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The Denial of Khmer Culture
(excerpt)
When Khmer culture cannot be directly appropriated as Tai, its true origins are often obscured. Such is the case with manuscripts written in Khmer Mul script, for example, most of which are religious tracts written on palm leaves. In Thailand, this written language is frequently not referred to as Khmer at all, but as Khom, an old Mon word for Khmer (Bauer, 1989, p. 77). I suspect this usage was popularized precisely to obscure Khmer influence by the Fine Arts Department formed during the rule of military dictator Phibulsongkhram in the 1930s. Whether doing so was the actual motivation or not, using a Mon name for Khmer writing alienates these written artefacts from their Khmer heritage. During my fieldwork, I regularly asked Northern Khmer-speaking villagers if they knew what Khom was; most had only a dim or tentative awareness, and many did not know at all. That is, they knew the word Khom, but they did not immediately associate it with Khmer. Those who knew or suspected the script was Khmer were generally older villagers, especially those few who, ‘traditionally educated’ in local temples, knew how to write Mul script themselves. Still others would recognize a script as Khmer, and not realize it was being designated as Khom. Formal education certainly did not help: a highly educated doctor I met in Buriram province had dug up an ancient inscription in his garden and asked me if I could read it. Looking at it, I told him it was difficult for me to read Khmer, especially old Khmer, to which he responded ‘It isn’t Khmer, it’s Khom.’ When I pointed out that Khom was Khmer, he looked puzzled and asked, ‘Really?’ This is unsurprising given the emphasis in state education on producing national citizens. Northern Khmer speakers in Thailand, have, in other words, been alienated from a part of their cultural heritage through an obfuscatory change of name.
Khmer Buriram
13 comments:
Thank you Peter Vail for exposing the ugly truth of Thailand against the Khmer people.
Only Khmer have that kind of spirit. Proud to born as Khmer
My comment is for the video: All I want to say is Hmmmmmmmmmm. Where is the ethnic Khmer Economic Dominance? Can't they into the economic games already. Money is god. So worship Money as god.
Thank you very much khmer buriram.
I am so emotional when I see they treat my brothers and sisters that way.
To erase the misunderstanding about Khmer and Khom, Cambodian ministry of education must include the two words in the text book and make it known that the two are the same; just that Thailand wishes to disconnect the link of Khmer heritage (super race in the region) to the relatively inferior Thai race. Cambodia must counter act with any evil intention from Thailand. It is not something we should do, it is something we must do. We must speak for our people and our race.
I went to school in THailand. Yes young kids were taught that Khom is not Khmer but indian people who were defeated by the Thai and had left Thailand. That the presnt Cambodian are a group of Thai people and Cambodia was a part of Thailand. But Thai people with higher education (Master, Doctoe..Monks)including Princess Sirinthorn know that Khom is old Khmer Mon that Thai culture religion and langyuage are originated from.
The thais dare not to accept the truth, if they accept this it means that Khmers are supperior than them. so they have to hide true history and fabricated a new fake one.
Hey, thai people .you know? the word 'Khmorm'has never been raised or known by any internationally famous historians or scholars. What a shame! by som kethyasey
Thailand wants to be the new Khmer, but they couldn't make it.
It's good that Khmer in Thailand are still able to maintain our own identity. Same with Khmer in Vietnam or America and Europe. God bless Cambodian
Khmer in Vietnam and Thailand are not the same as Khmer in Europe or America. Khmer in Thailand have lost their freedom of expression and identity.
To speak Khmer in the cities of Long Beach-Lo Angeles, San Diego, Boston, Seattle, Washington DC, Philadelphia, Minneapolis, etc... or Paris or Zurich or Melbourne and Sydney are free, like at home in Cambodia.
To use the Khmer language in Bangkok or in Prey Nokor could cost an harm your life.
The great history manipulator of the 20th century is the Thai dictator Phibulsongkhram.
I never learn Thai language, but having traveled in out often I just naturally pick up these words because they are the same as Khmer:
Paper..(kroh-dahs)
Meeting..(pro-joom)
Important..(som-khan)
Economy..setekeich)
Smile..(gnognheim)
District..(Tam-bon)
The list go on and on, but the Thais would never admit they borrowed from Khmer language.
The Thai gov't is the manipulator of Thai education.
"Teacher: What are Khmer?
Students (in rehearsed unison): Dark!
Dark skin is strongly devalued in Thai national culture, and here Khmer students’phenotypical dark skin becomes almost a ritual chant, in Thai, of their own
debasement."
= Well...What the Tai leaders had done are promoting institutionally racial predjudice against the Khmer! There are no human being can succeed in such racially prejudice hostile enviornment. This is a violation of human right!
It is strange that stupid Cambodian government hasn't study the Tai institutional racial prejudice against the Khmer! The government government must use economic, politic, and military to deal with the issue!
If the fucken Tai(Thai, Siem, Siam...) look down on Khmer and the Tai don't need to deal with Khmer!
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