Kampuchea Crossings

Bump to baby on the beaten expat track

Nathalie Abejero

Where apsaras dance….

by 1 Comment

Khmer weddings enact Cambodia’s greatest legend. The first Khmer prince, Preah Thong, fell in love with the Naga Princess, Neang Neak. As a marriage gift, the father of the Naga Princess swallowed part of the ocean and forms the land of Cambodia.

The wedding can last anywhere from 3-7 days and is a sensory experience– vibrant colors and sounds, the best foods, community involvement– rich with symbolism and traditions:

Hai Goan Gomloh – The groom’s processional, to the bride’s house, accompanied by family and friends, music and gifts
Sien Doan Taa – Call to Ancestors, to include those important to the lives of the couple in their joyous union
Soat Mun – Blessings from the Monks
Gaat Sah – Cleansing Ceremony, where representatives of the deities cleanse the couple spiritually and symbolically to prepare and bless them for their new future together
Bang Chhat Madaiy – Honoring of the Parents, in which the couple perform symbolic gestures indicating their commitment to their parents
Bongvul Pbopul – Passing of Blessings, in which married couples are asked to surround the bride and groom to impart their blessings
Sompeas Ptem – Knot Tying Ceremony, in which guests tie knots around the wrists of the bride and groom, symbolising their wishes for the bride and groom

A more complete description of Khmer weddings can be found at the Khmer Institute.
.

Jiminy crickets and arachnid cuisine

by Leave a Comment

These crunchy crickets the Khmers are so wild about are about 2.5inches long, the females huge with eggs at the end of rainy season. Crickets owe their place in the culinary landscape to the art of survival during the starvation period of the Khmer Rouge era.

Today this delicacy has surged in popularity, creating a robust trade with neighboring countries, the heart of which is in Kampong Thom, a requisite stop between Phnom Penh and Siem Reap where they particularly thrive. At night fields light up with the bug-catching contraptions: a flourescent bulb to attract them is hung about 2m off the ground on a bamboo frame 2m wide, with sheets of plastic to catch them mid-flight, and a trough of water below for them to drop into and drown. A farmer investing in such a trap can net up to 10kg of the bugs.

A colleague particularly enjoys it stuffed with a peanut or cashew, fried in garlic and spices. Another wants me to bring fresh ones back from the province when I next go, so she can try stuffing it with cheese. These were 50/$3.50 but that’s quite steep since we were on the tourist track. Trying to describe it is a bit hard, since it isn’t like anything I’ve had before– crispy-crunchy texture (like a tarantula), nutty, earthy… It’s not an unpleasant taste, if you can get past the revulsion…

And remember this post? Today tarantulas are 1000riel each (25cents). Believed to contain medicinal properties for the heart and lungs, they’re farmed in a small town called Skun, which is also in Kampong Thom province. The crispy legs aren’t so objectionable, it’s almost like a potato chip. It’s the rump that brings on the cringe– this has a meatier texture than the cricket’s torso, and has a nutty taste seasoned with garlic and lemongrass.

A gastronomic adventure awaits the uncompromising palate!
mmmmm….Bon appetit y’all!! (Don’t worry, your chowhounds’ holiday fare wasn’t so aesthetically or gastronomically objectionable! ;)

Facebook Terminates Relationship, Couple Stumped

by 1 Comment

“I just wanted to toggle a few things,” marveled NA, a relatively new user of the public relations megatool. Her husband KK, suddenly single, is being treated for Facebook hysteria. “It’s gone viral!”

Over the weekend, by simply changing details in their profiles, Facebook remastered the events and issued a statement that the couple ended their relationship, thereby driving traffic through the roof. “I was deleting info that doesn’t necessarily need to be public and it somehow got twisted and broadcast,” says K, as the couple found themselves in a quandary with Facebook for attempting to withhold personal information. “I mean, our friends and family know we’re married. Why bother posting it?”

“What’s happening– who am I married to now?” demanded a baffled N, while K asked more plaintively, “Would I have to move again?”

But Facebook responded that that information is released only on a need-to-know basis. It did, however, retract its request for the couple’s dental records.

“I just worry with them being so far away in a country with crocodiles and– and– mosquitos!” commented one of the parental units, wringing her hands. “If it says so on Facebook it must be true!”

The dramatic affair left an unnamed relative, whose son’s sister-in-law’s nephew’s dog walker has a facebook account and apprised her of the doomed couple, with a case of “the vapors”.

The couple plans to issue a joint smiley-face statement to reassure friends and family… right after N figures out what the poke feature is for.

We love you guys, thanks for calling/emailing to ask if we’re ok! We are! :-)

….and thanks to JW , who masterfully exploited the comic potential and principal-authored the article above for the FarEastern Onion Syndicate! ;-)
.

Music out of Africa!

by 4 Comments

Love the Christmas season! Here are some tunes from African artists that’ll be on my cocktail party playlists next week. I was introduced to some of these genres by Nirmal, who has the best music selection, sound system and pad in all Asia (which don’t get him brownie points from the neighbors)! Think layered carpets, a soft glow from lamps draped in silk scarves, candlelight dancing behind the apsara figurines and artwork glaring through the wisps of incense smoke. Sigh, when’s the next long weekend??


Ismaël Lô Wassaliane
Senegalese singer, guitarist and harmonica player. Very folky peaceful music, and rich textured voice.


Juliana Kanyomozi Kanyimbe
Love her voice! The music is heavily influenced by pop and R&B, and this one is gospel..(?), which sends me wondering what gospel music is. Is it the content or structure..?


Khadja Nin Sambolera
Another incredible vocalist. Born in Burundi but her music career took off in Belgium. Her songs are statements on humanitarian topics and the struggle against inequality of all kinds. She also has particular affinity for environmental issues. This song (in Swahili) was a phenomenal success that put her on the map, a mix of traditional African and Afro-Cuban rhythms with modern pop.


Amadou & Mariam Senegal Fast Food
Guitarist Amadou Bagayoko and singer Mariam Doumbia met at a school for the blind in Mali as teens, where they formed a musical duo. They’ve been together ever since. This whole album’s pretty fun to listen to.


Lura Nha Vida (“My life”)
Born in Portugal to parents who’d emigrated from Cape Verde, Lura was a stage dancer when African star Juka asked her to sing backup on his upcoming album. This song propelled her to popularity beyond her country.


Henri Dikonguè Ndol’Asu
This singer and guitarist from Cameroon mixes different elements of makossa, bikutsi, rumba and reggae into this fun number.


And this one from Daara J is just wild. He’s got dancehall reggae, hip hop, and tongue twisters all rolled into his rap.

Indonesia: Jogjakarta

by Leave a Comment

Yogyakarta is the only province in Indonesia still formally governed by a precolonial Sultanate, the Sultanate of Ngayogyakarta Hadiningrat. It’s a center of classical Javanese fine arts and culture (batik, ballet, drama, music, poetry and puppet shows). This is a view of Mount Merapi outside our hotel window. It’s been active for 10000 years and today is the most active as well as produces more pyroclastic flows than any volcano in the world.

We started climbing the 345 steps to the Royal Tombs of Imogiri at the same time as this lady, and by the time we were done and ready to come back down she was just barely getting to the top with her load of 2 banana bunches and 6 bottles of water to sell. We bought all she had, exchanged sentences neither party could understand, and then she turned around and walked back down the stairs to fetch more fruits and water for selling.
Durian Montong and Durian Petruk from Purworejo (in Sulawesi), apparently much better than the durians from Sumatra when locals weighed in. It’s a denser texture and is more bitter than the Kampot, Cambodia, durian.
Around the Kraton (Sultan’s Palace) are densely-populated neighborhoods. At various intervals on the streets are these huge hollow ‘bells’. When there’s a fire or danger, the nearest bell is rung, and those hearing it down the street will ring theirs, and on and on. They’re painted in bright colors, much like the whimsical painted fish in Philadelphia and cows in Chicago for public arts.
A musician from Kraton (Sultan’s Palace) with a Kris in his belt. Apparently this dagger (which is not symmetrical) is indigenous to Indonesia, Malaysia, southern Philippines. It’s both a weapon and a spiritual object, with each bearing either good or evil essence.