George Chigas, the man featured in the story above, translated Tum Teav into English, he also provided an analysis of this Cambodian literary classic. A short synopsis of the his work is provided below. The hard copy of the book is available for purchase through DC-Cam, however the PDF electronic version of this work is available free online by clicking here (left click the link to read online, right click the link to save the file to your computer).Tum Teav: A Translation and Analysis of a Cambodian Literary Classic
by George Chigas
2005
Pice: USD23
252 pages in English
by George Chigas
2005
Pice: USD23
252 pages in English
Tum Teav is the tragic love story of a talented novice monk named Tum and a beautiful adolescent girl named Teav. Well known throughout Cambodia since at least the middle of the 19th century, the story has been told in oral, historical, literary, theatre, and film versions. This monograph contains the author’s translation of the Venerable Botumthera Som’s version. It also examines the controversy over the poem’s authorship and its interpretation by literary scholars and performers in terms of Buddhism and traditional codes of conduct, abuse of power, and notions of justice.
7 comments:
Thank you for your kindly Mr.George Chigas!!!That is ver good that the foreigners know about Khmer Literary!!!
I am so happy about this news!!Thank one more.
Mr. George Chigas, you have akhmer wife but you think she is India that why you try to put of khmer sound to Pali , Like PO you frefere to called it Bodhi,
What bodhi and Po mean to English speaking? samr shit right? So why don't you use PO That what the town should sound like if you want to find it in Cambodia.
We have some literature and culture derive from India but we make it Cambodia. Keep the name of our town as we say it would you, talk to your wife.
George,
Where can I buy your book "Tum Tiev"? Could you let me know?
Thanks,
Yes, I would like to get a copy also.
Like America has Romeo & Juliet, Cambodia has Tum & Teav.
Please save the story, the book & the great big tree where both Tum & Teav had sacrified their lives for true love.
Romur has it that it's still standing today in Campong Cham.
A sacred place & our or your very own tourist attraction area, Thida & George? God bless!
Ordinary Khmers
I've read Team Team several times since my student days. This classic novel in verse reflects the richness and beauty of the Khmer language, and the intelligence and ingenuity of the Khmer (not Cambodian)People as symbolised by its author, Phikhu Som.
It reflects the true love between a young girl (Teav) and a young man (Tum); power (*) (local potentate Or Choon)and greed (Teav's mother, Yeay Phann); the bravery of Tum (**)(who should be a role model for all young men); the King's fairness; the danger of alcohol (Tum's drunkenness when he needs all composure and mental energy to execute the King's order to rescue his wife Teav from her mother's greed and Moeun Ngourn's power and lust); Khmer fatalism (Teav's and Teav's faithfulness, devotion and struggle ended up in death - so unfair to them!!!); Khmer barbarity in the punishment of wrong-doers (Okhna Choon, his family, and others).
(*)378 “His Excellency, Orh-Chhuon, is too important!
“Usually, beneath the sky everything is lower than a mountain.
“Those who have power don’t ask.
“They simply cut, stab and beat someone without mercy.
This translation is not as hart-hitting as the original Khmer text: Oknha Or Choon moam mourn pek; thomada krom mek teap cheang phnom; mean rith omnaach et chumnum;kap, chak veay dom poom proney.
(**)1 688 “Oh, Teav! If they keep you against your will,
“While I remain free, I will not be stopped easily.
“I will struggle to the death like a soldier
“Who dies within his citadel under siege.
2. 690 “Although they will try to make me give up, I will never stop fighting.
“Oh! Teav, my dear! If we die,
“Our deaths will bring another life. This is
“A battle like the Buddha’s against Mea during that time.”
The translation of this verse does not reflect the surge Tum's bravery and steadfastness in his struggle to have Teav as much as the orginal verse: "tha oy bong thoy min thoy loeuy; or Teav aun oeuy ber morana; sok chet slap chap cheat teat kor chea; chbaang dauch reamea velea noeung."
LAO Mong Hay, Hong Kong
http://www.monument-books.com/shop/cambodia/tum-teav.html
Buy here.
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