Preview

Ethnography Project: Cambodian Culture

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
1056 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Ethnography Project: Cambodian Culture
Ethnography Project: Cambodian Culture

“A person without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” Marcus Garvey. What do you think of when you hear the word Cambodia? Do you think of the dirty water? The cows? The hard working rice pickers? The poverty? What does being Cambodian mean to you? To me, it means a lot. If I never knew that I am Cambodian, things would be a whole lot different. There’s a certain way in which we speak, believe, dress, and celebrate traditional events. With me explaining a little bit on those certain topics will make you realize how much of an impact it is upon me and other Cambodians.

Jomreapsua Greetings between Cambodians are dependent on the relationship/age between the people. The traditional greeting is a bow combined with a bringing of the hands together at chest level (similar to bringing hands together for prayer). If one intends to show greater respect, the bow is lower and the hands brought higher. With foreigners, Cambodians have adopted the western practice of shaking hands. Women may still use the traditional Cambodian greeting. The simple rule is to respond with the greeting you are given. “Jomreapsua” mean’s hello in Cambodian and is used often with a smile.

The clothing that covers thou There are two different forms of clothing in which a Cambodian person wears. There are traditional clothing and casual clothing. Casual clothing consists of regular clothes like a t-shirt, jeans, shorts, dresses, blouses, shoes and sandals. Clothing in Cambodia is one of the most important aspects of the culture. Cambodian fashion is divided by the people's differing castes and social classes. Cambodians traditionally wear a checkered scarf called a "Krama". Traditional clothing is a bit more elegant and expensive. Depending on your occasion, traditional clothing may vary. Women wear sampot. There are many variations for the sampot, each is washed according to

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    "Cambodian Genocide « World Without Genocide - Working to Create a World Without Genocide." Cambodian Genocide « World Without Genocide - Working to Create a World Without Genocide. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Jan. 2015.…

    • 759 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    important freedoms we have in America is being able to make our own choices and our freedom to…

    • 1701 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Waddington, R. (2002), The Koho. The Peoples of the World Foundation. Retrieved April 28, 2012, from The Peoples of the World Foundation.…

    • 3540 Words
    • 15 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Shamanism In Vietnam

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Hmong cultures in Laos and America the men wear long black pants belted at the waist, with a red embodied band. Black shirt is tucked in. Women's clothing is a headband with a black or multi-colored shirt, long pants, and striped or plain skirt. The style might differ from different areas. Accessories such as red necklaces with white cloth bands. Being worn on wrist, ankles, or neck. Hmong cultures traditionally believe those analysts have the power. Hmong in America today still wear still wear their traditional clothing for special occasions. Hmong’s dress…

    • 1375 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Powerful Essays

    Hmong Culture Analysis

    • 1667 Words
    • 7 Pages

    There is no doubt that western developed countries often turn a blind eye to other regions and cultures in the world that are less developed. One such culture that has little recognition is the Hmong, a small tribe in the mountainous region of Laos. After the Vietnam War, the United States experienced a high number of immigrant refugees from Southeast Asia, including the Hmong. A clash of cultures occurred as the Hmong and Americans tried to live together in unity. Perhaps one of the greatest contrasts is the way health is defined. The conceptualization of illness and its treatment in the Hmong community differs greatly from the biomedical model of health in the United States; these differences account for the consequences and inequality between…

    • 1667 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Powerful Essays
  • Good Essays

    Growing up in the United States, my mother's side of the family would annually host a day to pray for our deceased relatives. They suffered a distressing escape from the Vietnam War in order to integrate back into normal society. Despite some of my relatives say we had the fortune of a red envelope, numerous family members told me that the Communists caused us to suffer. At five years old, I believed everything they said; especially things from my parents because I was naïve. After all these years, I realized not all is true; my family only explained the negative side of the story without acknowledging the affirmative version of the Communists. Especially after reading Loung Ung’s First They Killed My Father, Communist Vietnam quite frankly seemed passive and amiable to the Cambodians and saved them from the Khmer Rouge. This crossed my thoughts on this Communist nation; I had two sources which were contrary. Therefore, I strive to understand the reasons why Vietnam liberated the Khmer people from the Cambodian Government yet they fought their own people. The lingering fear in my family needs elimination; they need the truth behind the works of Communist Vietnam.…

    • 576 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    The Cambodian Genocide was a genocide that was very harsh and ruined many people's lives forever. From April 17, 1975 to January 6, 1979, more than 2 million people died under the Khmer Rouge rule led by Pol Pot in the terrible genocide that we call the Cambodian Genocide. Pol Pot’s main reason to start this genocide was to nationalize the peasant farming society of Cambodia ideally overnight, in accordance with the Chinese Communist agricultural model. This horrific genocide took place in Cambodia and lasted 3 years, 8 months, and 20 days. Some causes of this genocide was the fact that Pol Pot wanted to nationalize the peasant farming society of Cambodia. Most Cambodians involved in the genocide died from starvation,…

    • 905 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    comporising and contrast

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Thailand and Guatemala have different traditional styles of clothing. Most Guatemalan women proudly wear long hand woven skirts and colorful shirts as a traditional…

    • 688 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    Vietnamese culture

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Geoffrey Murray the author of Customs and Etiquette of Vietnam wrote in his book that the Vietnamese do not shake hands but clasp their hands together above waist level and bow slightly as a sign of acknowledgement. It is said that the Vietnamese value system is based on four basic tenets, which is their allegiance to their family, yearning for a good name, love of learning, and respect for other people.…

    • 728 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    In 1980 Dr. Knauft began to study an indigenous group of people deep in the forests of Papua New Guinea. This group of people had no contact with the outside world until the 1960’s, they were cut off from everything. They had a language and a name that was unknown to Anthropologists at the time. They were virtually invisible to the outside world. When Dr. Knauft arrived he met the Gebusi people, and began his study. He watched as they preformed ritual dances and wore traditional costumes. The Gebusi people lived their lives according to tradition and beliefs and were not affected by the outside world. The truth is no one can hide from globalization, not even the secluded Gebusi people. With in a matter of only 18 years they were transformed, most of them willingly converted to Christian beliefs, and they became focused on politics, economics, religion and nationalism. They were caught up to speed with the rest of the world due to globalization. The culture of the Gebusi people and their identity was drastically changed due to globalization. They were now on the same page as the rest of the world, and were now connected with the outside world.…

    • 499 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
  • Good Essays

    This video discusses the mass diversity of religion in the United States, especially in Los Angeles. Los Angeles is a place where immigrants go to escape the poverty and disparity of their homelands yet keep a strong hold on their religious beliefs and practices. Rather than falling into American culture the immigrants are able to keep a strong hold on their individual religious beliefs. In Los Angeles there are over one hundred languages spoken. Long Beach is where the Khmer Bodhikaram is, which is a Cambodian Buddhist temple and monastery, Long Beach is the largest Cambodian community in America. There were around one hundred and fifty thousand Cambodian refugees that arrived in the United States in the early eighties. This large migration was due in part to them experiencing terror from Khemer Rouge first hand. When the immigrants arrived here they were so terrorized that this led to debilitating physical pathologies including around one hundred cases of psychosomatic blindness in Cambodian women that witnessed loved ones being murdered. The immigrant’s mental and emotional health was not good and they had suffered greatly. They did not trust western medicine to cure their ailments, they feared that they would be harmed further or worse poisoned. The Reverend Chhean studied psychology to meld Buddhist healing tradition with western medicine to assist in the healing of the refugees and their children, this also helped ease them into their future in America. Where churches used to help immigrants ease their way towards assimilation, today, they help them maintain a tie with their old country.…

    • 531 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Better Essays

    Asian Hmong Culture

    • 1274 Words
    • 6 Pages

    The purpose of this research of the Asian Hmong culture is to provide an overview of the unique dynamics involved in their culture and how to implement appropriate nursing care. By taking into account the individuals ethnic, cultural and social background we can become more culturally sensitive, and provide culturally competent nursing care. This research will address the Asian Hmong culture, ethnicity, rituals and beliefs as well as the six cultural phenomena that are associated with this culture. It will also address nursing interventions specific to the Asian Hmong culture.…

    • 1274 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
  • Good Essays

    Khmer New Year

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Cambodian New Year or Chaul Chnam Thmey is the name of the Cambodian holiday that celebrates the New Year. The holiday lasts for three days beginning on New Year's Day, which usually falls on April 13 or 14th, which is the end of the harvesting season, when farmers enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season begins. People prepare new clothes, food and drinks for whole festival days. They also repair, clean and decorate their house. Everyone is excited to care for holiday.…

    • 848 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Good Essays

    Situated in the Mekong valley between Thailand and Vietnam. Early history is poorly documented: Indian cultural and religious influences. Brahmanism and Mahayana Buddhism enjoyed favour and the Sanskrit language was used. Khmers took several hundred years to consolidate their power over the lower Mekong region and around Tonle Sap. Much archaeological remains. Some conclusions about early Khmer kingdom: culturally rich and creative; inscriptions are all connected with religious shrines; administratively well organized. Hinduism was predominant, in particular the linga cult of Siva was the essence of court religion.…

    • 1015 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The music of Cambodia came from both traditions going back to the ancient Khmer Empire and from the rapid Westernization of the popular music scene in modern times.…

    • 379 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays

Related Topics