Cultural Report

Introduction

Throughout this piece I will be covering four essential topics for foreigners interested in visiting the Kingdom of Cambodia. The first major topic will take a deep dive into the culinary world of Cambodian cuisine and note influences to the cooking style along with popular dishes which are commonly eaten today. It will touch of the consequence of globalization on Cambodia's food scene and the importance of clean water which is not always readily available. Secondly, I will go over popular entertainment in the country for travellers and locals alike which includes cultural immersion into local dance styles, animal welfare and ethical entertainment options. The third component will touch on possible souvenir's travellers can expect to find and which ones are the most culturally appropriate to bring back while understanding which ones are most likely to support local communities. My last portion covers religion in Cambodia and focuses of Buddhism and how it is practiced today along with why there are influences of Hinduism throughout all of Cambodia's ancient temples.   

Cambodian Cooking 

The first item of Cambodia worth mentioning in this report and which deserves focus would be the unique and interesting cuisine in the country. Many dishes of Cambodian cooking take their influences from French cuisine during the occupation of Indochina where various European powers were fighting over territories in the area. In fact, Vietnam, Thailand, Laos and Cambodia share similar recipes with only moderate ingredient changes which make them native to the area. During my experiential attempt to cook Cambodian cuisine I decided to make a dish called Khmer Lok Lak, or Beef Loc Lac which is so popular in south east Asia that it is considered to be street food and could be served with French fries. The only thing that makes it specifically Cambodian is the addition of a fried egg on top.

Four popular dishes in the country include fish amok, a curry popular with tourists for its creamy mix of coconut milk, eggs, fish sauces and sugar and served in a banana leaf which resembles a fried egg, a second favorite is Kuy teav which is a noodle soup with French influences including rice vermicelli with green onion and garlic. Another favorite is crab and pepper which is popular in coastal areas and the crab is spiced in kampot pepper. Khmer curry is another common favorite with tourists and has a less spicy taste than similar recipes found in India or Thailand which it gets its influences from and features diced sweet potatoes, garlic, fish sauce, chicken and coconut cream. Often Khmer curry comes with a baguette or rice (Carruthers, The 21 Best Dishes to Eat in Cambodia, 2018).

There are dozens of other dishes native to Cambodia but one fact they all hold in common is that they are relatively healthy meals. Most meals include a lot of vegetables and focus more on flavour than on giant portion sizes but the meals are quite satisfying. While all this is true, street food in Cambodia is becoming more meat heavy than in previous years and the developing world is continuing to take on more American style diets set on by globalization. Cheap fast food options have contributed to obesity throughout the entire globe, and Cambodia is no exception. According to a study in 2014 around 2.7% for males and 4.8% for females of adults in the country have become obese from these high sugar diets, which is still well below the 35% of Americans (Ti, 2018) (Murray, 2014) (Economics, 2020). Overall however if individuals exercise regularly and stick to more vegetarian alternatives the outcome for beating obesity is possible. Living in such a warm climate physical activity outdoors is more encouraged and expected.

Importantly for tourists knowing which foods they are eating is safe is a top priority. While Cambodian foods are generally safe it is important to stick to bottled water, even for brushing your teeth, as the water safety laws do not do enough to ensure safe drinking water for the population (Travel A. A., NA). MSG is also going to be found in the majority of the dishes available and avoiding it will be a task as it considered necessary for cooking. Another health tip is to avoid salads and raw vegetables as they are often washed with contaminated water or any type of raw meat or seafood (TravelFish, NA). 

Entertainment 

Cambodia is an excellent country for immersing yourself into a culture so few westerners understand but there are plenty of outdoor adventure activities which tourists come for during excursions with tour operators or while in the more tourist focused areas of the country. Located just outside the capital, one excellent day trip would be to the Phnom Penh Wildlife Rescue Centre which works tirelessly to save endangered and threatened species from poachers and trappers and is the only wildlife centre in the entire country (Travel, 2020). I love this centre because unlike other wildlife centres, travellers are welcomed to come in and volunteer with staff for a full-day and view some of the rarest wildlife in the world, many of whom were saved from illegal animal trafficking.

For more physical activities there is zip-lining and quad biking in Siem Reap which is located near the banks of the largest freshwater lake in the country, Tonlé Sap, which has many points of historical significance nearby. One fantastic activity is the "Big Top" circus' which host in Battambang and Siem Reap. I had to dig into the ethical practices of these circuses as animal abuse in the developing world in rampant but thankfully the circus in Battanbang and Siem Reap focus solely on human talent and are performed by local artists and gymnasts. This is a great evening activity for those who are wondered and amazed seeing acts not seen outside of Cirque du Solei, but perhaps on a smaller scale (GetYourGuide, 2020).

For a truly insightful experience guests are welcomed to take part in watching dancers perform the classical Cambodian dance called apsara, this art form is ingrained into Khmer culture and will be seen performed and featured in stone carvings and art works throughout the country. It dates as far back at the 7th century and emphasizes slow hypotonic gestures with hand and feet movements. Each step is very carefully done. The performers also wear decorative wardrobes glittered with gold as gold is a beloved colour in Cambodia. There are venues in Siem Reap and Phnom Penh which have nightly performances (Carruthers, Where to Watch Traditional Dance Shows in Cambodia, 2017).

Tourists love the nightlife in Cambodia and the fact they're still called disco's in the country and have a good mix of foreigners and locals. These clubs often promote Khmer dancing styles. While food is often very affordable the cost of drinks can be quite significant as the locals try to monopolize on the income of their foreign clientele. Often there are live bands playing in the venues and the dancing won't generally start until after 9PM and continues all night. Pubs and bars without the night club atmosphere are also popular (Carruthers, Where to Watch Traditional Dance Shows in Cambodia, 2017).

One of the more controversial activities in Cambodia is gun tourism. While I and many others are personally against firearms and the commercialization of weapons for profit in the developing world this activity draws in foreigners. There are hundreds of stories of people being able to shoot live targets with any range of weapon, included a rocket launcher, as long as they're willing to pay a high enough price. This activity has gained more international attention in recent years but there needs to be more action to make sure practices remain ethical, and animal rights are more protected (Baulch, 2013). 

Souvenirs 

Cambodian souvenirs were a mystery to me prior to doing this piece and I was pleasantly surprised by my findings. The country is vibrant with colours and features a lot of silk and cotton textiles woven into intricate designs and colourful patterns which make excellent souvenirs. Rural towns and villages are the best place to buy these types of textiles because they are often one of a kind items and not replicated anywhere else. There is a large number of Russian travellers who visit Cambodia for unique silks which gave it the name the Russian Market located in Phnom Penh. It's essentially a flea market of textiles. There are different than the Mekong Quilts which are made solely by rural women by hand as extra income for their families but also include bright colours and embroidered designs.

Woven mats are also very common because of the heat in the country. These mats act as sitting and sleeping areas because they are more breathable. They have a variety of everyday uses which include praying, sitting, gathering for meals, and menial chores such as crouching on while gardening or cooking but they're easy to roll up and move. They're made from natural materials and should be bought from actual craftsmen in the country as industrialization has eaten into the income of rural mat weavers. The process is time consuming and the best handmade mats are found in provinces surrounding Tonlé Sap lake.

Rice paper prints are a simple souvenir which is made when a design is covered with rice paper and charcoal is rubbed over the paper lightly so the image appears on the paper. These are inexpensive and found all throughout the country, and looks stunning when framed on a wall. They come in all sizes and often show symbolic figures found in temples or designs which are significant to Cambodia's lore's and legends. Other items which must be considered at kampot pepper which is a staple in most Cambodian dishes (Nhung, NA).

Betel nut boxes were something that I did not know existed until today and were used to mirror the owner's status depending on the materials use to make and decorate it. They are made almost entirely by hand by craftsmen. They show traditional Cambodian art styles and primarily made of silver, however more affordable boxes are made of copper or brass. Silver and silver jewellery are the last items I wish to mention for souvenirs because it is a primary reason some foreigners travel to the country. Silver is made into cookware, cups, teapots, jewellery, headdresses, and other forms of trinkets like shot glasses, chopsticks and sculptures. Silver is found all throughout the country and is usually around 70 - 80% pure (Nguyen, 2020).  

Religious Practices 

The official religion in Cambodia is Theravada Buddhism and is practiced by over 95% of the country's population. This is similar to the surrounding countries like Thailand, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. There are many other religions practiced in the country but they do not see even close to the same number of followers (Cambodia, NA) (Overton, 2019). As a Buddhist, the world is preserved as an eternal circle in which death is not the final step on the journey of life, rather it is about the rebirth after death as a new person or creature and what you come back as depends on the type of person you were in your previous life. If this is to be believed, I would hope to come back as a pampered house cat but I'm not sure the level of good you would need to achieve to reach that magical reality. In Cambodia, getting a better next life means earning merit in this life which is achievable through monetary donations, providing goods and services to temples and places of worship or providing meals for monks as they conserve and pray diligently to their deity (Bitesize, 2020).

For Theravada Buddhists, the Buddha was an individual man named Siddhartha Gautama who died and is therefore not a god but a dead man. Praying to him is symbolic of understanding and living by his teachings. This includes providing miracles which is often seen in the Christian world because it does not prove the path to enlightenment, however they do believe natural miracles are possible. The most understood way to live an enlightened life in their religion is by giving up worldly goods and following a monastic life. There are many rules to this lifestyle and followers can join at any point in their lives with some joining before the age of ten.

Under the Khmer Rouge regime any type of religious practice was banned, except Theravada Buddhism was strictly allowed in the most limiting way by the pro-Vietnamese communist party. Today not all Cambodian's practice a form of Buddhism as minority groups tend of focus on localized religious practices which include Christianity and Cham Muslims having smaller followings in the provinces (Overton, 2019).

The last major point I would like to make is about Cambodia's major historical religion which was Hinduism. Many temples such as the famous 7th wonder of the world, Angkor Wat, were built as a dedication to Vishnu the Hindu god who was viewed as the protector of the universe. Angkor Wat is the largest Hindu temple in the entire world today. Hindu art styles are seen all throughout the country's temples. Hinduism was the Khmer regions official religion and throughout history the major religion switched back and forth between Hinduism and Buddhism which can be seen in the mixed art forms at Bayon Temple. Today Hinduism is barely practiced at all in the country but its influences remain seen in statues and museums (Carruthers, 2017).  

Conclusion

This report was aimed at providing a deep insight into the past and present of Cambodia today as it is truly a country which has adopted influences from France, Vietnam, Thailand, China and India but has developed into a country with an identity which entirely its own. Cambodia has so many things to offer tourists who are looking for a destination which has not got the over tourism problems which other south east Asian countries such as Thailand suffers but provides valuable insight into the history which made Cambodia what it is today. With fusions in its cuisines which will appeal to all types of eaters and souvenirs for all travellers this country is more than the cultural stereotypes of underpaid textile workers, gender inequity and animal trafficking (Post, 2019). It is a vibrant culture which is still just starting to open itself up to modern world. 

Word Count: 2380

References