The imam cuts three pieces of hair from both the bride and groom before the wedding ceremony. (Photo: elyselightman.wordpress.com, Click here to see more traditional Cham wedding photos)By Pich Samnang, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
09 December 2009
It’s wedding season for Cambodia’s Muslims. Living alongside with their Khmer counterparts, Chams in Cambodia have their own customs and traditions of marriage—though with a little less celebration.
Unlike traditional Khmer wedding celebrations, in which sounds of wedding songs and musical instruments can be heard from the bride’s house, a Cham celebration contains no songs or music.
The reason is that Islamic law does not allow any romantic music, though the law allows sounds of Islamic prayers or reading of its holy book, the Koran, during the special occasion.
The Chams, descendents of the lost Champa empire in today’s Vietnam, are followers of Islam. The majority of them, estimated to be 500,000 in Cambodia, live along the Tonle Sap and the Mekong rivers.
The period following the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is the most popular.
A Cham wedding is generally observed for one and a half days. On the first day, two or three meals are served for guests who have been invited to the village free of charge. The attendees may contribute some money, food or gifts to the host family, if they wish.
The one festivity during the wedding is called “Kupol,” in Cham. Kupol is the negotiation between the groom and the bride’s father of a dowry and the handover of the bride to the groom.
After the regular noon prayer, the bride’s family decides on the time and venue for Kupol. The venue can be at the bride’s house, or at small mosques, “surav,” or large mosques, “masjid.”
During Kupol, the bride’s father declares among relatives from both sides, religious teachers, or “tuon,” or an imam to witness the amount of money he has demanded from the groom before handing over the bride—symbolically, as the bride cannot be present—to the groom.
“We say [in Cham] that we agree to give the bride to the groom with the presence of tuon, and the groom must accept her as his lawful wife and must be responsible [for her life],” said Man Mohd, 46, who saw his first daughter married on the outskirts of Phnom Penh last weekend.
“In return for the bride, I have to say to my father-in-law that I would agree to pay the demanded amount and accept the bride,” said the groom, Matt Roza, during his wedding celebration.
The groom has to make sure he answers correctly a few questions asked by the tuon or imam. The questions are about Islamic principles and marriage laws of Islam. If the groom answers the first question incorrectly, he is offered another chance, until he can make the correct answer.
“Kopul is all about Cham marriage,” said Mohd Farid Hosen, executive director of the Cambodian Muslim Intellectual Alliance.
“It is the determinant that the bride and the groom become man and wife lawfully, according to our Cham tradition,” he said.
Finally, the bride’s family has to arrange a feast for villagers the following morning, to conclude the celebration.
Unlike traditional Khmer wedding celebrations, in which sounds of wedding songs and musical instruments can be heard from the bride’s house, a Cham celebration contains no songs or music.
The reason is that Islamic law does not allow any romantic music, though the law allows sounds of Islamic prayers or reading of its holy book, the Koran, during the special occasion.
The Chams, descendents of the lost Champa empire in today’s Vietnam, are followers of Islam. The majority of them, estimated to be 500,000 in Cambodia, live along the Tonle Sap and the Mekong rivers.
The period following the annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca is the most popular.
A Cham wedding is generally observed for one and a half days. On the first day, two or three meals are served for guests who have been invited to the village free of charge. The attendees may contribute some money, food or gifts to the host family, if they wish.
The one festivity during the wedding is called “Kupol,” in Cham. Kupol is the negotiation between the groom and the bride’s father of a dowry and the handover of the bride to the groom.
After the regular noon prayer, the bride’s family decides on the time and venue for Kupol. The venue can be at the bride’s house, or at small mosques, “surav,” or large mosques, “masjid.”
During Kupol, the bride’s father declares among relatives from both sides, religious teachers, or “tuon,” or an imam to witness the amount of money he has demanded from the groom before handing over the bride—symbolically, as the bride cannot be present—to the groom.
“We say [in Cham] that we agree to give the bride to the groom with the presence of tuon, and the groom must accept her as his lawful wife and must be responsible [for her life],” said Man Mohd, 46, who saw his first daughter married on the outskirts of Phnom Penh last weekend.
“In return for the bride, I have to say to my father-in-law that I would agree to pay the demanded amount and accept the bride,” said the groom, Matt Roza, during his wedding celebration.
The groom has to make sure he answers correctly a few questions asked by the tuon or imam. The questions are about Islamic principles and marriage laws of Islam. If the groom answers the first question incorrectly, he is offered another chance, until he can make the correct answer.
“Kopul is all about Cham marriage,” said Mohd Farid Hosen, executive director of the Cambodian Muslim Intellectual Alliance.
“It is the determinant that the bride and the groom become man and wife lawfully, according to our Cham tradition,” he said.
Finally, the bride’s family has to arrange a feast for villagers the following morning, to conclude the celebration.
21 comments:
All CHAMS people have to kat chong kdor cheng, this is why all CHAMS people pong kdor are( kalet Chong krop knea!)
How many Chams choy your azz, since you knew so much?
1:42 PM
Please don't make them pissed; we don't want suicide bombers in Cambodia, since Ah Hun's administration is ill-equipped to handle with the situation. Also, please respect their religion; their religion is no difference than yours.
I am Cham and proud of my root.
Pouk Ah Chams kalet Chong!
3:00 PM
That applies to the rest of the fucking Jewish and majority of Christians. However, the overwhelming major of Jewish and Christian cannot fuck effectively or joyfully if their dicks are not circumcised, or cut. Fuck the Jewish! And fuck the Christian.
It is not a real Khmer educational background to say some thing bad to other Khmer (Cham descents).
A person that was borned in srok Khmer and love Khmer is considered to be a true Khmer regardless of their ethnic background or religious belief. Contrary, those who claim to be Khmer ethnic that continue to destroy Khmer is not a true Khmer.
3:19 PM,
Racist case in Cambodia against our ethnic group (Cham) is not from Jews or Christians, it is all from the Buddhist fucking Khmers.
These fucking Buddhist Khmers still don't wake up why they are punished by their Bad karma, let them be.
And that goes to ah Yuon thieves from Southern of China.
I hate ah Yuon thieves for 100% and I hate ah Khmer fucking Buddhists 85%. I curse them ah Yuon evil thieves and ah Khmer fucking Buddhists to suffer until the universe be destroyed.
10:55 and 3:19
getting ridiculous and off topic.
First off, 10:55, you don't know anything about the race relation between Cham and Khmer Buddhist in Cambodia, otherwise you would not make such a stupid statement.
It is obvious you don't even step foot in Cambodia or know Cambodia only from second hand.
Cambodian Chams and Cambodian Buddhist are well integrated fabric of Khmer society. They intermarriage, and sometimes even participate in each other's festivals.
The only case of racism against Cham I can recall living in Srok Khmer is during Pol Pot which practically killed every thing breathing! So even then, it's hard to believe that Chams were targeted for being Chams rather then being "enemy" along with countless other Khmer Buddhist who perished because they refuse to let go of their humanity in the cruel war.
11:00 Pm, it is sad that you are feeling that way about Khmer Buddhist because we are not all the same, only the ignorant one are "racist", and there are people like that every where. I am Buddhist Khmer and I am sympathizing with the Cham brothers and sister of what you all are going through; therefore, I hope you are reconsidering your feeling about Buddhist Khmer.
Islam is the only way..!
Bin Sy Nal..
1:03 AM
Blame on the Christian and Jewish for every problem, including circumcision.
Fuck the Jewish! And fuck the Christian.
3:24 AM,
The Jews and Christians in Cambodia did nothing to hurt my people, but Khmer Buddhists yes.
I'm proud of my root, Cham.
5:49 Pm, you should not be blaming Khmer Buddhists for loosing your country to Youn. It is a shame that you are so ungreatful to the Khmer people as you or your people living in our land. Idiot like you who are among those that causing unrest around the world. There is nothing wrong to be proud of your root, but your narrow minded need to stop blaming other for your weakness. Further more, you need to stop generalize all Khmer Buddhists are out there trying to destroy your people. Cham and Khmer have been living peacefully side by side for years and you don't need to starting up any flame. Ungreatful people like you deserve to move to Southernm Thailand where they are treating your Muslim people like animal.
I do blamed Buddhists for the lost of everythings...Fake religions!
I praised Maylaysia brother for helping khmer muslim...
We do need our big brother from Maylaysia to come and united all of our people and turns this government in Islam State...
Isa, sary Math
Doun Tiev, Battambang
correction = turns cambodia into Islam State...
9:52 PM,
Who blamed Khmers for Cham losing to ah Yuon thieves more than 200 years ago? Not I. I blamed Khmer racist who abused my people in this 21th century, like rape and abused all sort of things. Khmer Buddhists are not practicing Buddhism, but they are good in preaching telling others lies. Khmer Buddhists are FAKE BUDDHISTS, and are very Racist. Ah Yuon thieves massacred my people in cold blood in one night will pay a higgest price.
I am proud of my root, CHAM.
Post a Comment