Khmer
Culture
A BRIEF LOOK AT THE HISTORY, FOOD, DANCE, AND ART OF THE KHMER PEOPLE
LANGUAGE
KHMER LANGUAGE
Khmer aka Cambodian is the national language of Cambodia spoken not only by the citizens of the kingdom but also by the Khmer people living in neighboring nations as well as those who have immigrated worldwide. Khmer is an Austroasiatic language that unlike its neightors in Thailand , Vietnamese, and Laos, is not tonal.
The written language uses a unique script that evolved from the Indian Brahmi script. Influeced by Sanskrit and Pali, its roots trace back to the 7th Century and was the language of the ancient Khmer Empire.
Basic Terms for Kun Khmer
Cambodian Martial Arts – Kun Khmer
Free Fighting – Pradal Serey
Student – Sess
Teacher – Kru
Master – Lok Kru
Jab – Jab
Cross – cross
Uppercut – saoe
Shovel hook – vai krom
Hook – cow
Overhand/Obique – vai chowt
Spinning backlist – vai bow kraoe (back) Straight Elbow – keng trong
Hook Elbow – kao jumheang
Uppercut Elbow – keng sao (baht)
Chop Elbow – jak
Pop Back Elbow – keng pawt
Stab Elbow – keng trong
Spinning Elbow – bail kengdai
Straight Knee – jakung
Outside/round Knee – thout
Uppercut knee – jakung sao
Push Knee – jakung trong Jump knee – jakung haw Curve Knee – jakung veng Round Kick – thout
Push Kick – teah trong
Side Kick – teah jamheang
Back kick (spinning/turning)- teah baw krae Axe kick/cresent kick – jung pouh
Spinning (heel) kick – jung bavul
The Library Angkor Wat
Khmer Architecture
Khmer architecture is an architectural style that originated in the Khmer Empire (9th–15th centuries) and is most famously exemplified by the Angkorian temples like Angkor Wat, known for their massive scale, concentric enclosures representing mountains surrounding Mount Meru, and intricate bas-reliefs depicting mythology and history. Key features include steep, steep staircases symbolizing a stairway to heaven, intricately carved stone structures, and highly decorative gables and finials. The style also encompasses traditional and more modern vernacular architecture, from the humble two-story wooden houses of rural life to the “New Khmer Architecture” of the 1950s and 60s, which blended European modernism with traditional Cambodian motifs.
The Temple At Angkor Wat
Preah Ko Temple
Silver Pagoda Royal Palace
Wat Botum Watey Reacheveraram
Sambor Prei Kuk
Prasat Prang Ku Somboon
KHMER FOOD
Kuy teav
a popular, flavorful Cambodian noodle soup featuring a mild, pork and seafood broth, thin rice noodles, and a variety of meat and seafood toppings. It is often served with a range of fresh garnishes and condiments, allowing diners to customize the flavor profile to their preference.
Fish Amok
a Khmer steamed fish curry (amok) with a mousse like consistency, considered one of Cambodia’s national dishes. Fish amok is believed to have been a royal Khmer dish dating back to the Khmer Empire. It is slightly spicy. It also contains a variety of spices chili, turmeric, garlic, ginger, paprika, cumin, coriander seed, galangal, kaffir lime leaf, kenchur, black pepper, lemon myrtle leaf.
Beef Lok Lak
a classic Cambodian stir-fried dish featuring tender, marinated beef (often sirloin or tenderloin) served with raw onions, tomatoes, and lettuce, and accompanied by a potent dipping sauce of salt, pepper, and lime juice. The name “lok lak” refers to the dish’s characteristic “shaken beef” preparation, where the meat is rapidly seared and tossed with other ingredients in a hot wok. It offers a savory, tangy, and slightly sweet flavor profile and is considered a national dish by many in Cambodia.
Khmer Red Curry
A rich flavorful curry made with coconut milk meat, eggplant, green beans, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and a wonderful red curry paste called kroeung.
Num Banh Chok
a beloved Cambodian dish of fresh rice noodles topped with a fish-based curry and a variety of raw vegetables and herbs. The name can refer to both the noodles themselves and the complete noodle dish. Considered by many to be the national dish of Cambodia, it is most often eaten for breakfast.
Bok Lahong
a vibrant Cambodian green papaya salad with a complex flavor profile that is salty, spicy, sweet, and sour. The name translates to “pounded papaya,” which refers to how the ingredients are traditionally prepared in a mortar and pestle. The Cambodian version is often more balanced than its Lao and Thai cousins, with a distinct flavor from fermented shrimp paste
Samlor Machu
a category of Cambodian sour soups known for their vibrant, tangy flavor. The name “samlor machu” translates directly to “sour soup” in the Khmer language. While numerous variations exist, the signature sourness often comes from tamarind, and a base of aromatic ingredients is common to many versions.
Bai Sach Chrouk
a popular Cambodian breakfast dish consisting of charcoal-grilled, marinated pork served over a bed of rice. The name translates literally to “rice with pork” in the Khmer language. This beloved street food is known for its sweet, smoky flavor and can be found at street stalls and markets across Cambodia in the early mornings
Angkor Wat Apsaras
Lintel and Pediment at Banteay Srei
Rich Carved Decoration of Preah Ko Lintel
Bayon Angkor Thom
KHMER DANCE
KHMER DANCE
Robam Tep Apsara is the Cambodian classical dance known as the “Apsara dance,” which symbolizes divine beauty, femininity, and the bond between humanity and the divine. This traditional dance is characterized by its flowing, deliberate movements, stylized costumes inspired by the Angkor Was carvings, and a distinct style of posture and hand gestures. It was developed by Queen Sisowath Kossamak in the late 1940s and has since become a significant cultural symbol for Cambodia, almost lost during the Khmer Rouge regime but successfully revived by survivors and institutions like the Royal University of Fine Arts. Watch Robam Tep Apsara.
The Cambodian Fishing Dance, or Robam Nesat, is a lively folk dance performed with traditional bamboo fishing equipment, depicting the daily lives and joyous courting rituals of fishermen and farmers. Young men and women meet at the river to fish, flirt, and fall in love, often with playful teasing and a charming romantic scene at the end that concludes with the group congratulating the new couple. Watch the Robam Nesat.
Cambodian robam trot (Trot Dance) is a traditional folk dance, often performed during Khmer New Year to ward off bad luck and usher in prosperity. The dance features characters such as a Hunter, oxen, and protective spirits, who perform a symbolic chase of a deer. It is characterized by rhythmic music, brightly colored costumes, and the use of poles with bells. Watch robam trot.
The Cambodian Coconut Shell Dance (Robam Kous Tralaok) is a traditional folk dance where performers use polished coconut shells as percussion instruments, clapping them together to create rhythm. It is performed at celebrations and festivals, symbolizing the joy, harmony, and fertility associated with the abundant coconut trees in Khmer culture. Dancers, often in pairs of male and female, use dynamic movements to express themes of friendship, courtship, and the vitality of rural life. Watch the Robam Kous Traloak.
Cambodian harvest dances celebrate the successful harvest of crops like rice and are expressed through various traditional folk and classical forms, including the Phloy Suoy (Rice Harvest Dance), the Trot Dance, and folk dances associated with the New Year’s celebration. These dances, often involving graceful and rhythmic movements, symbolize appreciation for the hard work of farmers, express gratitude to guardian spirits for prosperity, and mark the end of the harvest season. Watch the Phloy Suoy.
The Cambodian Pailin Peacock Dance (Robam Kngork Pailin) is a traditional folk dance from the Kola people, depicting the beauty of Pailin province and the joy of life. Dancers wear vibrant costumes, often with large, feather-like headdresses or “wings,” and perform graceful movements that mimic peacocks, symbolizing love, beauty, and happiness. The dance is performed at festivals and ceremonies to pray for prosperity, ward off evil, and celebrate the Kola people’s connection to their land and spiritual beliefs. Watch the Robam Kngork Pailin.
The Cambodian dance Robam Phlet, or Fan Dance, is a classical ballet form performed by a group of young women or girls to welcome prosperity, blessings, and good luck. Dancers wear traditionalKhmer Royal Ballet costumes and utilize fans, folding and unfolding them to demonstrate their basic uses and symbolically offer good fortune to the audience. This graceful and expressive dance involves slow, deliberate, and highly controlled movements with symbolic gestures and precise balance, a hallmark of Khmer Classical Dance. Watch the Robam Phlet.
PRE-EMPIRE
1st Century – 802
KHMER EMPIRE
802 -1431
MIDDLE PERIOD
1431 – 1863
FRENCH PROTECTORATE
1863 -1953
SIHANOUK YEARS
1953 -1970
Khmer History Timeline
KHMER REPUBLIC
1970-1975
KHMER ROUGE
1975 – 1979
VIETNAMESE OCCUPATION
1979 – 1993
MODERN CAMBODIA
1993 – PRESENT
UN TRIBUNALS FOR GENOCIDE
2007 – ONWARDS