“In the past, Khmer people crowded the area while Kinh people are in a few households but now Kinh people are of larger population,” said Mr. Nguu Buu

 Few Khmer people in Phu Giao knows about their origin while confirm that they do not want to make it a mark of their ethnic origin which is genuinely originated from Nuoc Vang hamlet of An Binh village.

 Mr. Kim That owns the last gongs of Tamun-Khmer people in Phu Giao.

Khmer people are categorized into two branches in Vietnam with the name of Khmer Crom (lower) and Khmer Lo (upper). Khmer Crom people live in Mekong Deltar areas and provinces of Soc Trang, Tra Vinh, Ca Mau, etc. while Khmer Lo people live in Dong Nam Bo region where they are called Tamun-Khmer. Khmer people carry father’s surname and use Mon-Khmer for speaking and writing. People who live with Khmer people would be familiar with Chol chnam thmay (greeting new year) festival and Ok om bok (donation to the moon) festival. Chol chnam thmay is celebrated every lunar March with neighborhood greetings. They also gather to enjoy activities and drinks and foods in the sound of Dong La (a kind of gong). Children also wear new clothes and receive lucky money from the family and neighbors.

As for wedding celebration, Tamun-Khmer people may prolong the event up to 3 days of rituals. Bride and groom greet their guests who would tie red threads on the couple’s hands to wish for binding love. “The more tying threads they have the prouder they are,” said Mr. Kim Van Phuoc.

  

By their own efforts, Tamun-Khmer people changed their life dramatically.

As for death and funeral, Khmer people in village will bring cattle, poultries or produces to help family of dead people. In their community, they commemorate day of the death or Sendolta (ancestors’ day or absolution of the dead). Sendolta is considered as a memorable event in a year.

Khmer community follows 3 streams of religions of Buddhism. By rituals, dead people would be cremated and kept in Khmer pagoda for praying; however, Khmer pagodas can not be found in Phu Giao. Therefore, Khmer people usually come to Chon Thanh, Loc Ninh of Binh Phuoc province for this type of ritual.

 In real life, the second and third generations of Tamun-Khmer can only speak Mon-Khmer and younger generation does not know much about their traditional festivals. As the matter of fact, they nurture a dream of a school that teaches Mon-Khmer.

Modern houses of Khmer people are now crowded along DT741 street through Nuoc Vang hamlet and it is great of joy for life of ethnic people in Phu Giao is changing significantly. However, for the next tens of year, who would tell the stories of Tamun-Khmer people?

 

Reported by Tam Trang – Translated by Vi Bao