Orginally posted by Stéphane JaninMy sincere thanks to Stephane Janin and The Cambodian Buddhist Society, Inc. for bringing these stories. They allow me to learn about our wonderful and talented Compatriots and they also bring back a flood of memory from another time and another place (that of the refugee camps in Thailand) - THANK YOU! Socheata
at http://stephanejanin.com/2010/05/06/a-cambodian-journey-in-america/
From the Cambodian refugee camps of the Thai border in 1979 to America today, there’s still thousands of stories that must be told.
The confirmed artists that I have met at the Cambodian temple of Silver Spring, Maryland these last two years have a compelling story… Most of them have fled Cambodia while the Vietnamese took over the country and the Khmer Rouge loosing it. Several ended up meeting together in Kao-I-Dang refugee camp where they were eager to bring back the Cambodian living arts alive. After a few months, a group of 30 families of artists was admitted in the United States, among the first Cambodian refugees accepted in the US. They settled in Maryland and started a new life in the early 80s. For the last 30 years now they have challenged the odds, going back to school, looking for jobs to support their family and raising their children. Still they continued practicing their art, sharing the tradition to a younger generation of Cambodian Americans. This project made with the Cambodian Temple of Silver Spring has received the support of Maryland State Arts Council.
“Cambodian Masters: Stories Told” presents you 7 pieces of 7 artists who have become Masters in their art, plus one piece introducing the whole story and project. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I had pleasure working on it!
These stories are not just about keeping the Cambodian arts alive, but it is also about healing, community, and family.
Link to the slideshows:
The confirmed artists that I have met at the Cambodian temple of Silver Spring, Maryland these last two years have a compelling story… Most of them have fled Cambodia while the Vietnamese took over the country and the Khmer Rouge loosing it. Several ended up meeting together in Kao-I-Dang refugee camp where they were eager to bring back the Cambodian living arts alive. After a few months, a group of 30 families of artists was admitted in the United States, among the first Cambodian refugees accepted in the US. They settled in Maryland and started a new life in the early 80s. For the last 30 years now they have challenged the odds, going back to school, looking for jobs to support their family and raising their children. Still they continued practicing their art, sharing the tradition to a younger generation of Cambodian Americans. This project made with the Cambodian Temple of Silver Spring has received the support of Maryland State Arts Council.
“Cambodian Masters: Stories Told” presents you 7 pieces of 7 artists who have become Masters in their art, plus one piece introducing the whole story and project. I hope you’ll enjoy it as much as I had pleasure working on it!
These stories are not just about keeping the Cambodian arts alive, but it is also about healing, community, and family.
Link to the slideshows:
1 comment:
Without these people, most of us might as well live underground forever. People are people, but the different is that these few people make us really standing out. Cambodian's art like this type of dancing cann't be at all in hiding. It would be like trying to hide the Sun behind the shade of tree. It just a matter of time that it will reach its noon and shine right above for everyone to enjoy. God bless Cambodia and our people, especially those who work so hard to make it happens!and thank you!
Ordinary Khmer
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