#cambodian stories

[travelinglibrariansdesk]

Picture books with an international focus

A mom came in today with an astounding heap of children's books. Every one was "presumed lost", so her kids had been enjoying them for quite a while. She wanted to see if the returned pile cleared the card they had been checked out on, but to my amazement, it didn't. She still had about a Benjamin in overdue fines on her card, so we checked her daughter's, which had almost as much in overdue fines! Then she asked me to check her husband's card, where we found about $20 in overdue fines, and she decided to just pay that one. Wow. It reminded me of the women who used to come into Lord & Taylor's handbag department: when one of their cards failed, they'd pull out another until they found one that wasn't maxed out. You'd think if one of your credit cards were maxed out, that would be a warning to stop shopping, but apparently not. At least in this scenario, it's about kids reading books - which I ALWAYS wish to encourage. And she apparently does, too - she returned with another HUGE stack of books to take out on her husband's now-clear card.

In her stack, I found three intriguing items: Reza Dalvand's Mrs. Bibi's Elephant, Minfong Ho and Saphan Ros's The Two Brothers, and Duncan Tonatiuh's The Princess and the Warrior. I'm delighted that she's teaching her children to read about other cultures!

Mrs. Bibi's Elephant is adorable: a simple story with a surprisingly cryptic ending. My favorite page showed Mrs. Bibi having tea with her elephant, the teacup balanced perfectly on the end of its trunk. The story pits people who have and love pets against people who like things (chandeliers, jewelry, the stock market). The town's children, who love the elephant, oppose the town's adults, who don't care about pets. A delightfully furry (or scaly, or feathered) Marxist message from Iranian illustrator Reza Dalvand.

I thought I would write about Ho and Ros's The Two Brothers, but there's not much to say about this one, unless you're simply into Cambodian stories. It's a classic fairy tale of the 1001 Nights style; unfortunately, the artwork is pleasing but unremarkable. I much preferred the startling art of Duncan Tonatiuh's The Princess and the Warrior: A Tale of Two Volcanoes. No fable with a lesson here: the princess and the warrior's adventure is remarkable and traditional, but bittersweet and unresolved. The art really sets this story apart. Although I'm sure it exists elsewhere, this is the first time I've seen an artist employ precisely the style seen on artifacts, tombs and temples of the Aztecs, placing them in action sequences like cartoon characters. It's gorgeous, unusual, and faithful to Aztec art.

[rimouskis]

SECURED AN INVITE TO THE CULTURAL FUSION EVENT OF THE CENTURY: MY CAMBODIAN BUDDHIST COUSIN IS GETTING MARRIED TO A UTAH MORMON ‼️‼️‼️

[notchainedtotrauma]

Considering the Tik Tok ban, a few facts that are crucial things and have been overlooked, as in literally erased from the narrative. The CEO of Tik Tok (who is owned by a Chinese company, ByteDance) is a Singaporian business man named Shou Zi Chew. And yes, Tik Tok is owned by a Chinese company. It's been owned by a Chinese company since its inception. Because, why would Tik Tok be considered a threat (if not for sinophobia and accusations of China spying through the app ?) And that's why Trump justified his first attempt to ban Tik Tok...using security concerns as an argument. Make of all of this what you will.

[roseworth]

Hi sorry not to be weird but you're the local Rose expert and I was wondering if you could help me? I'm trying to figure out what ethnic group Lili Worth belongs to. I know she's from Cambodia so logic says she would most likely be Khmer, but the fact that she was fleeing the Khmer Rouge puts that kinda in doubt for me? I've seen a few things saying she's Hmong which would make sense as they were a minority group during the Cambodian Genocide but they're a pretty small portion of the population and I haven't seen anything canon supporting it, just fan posts. When it comes to Lili I've really only read Deathstroke the Terminator (1991) so I'm not super familiar with her. Sorry for any trouble!

!!! no trouble at all <3

as far as i know it never specifically said which ethnic group she was pre-52, but in deathstroke #15 slade says that lili was a "local princess in the siem pang"

honestly i dont know a lot about the different ethnic groups in cambodia but google says that the common ethnic groups in the siem pang are the khmer and lao. i guess we can assume shes lao since she was fleeing the khmer rouge? but unfortunately the real answer is that marv wolfman put 0 thought into any of this

but then. in deathstroke #43 suddenly she says she was trained by the khmer rouge??? idk if this is a retcon or if we're supposed to assume that they trained her to fight while she was imprisoned???? odd choices all around tbh

so short answer: its not specified and wolfman probably didnt even consider any of it for more than 5 seconds

but!!! during rebirth in deathstroke (2016) she and rose are confirmed hmong!

and they've been hmong ever since <3

[starryeyed-seer]

Can someone please check that the Mountain is. Okay. Please

[stilettochat]

WOW!

When I was little, my dad hired a Cambodian refugee called Jack to help him drywall a dining room ceiling. Jack spoke very little English; he'd recently gotten a part time job in a little Asian deli not far from our home and needed to pick up some extra work. He was very kind to six year old me and my exhausted mom; he brought us day old leftovers from the deli counter often, and liked to tuck the knuckle of his index finger into the dimple in my cheek whenever I smiled at him.

He soaked up construction skills and other information like a sponge, and by the time he left my dad's tiny construction company he'd gotten his GED, learned to drive, reunited with his sister and her family, and had begun remodeling a vacant business on the rich side of town into a Cambodian restaurant. He invited us to their grand opening on lunar new year, and I'll never forget when he gave me a red envelope with five dollars in it and told me, "tonight I am the luckiest man in the world, so this will bring you luck, too."

Years later, my dad told me that Jack had witnessed his parents' murder during the khmer rouge, and was immediately separated from his sister. He had to cross the killing fields at Choeung Ek alone, on foot, eating grass and insects to survive. He somehow made it to Cam Ranh on the coast of Vietnam, where a distant friend of his father's put him on a boat to Seattle. Jack was nine years old.

I tell this story because, even though I haven't seen Jack or any of his relatives in thirty years, I pray he's well and happy and eating like a king tonight with everyone he loves, celebrating the long overdue demise of the pestilential sonofabitch who tried to wipe them out.

Fuck Henry Kissinger's pathetic ghost, and fuck all those who praise him. Fuck Imperialism. Fuck the genocidal war machine. Drink deep for the freedom of all souls tonight, my friends. And tomorrow, keep fighting.

[sarvatri]

កូនក្រក [Koan Kroach]

In relation to Khmer /Cambodian Esoteric Practices

Disclaimer:

My ancestors are more into divination and practices related to those fields versus actual baneful magick (or what some may call black magic) as baneful magick is still perceived as a taboo.

However, I personally like to explore and inform myself of other forms of magic within Khmer Culture because the differences of practices are interesting.

This post is based on my research and brief encounters of it. Like when I was a kid, I saw one at someone's house and was freaking out internally because I literally thought I was next and that my folks were selling me out to this person lmfao like Hansel and Gretal vibes.

What is Koan Kroach?

The phrase, កូនក្រក [koan-kroach], literally translates to “dried child” but in a cultural context, this refers to a type of mummified fetal amulet. The creation of this amulet is considered an esoteric practice where the fetus is obtained from the first pregnancy of a woman who has either: 1) died in childbirth (OR) 2) obtained from a living pregnant woman

Quick Info

The veneration of “Koan Kroach” in Khmer/Cambodian culture has similarities and differences to “Kuman Thong” from Laos, Thailand and other SE Asian countries such as the Philippines. In accordance with the previous information and in relation to Khmer/Cambodian practices, it is important to mention that this is one of the most important rules: To successfully make a “Koan Kroach”, the fetus must be willingly gifted by the mother to the father. As a result, this kind of implies that the making of a “Koan Kroach” relates to an “ancestor/spirit” from the wife’s lineage but up to your discretion/interpretation as the research I did also said that if you obtain a “Koan Kroach", you should never tell anyone you have it because of the heavy spirituality purposes attached to it.

The Origins and Purpose:

It is said that there is a long tradition of the use of “Koan Kroach” in Khmer/Cambodian and the first foreigner to report this practice in Cambodia was French ethnologist, Etienne Aymonier. In his report, he states that... "In-laws would avoid keeping a young couple too far during the first pregnancy as a means to protect the pregnant mother and her baby in the womb." But what is “Koan Kroach” exactly? The amulet itself is like a symbol of protection or as a way to grant supernatural powers. The person who usually becomes the “father” of the “Koan Kroach” has to mummify it while making offerings and rites. This is not done without a practitioner who has expertise in magic. In this ritual, the practitioner will include awaking the “fetus” with magic.

There’s actually more to this ritual where it also includes stones, offerings and all of that but I am not informed of all the details.

Now, it is said that if the Koan Kroach are twins, then the amulet is believed to be highly powerful.

So, in the ritual where they awaken the fetus, it is said that they would appease the spirit and the fetus would be sewn into a pouch. If we compare this practice to modern times, there’s a lot of ghost related stories and songs about this and according to a Cambodian anthropologist, the usages of “Koan Kroach” tends to be greater during periods of national instability.

Let's explore the Cultural Context:

Disclaimer:

First, these types of things all varies as not every individual or family practices this. From my knowledge of it, there are people out there who do believe that they can gain supernatural powers, guidance and/or protection from the fetus of someone's first pregnancy.

The actual power of the amulet is derived from the spirit, and not the actual fetus, itself. The “fetus” is considered to act as a “vessel” but you are supposed to treat it like a child and take care of it as this amulet is supposed to protect you. Additionally, the requirement to make a “Koan Kroach” is a human embryo that has not yet come to term.

The individuals who usually end up wearing this amulet are male soldiers and he who wishes to benefit from it, should first get his wife or girlfriend pregnant.

Scenario 1:

When the time is right, he may then jokingly asks if she will give him the child in her belly; the woman, believing this is a game, says yes. Saying “yes” is essential as words of willingness is to provide the amulet power. [Warning/Explicit] So, he then would cut her open, removes the fetus, and smoke/mummifying it basically.

Scenario 2:

The man can also retrieve it another way and this would be from the corpse of the woman (who has been buried with her unborn fetus). He must first awaken her and he should be able to overcome the fear and backlash that is to come about from awaking the dead as it is a belief that you should not disturb the dead. If he is able to overcome this backlash and retrieves permission from the corpse, he can proceed with the process of creating a Koan Kroach and will wear it as an amulet around his neck or waist. The smoked or golden fetus becomes the guide and protector of its owner, speaking to him in dreams to give guidance and warns him of dangers ahead.

Media and Entertainment Adaptions:

A blockbuster horror movie titled "Koan Kroach" was released to cinemas in Cambodia on November 9th, 2018.

However, this was blocked from advertising online by major social networks and platforms as they said it contained high levels of violence towards women.

[coffee-bread-breakfast]

Street Food Feast! Crispy Pan Bread, Tasty Noodles & Warm Chicken Porridge

[yum-food-tv-27]

Nom Banhchok Across Cambodia: Kampot, Phnom Penh & Siem Reap Delights!

[thecrazycollectorunknown]

The Best of BBQ: Honey Pork and Giang Leaf Duck!

[deuceysims]

A midnight meeting

[taro-pdf]

Humans are space oddities: immune systems

Alien: human, what is the issue? Prak [annoyed]: I caught a cold Alien: Would releasing it not solve this issue? Prak: No not like that! It’s those [UIPL slur for humans] who brought a [martian expletive] bug on board! I haven’t been sick in years because I avoided human contact! How am I supposed to do my [quadril expletive] job when I’m [human expletive] dying?!” Alien [alarmed]: You're dying of illness?? Other alien: Prak will be fine. I've worked with other humans, and they explained that humans can still transfer microscopic parasites among themselves. If Prak is calling it a "cold" then it is not dangerous. Prak: just let me go sleep for a day. I’m useless this tired. Alien, in their notebook: Today I learned humans are even more terrifying than I thought. They can fight off things they can't even see, things inside their own bodies, without Nanotech. Also, Prak knows many curse words.

Notes: Prak - he/they - space human - hates pineapples so much he left earth to avoid them. speaks english, cambodian, and UIPL (universal interplanetary language) but picks up other words here and there

Edit: I added some clarification in-story, and here is some extra: the two aliens here are of the same species, one that has eradicated small parasitic lifeforms with nano technology specific to their species. The first alien is impressed by humans going to space with such primitive technology (their immune system lol). The confusion with language is due to human illness not having words in the universal interplanetary language :)

[duckprintspress]

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[handweavers]

currently reading the ministry of time by kaliane bradley and i'm really enjoying it. i have such a soft spot for time travel love stories but this one having a half-cambodian present day protagonist and discussing the collapse of british empire and colonialism through her relationship with one of the real life guys who died of frostbite in season 1 of the terror is really doing something for me

[wielderofmysteries]

Tarkir Dragonstorm episode 1 is out today!

go read it!

earlier this morning on my Bluesky, i was posting about how i am especially happy with the cultural references in this episode.

episode 1 features storytellers doing 变脸 biànliǎn , a quick mask-changing performance technique which originally comes from Sichuan opera.

i will say, even in china, 变脸 biànliǎn has been removed from its original context and turned into a novelty performance, but WOW

1) it's AWESOME to see cultural references that i recognize 🫶

2) it's used ACCURATELY in proper context in the story ✅

3) IT'S NEVER BEEN DESCRIBED IN SUCH A COOL WAY BEFORE? 🤯

Both performers raised their right hands in unison and brought them down over their respective faces, like an axe brought down on the throat of a nightmare. By the time their hands had resettled at their sides, they were masked again, this time in the images of Eshki Dragonclaw and Alniul, the Twice Whisperer: the one who rose to lead the Temur rebellion and the one who foretold her victory. Tarkir: Dragonstorm | Episode 1: Stories and Their Bones

i saw 变脸 biànliǎn performed on tv when i was a kid, and i saw a live performance at a teahouse when i visited china as a teenager. it's really awesome to see it in Magic Story.

i have shared quite a bit about myself through my blog posts here, but i know i don't really talk about myself with much detail.

a bit of Radley Lore for those not in the know: i come from a very multicultural (mostly asian) family background. both of my biological parents are mixed thai / chinese, and my stepdad who raised me is cambodian.

so Tarkir is very special to me, and it's easy to see why i love Jeskai and Sultai so much.

can't wait for more Tarkir: Dragonstorm story <3