Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
viewed as a mother-earth concept, an energy force uniting a community with its earth and
water. It can be represented in many forms, from stone or wood to termite hills - anything
that symbolises both a link between the people and the fertility of their land. The some-
times phallic representation of Neak Ta helps explain the popularity of Hinduism and the
worship of the
lingam
(phallic symbol).
Islam
Cambodia's Muslims are descendants of Chams, who migrated from what is now central
Vietnam after the final defeat of the kingdom of Champa by the Vietnamese in 1471. Like
Buddhists in Cambodia, the Cham Muslims call the faithful to prayer by banging a drum,
rather than with the call of the muezzin.
Christianity
Christianity has made limited headway into Cambodia compared with neighbouring Viet-
nam. There were a number of churches in Cambodia before the war, but many of these
were systematically destroyed by the Khmer Rouge, including Notre Dame Cathedral in
Phnom Penh. Christianity made a comeback of sorts throughout the refugee camps on the
Thai border in the 1980s, as a number of 'food for faith'-type charities set up shop dis-
pensing religion with every meal. Many Cambodians changed their public faith for surviv-
al, before converting back to Buddhism on their departure from the camps, earning the
moniker 'rice Christians'.
The famous Hindu epic the
Ramayana
is known as the
Reamker
in Cambodia. Reyum Publishing
has issued a beautifully illustrated book,
The Reamker
(1999), telling the story.
