The Khmer Krom people are mostly Buddhists and those living in Cambodia practice Theravada Buddhism, the oldest surviving school of Buddhism in the world. The Vietnamese Khmer Krom practice Mahayana Buddhism and a small portion of the community also practice Islam and Christianity. Their religious identity separates them from the rest of the people of the Indochina Region.

The Khmer Krom people trace their origins even before the Khmer Empire, and have thought to inhabit their native region since the first century AD. The Khmer Empire lasted from the 9th century AD to the 15th century, and was the most powerful empire in South East Asia during its peak period during the 12th century, particularly when the Angkor Wat was built.

Later, in the 17th century, the Khmer Krom people, who now currently live in Vietnam, were separated from the rest of their community in Cambodia, as Vietnamese settlers occupied the Mekong River Delta region. In fact, the modern day Vietnamese capital of Ho Chi Minh City, was known as Prey Nokor at the time of the Khmer Krom occupation, and was an important port city to the community.

After the French colonization of the region in 1863, the Mekong River delta was included in Vietnam after the independence of Vietnam from the French occupation. Cambodia protested on this step but to no avail, and the division of the Khmer Krom people led to tensions between Cambodia, which gained independence in 1954, and Vietnam, which further paved the way to violent conflicts between the states in the 1970s.

The Khmer Krom people have a rich cultural heritage which could be truly explored by visiting the heart of their homeland, the Mekong River Delta in Cambodia. This is where the cultural values of the Khmer Krom flourished and where you can find most of the cultural attractions that are representative of the people. Attractions like the Khleang Pagoda in Soc Trang, and other sites such as Long An, and Ving Long in the Mekong River Delta offer a good insight into their culture.

The Khmer Krom people also follow their distinct Lunar calendar, based on the Buddhist calendar, the practice of which is thought to have been originated from the Angkor period of the Khmer Empire. The Khmer zodiac however, seems to be an inspiration of the Chinese zodiac, and the local names of animals are associated with years, as is the case in the latter. The Khmer New Year is celebrated mostly on April 13, and sometimes on April 14.

The Khmer Krom people are represented by the Khmer-Kampuchea Krom Federation, which claim to be the only legitimate representative organization of the community and is a member of the Unrepresented Nations and People Organization. Although the organization maintains a non-political stance, but it primarily works to propagate awareness for the rights of the Khmer Krom community and to attract the attention of the world to the Human Rights violations they are facing in Vietnam.

The Apsara dance is also peculiar because of the colorful and elaborate costumes worn by the Apsara dancers. The most noticeable part of their costume is the traditional Crown or Mekot, which complements the three-pointed decorative crowns as depicted in the
bas-relief dancers as recorded on the walls of the Angkor Wat. The silk skirt or the Charabob is as important in its symbolism, and the dancer wearing the white Charabob would be leading the group, while the supporting dancers appear in colors like red and green. Apart from that, the dancers are also donned by various adornments in the shape of flowers and jewelry.

The origins of the dance are deep-rooted in the culture and religion of the Cambodian people. In the Hindu and Buddhist mythology, Apsara is the feminine spirit of the water and the clouds, which is more equivalent to the Western concept of a nymph. In short, an Apsaras are manifested and expressed in art as beautiful girls, who are skilled in dancing and dance to the tunes played by their husbands. In fact, the history of the Apsara dance can be traced back right to the time of the Royal Angkor Courts, when Angkor Wat used to be active in its full glory.

Even today, you can track the trail that Apsara Dance has covered over the centuries to the present day, as you can find the depictions of the Apsara dance on the walls of the Angkor Wat itself The modern day Khmer Apsara dance is performed to commemorate and revere the same traditions that hold a central place in the local culture and legend, and is so deep-rooted and inspirational, that its echoes are also found in the classical dance of Laos and Thailand.

The dance was probably first introduced to the masses in the West in the 1960s. The Princess Bhopa Devi was probably the first ever Apsara ballet dancer known to the rest of the world outside Cambodia, and this beautiful art form made its mark on the global audiences worldwide, now even having its presence in the United States. The dance is very pleasant to the eye and can offer the right tone to your mood as you set out to explore the oriental cultures.

On your next visit to Cambodia, don’t forget to miss the Apsara Dance, which is the living representation of the Cambodian culture in its purest and most ancient form. You can catch the shows in local hotels, if not the Apsara theaters, especially in the city of Siem Reap, which lies right next to the Angkor Wat.

JEWELRY – Don’t wear big beads or heavy-looking pieces that seem to carry me rather than the opposite. Some women wear ridiculous outfits. You can hardly find the woman who is so lost in her big hat and fur. Speaking of furs–any woman is never justified in wearing a fur that comes from an animal. Fake furs should be the only furs you ever put on your backs.

DIET – Persons who are excessively fat eat for reasons other than hunger, to compensate for frustrations of one kind or another. The bigger their problems, the more they overeat. Of course what you eat is also very important. You have to eat some foods that you don’t particularly like but which are good for you. Yogurt is one of them. Have some yogurt every day. Cottage cheese is another. You can eat it on toasted rye bread, with salt and pepper and a large slice of onion. Start the day with a big breakfast that includes bacon and eggs, and eat a well-balanced dinner.

BEAUTY-LIFTS – As far as face-lifting, breast-lifting and other surgical cosmetic aids are concerned, as long as you can afford a good surgeon and bear the pain and discomfort that are involved, go ahead. A lot of women say, “Well, I know that my face has gone to pot, but my husband loves me the way I am. He wouldn’t have me look different for the entire world.” If they’re overweight those same women say, “Oh, my husband loves every extra pound.” Don’t kid yourself. No one wants to look unattractive or be overweight—and that old husband excuse is just a cop-out. Those husbands who allegedly adore their wives’ excess wrinkles and jiggly fat are perfect candidates for affairs with their secretaries.

The greatest face-lift is a thinking-lift. Our faces reflect what we’re thinking, and when we have clouded, negative, bitter thoughts, thoughts with fear and hate in them, our faces and our eyes show these things, no matter what we do with foundations and eye shadows. When thoughts are positive and loving, a person’s entire face relaxes. Down lines go up. Worry lines ease out. The body lifts in spirit, and the soul is uplifted. It’s the greatest cosmetic of all, and it doesn’t cost a cent.

The ingredients, the salting and the process of the preparation of Prahok give the paste its distinctive odor and taste, which was why it was started to be used as a condiment for the Cambodian cuisine. Although the Prahok is unique to Cambodia, but you can find similar condiments in other cultures and cuisines as well, such as the use of Pissalat in the French cuisine.

Due to the distinct smell and pungent taste of Prahok, it is also fondly known as the Fish Cheese. In fact, to most of the Western tourists, this is what Prahok is known by. But with the passage of time, Prahok has become popular with the people in the West, and its use has been recognized and increased in international cuisine over time.

Prahok was actually invented out of bare necessity by the Cambodian people, as this food type allows preserving the fish meat for a long period of time, the span of which could be months. This was found useful by the Cambodian fishermen, who used the Prahok during the months when the fish were not found in great numbers in the local rivers.

However, these innovations lead to develop a unique taste that would prove to become one of the most distinctive identities of the Cambodian cuisine. Prahok can be prepared by crushing or grinding the fresh fish meat, which is then left to dry in the sun for a full day. After that, the crushed meat is salted, and is kept sealed in jars full of salt for the purpose of preservation.

The preparation of Prahok is not really limited to any particular type of fish, but it is said that the larger the fish, the better will be the quality of Prahok made out of its meat. And as is the case in legacies pertaining to fish, the rarer the fish the higher will be its desirability. This is why Prahok made from the Gourami fish is the most expensive.

There are several ways in which Prahok can be used in the Cambodian cuisine, but it is not used in the raw form, as that can be potentially harmful to health. Prahok can be used in fried form, mixed with beef and pork, or could be roasted covered in banana leaves. Locally, the most popular use of Prahok is with rice.

If you visit Cambodia and forget to taste how a Cambodian recipe with Prahok tastes like, then you surely would miss one of the most important tastes that the Cambodian culinary can offer you. In order to make your exploration and experience of Cambodia wholesome to the fullest, make sure that you taste the most celebrated Cambodian delicacies with Prahok, such as the Pleah or beef salad with Prahok.

HAIR – Wash your hair every other day and use a blow comb to shape it while it dries. Some women have very fine hair that won’t hold a curl. If you have hair like that, you have your hair cut short and shaped by a really good hairdresser, so that you can just run your hand through it and it would fall into place—or let it grow very long and wear it as piled on top, or pulled back. Every four months have your hair streaked. It’s naturally light, so all you need is highlights.

SKIN – One night a week, make it a practice to cover your entire body, forehead to toes, with Vaseline. Buy Vaseline in huge jars for this purpose because you rub it in thoroughly and apply it thickly. Then put a flannel nightgown and lightweight socks on to cover your feet and go to sleep like that. Of course, if a woman is sleeping with a man, husband or otherwise, she is not a very appetizing number in this condition and it’s best for her to be in a separate bed on this occasion. Vaseline has a rather pungent odor, which is not exactly offensive but is not very pleasant, either. However, the sticky, gooey Vaseline does wonders for the body, specially the feet. After a Vaseline soak and a little work with a pumice stone, one’s feet, elbows and knees—those vital places that have a tendency to become tough—are as good as new. The only danger connected with the overnight Vaseline soak is that one can slide out of bed.

Adding a note here about the sun and your skin, in getting your sun tan first allow yourself only ten minutes in the direct sun, not a minute more. Slowly, over many days, work up to 20 minutes—but never, under any circumstances, more than that. It’s important not to bake the skin, for that dries it out and creates all kinds of havoc. One trick, if you really like the sun, is to wear a big hat that completely protects your face, and tan only your body. Then use a foundation to darken your face to match the color of your body tan. Be very careful about your lips when you’re in the sun. Cover them with zinc oxide before you go out and never let them get exposed to direct sunlight.

Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor Wat, and so is the official nickname of the city: The Great Gate to Angkor. Yes, if you visit Cambodia to see the Angkor Wat, your camping site will surely be Siem Reap.

Siem Reap is located in the North Western part of Cambodia, and is the capital of the Siem Reap province. It is not far from the Great Lake or the Tonle Sap, which is an attraction in its own right, and is located just next to the site of Angkor, which is home to the Angkor Wat.

You can easily find flights to the city from the Cambodian capital or the major flight destinations in the region. Siem Reap, understandably, is the most favorite tourist destination in Columbia and offers hotels, spas and restaurants in good numbers, which include five-star rated accommodation.

Siem Reap also features an international airport, which means that the city can be your center of activity on your trip to Cambodia, as you can land right at the gates of the Angkor Wat, with the best amenities available in the country for the tourists. Siem Reap features a number of attractions within the city, so that you can catch all the action right away.

For those, who cannot resist the historical and archaeological mystique that shrouds Cambodia, the Angkor National Museum in the city offers the perfect start of their exploration. The museum offers a very good understanding for everyone who is interested to learn more about the archaeological wonders of the Angkor Wat and the Angkor Empire period.

Apart from the Angkor Wat, the 12th century royal city of Angkor Thom also holds a great significance and is a major tourist attraction. Angkor Thom was the last major city of the Khmer Empire and you can find the Khmer emperor Bayon Temple, built by Khmer Emperor Jayavarman VII, in the complex, apart from several other attractions such as the Baphuon pyramid temple, the Phimeanakas temple, the Elephant terraces and the nearby Ta Prohm.

Siem Reap does not only hold in itself attractions that pertain to the ancient Angkor period, but also offers a lot of other activities that can keep tourists engaged and entertained. The city offers Psar Chaa, which is a marketplace where you can collect plenty of souvenirs to remind you of this beautiful city.

Furthermore, you can enjoy evening shows, especially the Apsara dances in the local hotels and theaters to entertain you for the evening. Siem Reap can also offer you the perfect starting point to explore the rest of the country with attractions such as the Vietnamese Floating Village in Tonle Sap and the beaches near Sihanoukville to the south of Cambodia.

Don’t spend much time on make-up. Ten minutes is enough. However, spend time on your eyes when you’re going before the camera because there is no way to do good eye make-up quickly. In general an outdoorsy type who overloads her eyes just looks silly. If you have black hair and dark skin, concentrate your make-up almost entirely on your eyes. Having no lipstick, very light foundation, and combined with dramatic eyes can come out of that black-haired frame. It’s very effective. However, if you’re very blonde and have very, very pale skin, wear a liquid base with a glowing pink tone and delicately rouge your cheeks. Apply gray-silver ash shadow on your eyes very carefully. Then touch up with a little yellow and gold.

What it comes down to is that each woman must be honest with herself and pay careful attention to how she can enhance her own personality.

The same kind of individuality goes for perfume. It’s wrong to choose a perfume because you like it on someone else. In general outdoorsy types should avoid heavy, seductive perfumes. A light, clean fragrance suits outdoorsy women much better. Heavy perfume has a tendency to put on more than you should and the smell can be overpowering.

Remove your make-up with cleansing cream and wash your face with soap only once a week. Then apply freshener with cotton. After shower, use a body lotion—one with a light scent that will disappear quickly. Splash cologne on, run your hands through your hair and pat your face—and that’s that.

Use eye-make-up remover to take mascara off rather than the regular mascara remover. Just rub it across your eyelashes, let it set for a moment, then wipe the mascara off. It doesn’t break your eyelashes.

Once a week, use a beauty mask because it’s good for circulation and makes your skin tingle and glow. It has the consistency of toothpaste and is easy to apply. Cover your face and your neck with it, leave it on for about 20 minutes, and then rinse it off with tepid water.

In 1970, the Khmer Rouge soldiers began an insurgency against the government. They were helped by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops, and used this combined power to gain control over more than two-thirds of the country in a short time. The popularity of the Khmer Rouge is witnessed by the dramatic rise in strength from 3,000 in the year 1970 to 30,000 in 1973. With this, most of the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops had withdrawn.

Finally, led by Pol Pot, the Khmer Rouge overthrew the Cambodian government in 1975, after which the “Democratic Kampuchea” was established. Literally overnight, the new governance took cruel and drastic measures. Entire cities were evacuated. Property was abolished. Factories were closed. Schools were shut down. Money did not hold any value. Hundreds of thousands of taxi drivers, cooks, factory workers, clerks and everyone else became farmers suddenly. They even assassinated skilled workers and intellectuals, and many others died due to starvation. Records show that at least 2 million people died. Cambodia was reduced to nothing but a nation of slaves.

By the year 1979, tensions with Vietnam increased and Vietnamese troops invaded, helping the rival Communists factions in deposing the new Khmer Rouge government. But the Khmer Rouge continued to have a huge army of 30,000 near the Thai border and was also recognized by the United Nations as the official Cambodian government.

In 1982, this government entered into a coalition with former premier Norodom Sihanouk and Son Sann, who was a non-Communist leader. Leadership also changed hands from Pol Pot to Khieu Samphan, although it was widely believed that the real leader was still Pol Pot. In 1991, all the Cambodian factions signed a treaty asking for UN-supervised elections and in 1992; the UN assumed the administrative functions of the government. It was at this time that the Khmer Rouge disconnected itself from the peace process and started fighting. It also rejected the results of the UN-run elections that saw the beginning of a coalition government in Cambodia.

As is wont to happen, in 1997, due to factional fighting within themselves, Pol Pot was oustered and imprisoned by the Khmer Rouge and he died in 1998. That was the end of the Khmer Rouge, as most of the members were either captured, had surrendered or defected by 1999.

Not many scholars believed the reports of mass killings in Cambodia before 1979; however, when the Khmer Rouge was overtaken by the Vietnamese, the extent of the disaster was clear to all.

The Khmer Rouge even till this day evokes a sense of shock from Cambodians as well as the whole world, not just due to the death toll, which does not reflect the brutalities and tortures they carried out during their regime. The severity of their rule was such that there probably was no other revolution which changed the lives of an entire population.

The Khmer kings ruled over what is today Southern Vietnam to Yunan, China and from Vietnam to the Bay of Bengal. The beautiful structures seen at Angkor today, which consist of more than 100 temples, are all the religious remains of a grand administrative and social metropolis, whose other palaces, houses and buildings made of wood are long gone.

The Khmer Emperor Suryavarman II, who reigned during AD 1113-50 built the Angkor Wat temple. It was one of the many temples that came up when the Khmer civilization was enjoying the height of its power. This temple has earned the distinction of being one of mankind’s most impressive and enduring architectural achievements.

Lord Vishnu is the main deity; however, the sculptures on the temple also pay homage to several Vedic gods and goddesses including Lord Siva. The Angkor Wat temple is said to have served as an observatory where the rising sun was aligned on the equinox and solstice days with the entrance to the West of the temple, and numerous sighting lines were identified to be able to observe the rising of the sun and moon seasonally.

Angkor Wat is a masterpiece of Khmer art. All descriptions of the temple fall far short of communicating the perfect proportions and the astoundingly beautiful sculptures that the viewer is treated with face to face. The majestic architecture and the representation of form are astonishingly powerful and graceful. The inner galleries of the temple depict the battle of Kurukshetra, scenes from heaven and hell, churning of the sea of milk, and several more scenes drawn with great artistic beauty.

There were some European scholars who dated Angkor Wat as being built after the 14th century. The main reason for this being some of the decorative motifs at the temple bore a striking resemblance to some motifs from the Italian Renaissance. This argument has been proven to be wrong. Although, there is some connection between the art of the Renaissance and the 12th century art of the Khmer, it must have been due to a reverse process, which is that of importing oriental art into Europe and not the other way round.

The chief architect of the Angkor Wat temple is said to be Divakara Pandita, He is the priest who is most praised in all the inscriptions; and an image of him is also found at Wat Phu. He was said to have lived around 1050-1135. He designed the temple based on astronomy and the astronomical aspects were derived from Puranic and Siddhantic ideas based on the Indian traditions of altar and temple design. It is no wonder that Angkor Wat is ranked among the greatest human creations ever.

Khmer music attained its bloom during the Angkorskaya period. No religious, temple celebration or a wedding is complete without it. The walls of the ancient temples of Angkor showcase the beautifully carved celestial dancers and the different musical instruments used in those times, standing as witness to the centuries old past of the music.

Originally Khmer music was not meant for entertaining, but the combined sound that emanates from the instruments was used as a means of communication with God and the spirits.

Khmer music is five-tone or pentatonic with a rhythm determining the structure. This is the reason the shock instruments, such as the drums, double kettle-drums and gongs hold the main place in an orchestra. To the westerner, it may seem to lack harmony, as the music from one musician may give a different tune from that of the others.

Classical Khmer music is divided into three categories: Pinpeat, Phleng kar and Mahori. Pinpeat, which consists of both stringed and percussion instruments, is associated to all classical performances, prayers and other ceremonies. This ensemble dates back to more than a thousand years ago, to the Angkor era. The beginnings of this ensemble are traced back to the courts during that era. It holds the pride of place in Khmer music and is the strongest ensemble of all. There are said to be more than 250 theme melodies in this ensemble. Each and every piece is associated with relevant actions performed on the stage. The sound from these instruments is one of the most enchanting, with the capacity to make people happy.

The Pinpeat ensemble is said to be the basis of other ensembles, such as the phlaeng mahaori, phlaeng knong schoor and khlang chnak. Mahory uses only stringed instruments. Today’s music ensembles are found everywhere in Cambodian villages, like the pinn, skor yol, chhing, which are similar to those of the old.

Since Khmer music did not have any notation and was handed down from teacher to student just through memory, there has been a lot of improvisation with major influences of the American music; especially rap. The modern Mahori or Mahori Samai uses the organ, flute, guitar and other western musical instruments.

Most Khmer musicians become highly proficient on one instrument, but learn to play several other instruments. This multi-instrumentalism depicts musicianship. In the absence of a single person conducting the orchestra, every musician has to understand the other musician’s music.

For Cambodia, coming to terms with the violent past is not easy, but the hypnotic Khmer music, which has survived those tragic years; brings the glory of the past to the present and fills the hearts with joy. Khmer music is the soul of Khmer; it soothes the mind and heals the heart of every Cambodian.