, it's off the radar, he said.
With a former king, Norodom Sihanouk, who has been a vocal supporter of equal rights and same-sex partners, no history of homophobia among the public and no laws against homosexuality, local tourism operators have a supportive backdrop to carve out a space specifically for gay travellers.

But for the time being, Cambodia's official line, if there is one at all, oscillates.
Tourism Minister Thon Khong would only say he had not reflected on the prospect.

The Cambodian Association of Travel Agents would not consider promoting Cambodia as a gay-friendly tourism destination, said one of the group's top representatives, Ho Vandy. He was adamant, however, that hotels should not be allowed to turn away customers because of their sexual orientation.

He said tour operators were not opposed to gay visitors coming, but a campaign to woo them was out of question.
"We have a traditional culture, and we don't want foreigners promoting homosexuality [amongst Cambodians] in our country, but for gay foreigners who wish to visit Cambodia, that is OK."

Nick Ray saw it differently. He said the extent that Cambodia continues growing as a destination for gay travellers could largely depend on the attitudes of local people towards homosexuality.

"If more Cambodians come out, it will create a synergy that could have the industry take off."

Written by Jonathan Allison

Friday, 20 March 2009

French photograher Jean-Francois Perigois finds a ‘system' within the dizzying chaos of Phnom Penh's city streets in his new exhibition at Equinox Photo by: JEAN-FRANCOIS PERIGOIS One of the photographs showcased at the "Part of the Process" exhibition. Having been in the country on and off for more than seven years, Jean-Francois Perigois is no stranger to Cambodia. During this time, he has observed vast changes and discovered that transport, or what he refers to as "the wheel of life", has played an essential part in this change.

"Transport is part of the process of change, but it is also part of the process of life. For those who own the transport, the wheel is so important. It is like the wheel of life," he said.

More than 35 interpretations of the crucial role that the varied forms of transport play in the life of Phnom Penh are documented in Perigois's latest exhibition "Part of The Process", which opens tonight at Equinox.

Perigois, a self-taught photographer, started his career in Paris but left the country to travel after he found it difficult to make a living through pursuing his passion.

Having done the tourist route through Southeast Asia, Perigois was drawn back to Cambodia again and again.
Having had numerous exhibitions in Cambodia at venues including Raffles Le Royal Hotel and Restaurant Le Liban, Perigois is well known locally for his portraits of people and capturing what he refers to as "the instant of life".

"Part of the Process" represents a departure from the artist's usual style.

"[At first], I thought about a collection of photos of the Asian minorities but [then I thought], no, I'm in Cambodia, the photos should be from Cambodia as well."

He then realised that he wanted to create something different from previous exhibitions. Perigois then noticed an often overlooked, if ever present, aspect of life in Cambodia - transport.

"It looks chaotic, an everyday obstacle for many, but there is a kind of system. It is somehow organised, and miraculously there are very few accidents."

The variety of different modes of transport struck a chord with him.
It occurred to Perigois that transport is not only the lifeblood of the country, as it is in any country, but it is also the lifeblood of the people who own it and use it.

"For many people, their transport is their life, part of the wheel of life. Take that away from them and they have nothing," he said.

A dizzying pace
But Cambodia is changing. There are fewer cyclos and more Lexises, more people on the roads, more produce to move.
"You can go to any of the big markets and see people, all day, moving goods on their family transport, just trying to make enough money for them and their families to survive, all vying for space on the over-crowded roads with new, expensive cars."

It's this idea of "social distortion" that Perigois finds fascinating.
"The changes are becoming more and more apparent - lots of new buildings appearing and many old buildings disappearing - but still there will be people making a living with their precious transport."

This ideal can be seen in many of his telling images of people going about their daily, unchanged lives in the thick of the dizzying pace of development - a part of the daily process of life.

Unlike in his previous work, Perigois has manipulated the colour in his images, the subject being in colour and the background in black and white. It is an interesting device, in that it accentuates the subject, but this is not Perigois's primary goal.

"The transport is moving. That is the instant that I want to capture. The colour keeps it in the present, whereas the black and white is the past. It's already happened."

Perigois hopes that his exhibition will help people to open their minds and look carefully at different ways of life
"I'm happy for people to get a connection with my images. I hope that people can look at the streets with more interest and compassion."

"Part of the Process" opens today at 7pm at Equinox and runs through May 1.

Written by TOM HUNTER Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center gives baby elephant new lease on life

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Betelnut Tours, which conducts trips to the center, is hosting a quiz this Friday to raise money for the animals Photo by: TOM HUNTER Sun Vathana, Betelnut Tour guide, and a gibbon named Preah Vihear. Photo by: TOM HUNTER Lucky comes across a curious tour participant. Photo by: TOM HUNTER Betelnut Tour jeep. Photo by: TOM HUNTER Betelnut Tour participants enjoy a feast fit for a king. Photo by: TOM HUNTER Chhouk and his older play mate Lucky enjoy a swim. Photo by: TOM HUNTER Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center. Srepok Wilderness Area is nestled among the mountains of Mondulkiri in Cambodia's northeast. The area is home to banteng, gaur, tiger and some of the countries last remaining wild Asian elephants. It is remote and rugged with few roads and little infrastructure.

Mondulkiri's isolation provides the perfect cover for Cambodia's animal poachers. The area is littered with snares, animal traps designed to hold live animals until their captors release them into the nation's illegal wildlife trade.

In March 2007, a team of Wildlife Alliance rangers heard reports of a baby elephant wandering through the forest. Early reports had identified the young elephant as alone and distraught with his front left foot severely injured and infected.

It is thought that the elephant had his leg caught in a snare trap designed for a creature of lesser stature. While he was able to free himself from the trap, his leg was badly damaged and in need of immediate medical treatment.

Two years later, the elephant - named Chhouk - lives at the Phnom Tamao Wildlife Rescue Center, home to seven other Asian elephants, one of the world's largest population of sun and moon bears, gibbons, endangered otters, an African lion and hundreds of rescued animals, freed from lives of captivity, cruelty and mistreatment.

The wildlife centre is located 45 kilometres south of Phnom Penh on 2,300 hectares of government-owned regenerated forest. The centre is home to Wildlife Alliance's Care for Rescued Wildlife program designed to care for animals that cannot be reintegrated back into the wild. The centre looks after 1,100 animals, which include 93 species of endangered and threatened animals.

Chhouk was in a bad state, he had tore his own foot off to free himself from the snare.


Phnom Penh's Betelnut jeep tours conduct informative guided day trips to the centre with a focus on the peril that Cambodia's wildlife faces and some unique close encounters with endangered animals.

My guide for the day was 22-year-old Sun Vathana who has been working at the park, through Betelnut Tours, for approximately six months.

An obvious animal enthusiast, Sun Vathana loves her new job - a world away from her previous workplace, a garment factory. "At my old job, I would do the same thing every day. I didn't like that ... it was so boring," she said. "At first I was scared of the animals and I didn't get too close, but it was very important for me to confront my fears so I could get closer to the animals that I love."

The park is home to an estimated 80 gibbons. Each animal has a personality, some more pleasant than others.

Sun Vathana warned me to stay away for the black gibbon - "very cheeky," she said. Sure enough, I was attacked twice throughout the day by two gibbons eager to steal my camera.

The gibbons are indicative of some of the animals in the park who have often been tormented by their captors.

One gibbon, aptly named Preah Vihear, after the conflict in the Cambodia/Thai border town where the monkey was found, is new to the park and the hair on her leg is noticeably missing. She was found in a private home by Wildlife Alliance, chained, malnourished and disturbed. When Preah Vihear was found, she was chained by her left foot, bleeding from her efforts to escape.

Preah Vihear is the only gibbon in the park that lives alone. Her injuries and volatile personality mean that she is unable to be paired with a companion. When we arrive at her enclosure, she seems eager for attention and lonely, a gentle creature reaching a bare arm out of the cage for attention. Sun Vathana tells me that on her last visit the gibbon bit her on the wrist.

According to a survey completed last year by World Conservation Congress of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, 79 percent of primates in Southeast Asia are now facing extinction. "The wildlife trade is second only to the drug trade in terms of how much money it generates in Southeast Asia," David Emmett, regional director of the Indo-Burma program at Conservation International, said in an interview with the Post last October.

Nick Marx, Care for Rescued Wildlife project manager, is responsible for rescuing endangered animals destined for the illegal wildlife trade.

Marx leads a team of animal care specialists who found Chhouk the elephant in Mondulkiri province, and considering the severity of Chhouk's injuries and the fact that his mother had abandoned him, concluded that the best place for the elephant was the centre. "Chhouk was in a bad state. He had torn his own foot off to free himself from the snare, and the wound was badly infected with maggots," said Barb Braniff, Betelnut tour operator.

After ruling out a helicopter airlift due to cost and the remote location, Chhouk was transported - while heavily sedated - on the back of a truck cushioned with banana leaves and rice straw. The journey took 26 hours.

"I'm sure he's happy and doesn't feel disabled, but he is in desperate need of a prosthetic foot," Marx said. "His left leg is starting to bow out and he cannot walk long distances with the other elephants. If he is left like this it will eventually damage the rest of his body," said Marx.

A new invention
Elephant prostheses are a relatively new invention. Chhouk will be the third elephant ever to receive the treatment.
A Thai elephant named Motola first received the treatment in 2006, after having her leg injured by a land mine.

Chhouk's new leg, which is being made by the Cambodian School of Prosthesis and Orhtotics (CSPO), will cost an estimated US$30,000; however, it is hard to estimate the full cost of the projected as Chhouk will need a new prosthesis every year until he is fully grown.

CSPO is an educational center where students from the region can learn how to prescribe, manufacture and fit artificial limbs and orthopedic braces.

In their spare time they have generously volunteered their knowledge to make Chhouk's artificial foot.
Betelnut Tours, which operates out of the Lazy Geko Cafe is hosting a quiz night this Friday to raise much needed funds for Chhouk and PTWRC. Teams of 4 wishing to register for the event can do so by calling 012 619 924, subject to availability.

Betelnut Tours runs weekly guided trips to PTWRC. The all inclusive tours cost US$30 and can be arranged through www.betelnuttours.com.

Those wishing to donate to the park and Chhouk's new foot can do so through www.wildlifealliance.org

Written by ERIN GLEESON Sa Sa Gallery's 'Art Rebels' forge new creative paths

Thursday, 19 March 2009

Young, hip and dedicated, the eight artists behind the collective have embraced an ensemble approach to bringing non-traditional perspectives to the masses Photo by: ERIN GLEESON Sa Sa Gallery co-founders say they want to teach up-and-coming artists to see their environment in a new way. A COUPLE of months ago, I visited the peaceful grounds of the Khmer Arts Academy in Takhmao to meet with former Minister of Culture Chheng Pong. It was my third meeting that month with different retired cultural ministers - the goal being to have an open-ended discussion on contemporary visual arts in Cambodia.

Among many other approaches to the topic, I gave Chheng Pong a slideshow on my computer of artworks by more than a dozen contemporary Cambodian artists whose practices and themes are wide-ranging, from the oldest and now deceased self-taught painter-of-the-everyday Svay Ken, to a young artist from the Reyum Art School making large paper sculptures of mythical figures.

Chheng Pong was surprised to see the vitality and development, which deviated from the Royal University of Fine Art's beaux-arts approach of preserving idealised forms and passing the style on to future generations. He, like the other ministers, and like myself, contemplated the collective unawareness of these artists and their practices, and more broadly, why contemporary visual artists receive nearly no support from the Ministry of Culture.

An ensemble tradition
Along with other thoughtful formulas, Chheng Pong mentioned that because contemporary artists most often work individually, they are seen to communicate individual expression, which is contrary to the nature of the historical artisan practice: "The spirit of Khmer culture is an ensemble. It is not an individualistic culture. We see the whole. The individual worker is not part of the cultural participation unless working with the masses. Mass is considered the highest way of working."

WE HAVE A CONSISTENT PLACE NOW, LIKE A HOME. THAT STABILITY ALLOWS US TO BE MORE CREATIVE TOGETHER.


The five young artists and founders of Cambodia's first artist-run gallery Sa Sa feel the same, and they are determined to encourage their generation to better understand that individualistic expression is for the masses, too.

Vandy Rattana, photographer and current Sa Sa Gallery leader (a position that will rotate annually), was recently at the internationally praised Drik Photography Festival in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the On Photography Cambodia project. There, he encountered an active community of Bangladeshi artists and cultural workers engaged with an energetic and supportive Bangladeshi public. He wanted to bring this sense of engagement to Cambodia, a sentiment echoed by many other Cambodian artists thriving from opportunities to travel and exchange with other Asian art communities who have wider reception in their cultures.

Photographer and Sa Sa co-founder Lim Sokchan Lina believes he must engage with students to promote the gallery and artists' practices at Norton University, where he is currently a student. He believes this gesture will allow young Cambodians to gain new perspectives through art. "Non-traditional art is a new thing for them because they don't know about other galleries in Phnom Penh or outside Cambodia," Lim Sokchan Lina said. "The students know their memories, but they don't know photography. Through photography exhibitions at Sa Sa, we will show them the environment they encounter in a new way."

Sa Sa takes its name from the first syllables in the artist collective's full name - Stiev Selepak, or "Art Rebels". Founded in 2007, the collective's purpose is to "help each other achieve art projects by sharing knowledge and resources".

An accidental beginning
For the past two years, Sa Sa's eight members met informally in different spaces to discuss projects or invite speakers to share experiences. They collaborate on various projects based on their strengths or availability. Recently, three members designed the set for a new Cambodian play, Breaking the Silence.

After two years, why a gallery? "It was an accident," said Vandy Rattana. "I was eating at Bai Tong restaurant on street 360 and the co-owner (Community Legal Education Center's Ou Virak) walked up to me and asked if I could hang my photographs on the wall. By the end of the conversation, we decided to involve the Stiev Selepak group not only in the restaurant exhibitions but also in a small wing of the building that we call the Main Gallery."

The way forward
It made sense to Vandy Rattana that the way forward was to take on leadership roles in other areas of the field beyond making art - a healthy development in any emerging art scene.

The Sa Sa space will be both a commercial gallery and a meeting place, or, what co-founder Khvay Samnang calls a home. "We have a consistent place now, like a home. That stability allows us to be more creative together. It's motivating."

To begin with, Stiev Selepak members will jointly curate a balance between contemporary and traditional art exhibitions from Cambodians. The wall space throughout the two-level restaurant, which will act as a semi-permanent exhibition, and the separate Main Gallery will rotate exhibitions every two or three months. Co-founder Kong Vollak, who participated in a curatorial training program in 2008, would like to give opportunities to students from the Royal University of Fine Arts, where three Sa Sa members are alumni. In the future, they hope to host artists they have met throughout the region.

Although all founders have assisted with organising and installing many exhibitions in Cambodia, co-founder Heng Ravuth used a Khmer proverb about frogs venturing from their small pond to convey the challenge and excitement that comes with new responsibilities. They are thankful for friends who are students of management and accounting who can help with the business aspect of running a gallery.

With the Main Gallery measuring a mere 20 square metres, Sa Sa Gallery is poised to show the expanding Cambodian art community and the deflating economy that small is beautiful.

"INTRO", Sa Sa Gallery's inaugural exhibition, opens this Saturday from 6pm to 10pm at No 7, Street 360, Boeung Keng Kang, Phnom Penh.

Written by Nora Lindstrom

Monday, 16 March 2009

A variety of schools, from expensive private courses to a free program offered by an NGO working with street children, offer a lucrative career choice. Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG Salon students at Friends International's Mith Samlanh tend to their customers last week. From the roadside barber to the top-end salon, the beauty industry in Phnom Penh offers something for everyone, at very affordable prices. While the quality remains highly variable, recent market developments are likely to result in the offering of more professional services as more beauty therapist hopefuls seek formal training. "We need to keep up with the market so our students can find good jobs," said Natalie Elverd, a technical adviser at the NGO Friends International, in reference to recent renovations at the beauty rooms and nail bar of the organisation's Mith Samlanh school. "We did the upgrade because we need to follow changes in the local economy. There has been an increase in salons, so we wanted to improve placement opportunities for our young people by providing them with a better learning environment to gain increasingly better skills," she said, adding that the renovations were made possible thanks to aid from the Australian government. The Mith Samlanh students, who were formerly street children, are given the opportunity to choose a career in hair and beauty care from a variety of other potential careers. While the beauty rooms are open to the public only during the centre's monthly flea markets, the nail bar inside the Friends 'n' Stuff shop is open on a daily basis and allows students to gain experience in a real working environment. "The idea behind opening this business for the students is for them to have hands-on training with the public. It gives them the opportunity to gain confidence and improve their [future] placement opportunities," Elverd said. She added that the training at Mith Samlanh also encompasses personal hygiene, customer service skills, how to care for and sterilise tools and how to keep the workspace clean. "The training is of good standard, as well as constantly improving. The students are very popular and in high demand in the employment market. We often have job opportunities waiting for them," said Elverd, who herself has 20 years of experience from the Australian beauty industry. There are several other beauty schools around Phnom Penh as well, catering to vast amounts of beauty therapist hopefuls, mainly girls. While the training at Mith Samlanh is free, many private schools charge significant amounts of money for their training programs. Christina's Beauty School on Sihanouk Boulevard has achieved a good reputation in the Cambodian beauty industry during its almost decade- long existence. Here, an eight- to 10-month full course costs $590 and covers a curriculum of 19 subjects, while shorter courses focussing on specific skills are also available. Owner Sun Heang said the school is attended by more than 300 students, with recent graduates usually earning between $50 and $100 per month, depending on skills. "Once they finish the course, we also offer them the opportunity to work here in my salon, or else we help them find employment somewhere else," she said, adding that there is constant interest in the courses she offers. THE TRAINING IS OF GOOD STANDARD, AS WELL AS CONSTANTLY IMPROVING. Socheat Beauty School offers training similar to Christina's, albeit at a slightly higher cost of $750 for a full course. Srei Oun, 23, has been studying there for approximately eight months along with some 100 other trainees. "I like it here. I have a lot of friends, also. My favourite thing is cutting hair," she said, though was slightly insecure about how much longer it would take for her to master all the skills necessary for a good job in the industry. Srei Oun's sister Srei Neang, 27, has been a hairdresser for 15 years and in contrast to her sibling learned the trade through working her way up. "I started by working at Central Market when I was 12 doing manicures and pedicures, but have since worked at the salons of many top-end hotels," Srei Neang explained. "You can make a good living as a hairdresser," she added. Photo by: SOVANN PHILONG A recent renovation at Mith Samlanh will offer more varied training for the growing number of students in the beauty sector. Srei Neang thinks it's better to learn while working, as opposed to going to school. "You can practise in reality straight away, and also you earn money," she said, noting that formal training can be too expensive for many people. Nevertheless, she does acknowledge that there are many salons in Phnom Penh where staff have no training whatsoever and that this is a problem. "They can open anywhere, but they don't know how to do [the services provided]" she said. As the industry develops, services provided are likely to improve as more salons have professionally trained staff. A downside of this may be an increase in prices, yet for the time being hair and beauty treatments remain affordable to most, even if their quality is sometimes dubious. The revamped Nail Bar at Friends 'n' Stuff will be open for business at the next Friends flea market, on Saturday, March 28.

17 months ago: Pumtheara Chend in the role of Pamina Devi (Pamina) performs during a dress rehearsal 09 October 2007 for "Pamina Devi: A Cambodian Magic Flute" at the Joyce Theater in New York. Under the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975 to 1979, classical Cambodian dance was banned and as many as 90 percent of the dance's practitioners perished from disease, starvation and slaughter