Khmer Abroad

Backstage

2010-05-24T10:44:00.019-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/media/Backstage/index.html

Once again, the Cambodian American artists from the Washington DC area are on the road. On May 8, they traveled to Richmond, Virginia, to perform at a fundraising event. For the artists who were born in Cambodia, it's another routine, performing a classical dance they have surely performed hundreds of times before. For the younger ones, born in the US, it's a sort of maiden voyage, as this time they are performing a folk dance on their own. They have made the trip to Richmond by themselves, without the elder ones, carrying a legacy that was passed from generation to generation. Little fish growing bigger...

Cambodian Masters, Stories Told...

2010-05-24T10:14:00.021-04:00

See the introduction piece of this project at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/Introduction/index.html

Archival pictures in this story are from photographers: Dominique de Rivaz, Jean-Jacques Kurz and Robert Trippett.

From the Cambodian refugee camps of the Thai border in 1979 to America today, there’s still thousands of stories that must be told.

All the confirmed artists that I have met at the Cambodian temple of Silver Spring, Maryland these last two years have compelling stories… Most of them have fled Cambodia while the Vietnamese took over the country and the Khmer Rouge loosing it. Several ended up meeting together in Kao-I-Dang refugee camp where they were eager to bring back the Cambodian living arts alive. After a few months, a group of 30 families of artists was admitted in the United States, among the first Cambodian refugees accepted in the US. They settled in Maryland and started a new life in the early 80s. For the last 30 years now they have challenged the odds, going back to school, looking for jobs to support their family and raising their children. Still they continued practicing their art, sharing the tradition to a younger generation of Cambodian Americans.

The Nurse

2010-01-06T12:44:00.022-05:00

See a multimedia version of this story at: http://stephanejanin.com/media/Nurse/index.html

Malida Suong's parents fled Cambodia after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, and escaped to Khao-I-Dang refugee camp on the Thai border, where an estimated population of 160,000 refugees was living.
Malida was born in Khao-I-Dang in 1981.
In 1985, the whole family finally left for a new life in a new country, the United States. After a short period in Maine, Malida’s family moved to Lowell, Massachusetts, where South-East Asian refugee families had already settled, among them a big majority of Cambodians. Malida’s parents found jobs easily there, factory works…

It’s not until she traveled back to Cambodia in 2004 - the first time since her family had left the country - that Malida envisioned the career she wanted to embrace: public health and nursing. In May 2009, she has graduated with a Masters in Science and received her license to be a nurse practitioner.
Malida is now working at LCHC (Lowell Community Health Center), a non-profit organization that started in 1970 to serve the diverse ethnic population of Lowell, with high quality and affordable health care services.

The Community Health Center

2009-12-13T22:28:00.019-05:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/MettaLowell/index.html

Back in Lowell, Massachusetts, where 1 on 3 is from Cambodian origin. The city holds the second largest Cambodian community in the US - with 30 000 people - after Long Beach, Ca. One of the most recent part of the immigration heritage that has built the city since the mid 19th century, the Cambodians refugees and immigrants in Lowell have definitely "shaped" the city in a way no other community has done before, with its economical, social or cultural activities, its restaurants and shops. Still, many members of this community struggle with low paid jobs, lack of education, physical or psychological health issues.

For them, the Metta Health Center - one of the six community health centers in Lowell - has specialized since its opening in 2000 in Southeast Asian medicine and resources, mixing both western medicine and traditional Asian practices such as massage, meditation or acupuncture.
For the Cambodian Americans of Lowell and around, Metta Health Center is a great place to consult a doctor or a nurse, as everything in the center is made to put them comfortable: Cambodian staff, Khmer language in use, art from Cambodia displayed on the walls… More than 5000 patients have consulted at Metta Health Center in 2008 - a large amount being from Cambodian origin - to find affordable quality health services…

In the Buddhist Pali language

“Metta” means “Love”, “Compassion”…

Above: Cambodian native Chhan Touch D’Avanzo (right), a Family Nurse Practitioner at the Metta Health Center in Lowell examines Cambodian native Ou Nhanhm (left), 64, a father of 6, currently unemployed for health related issues.

Above: with the help of Cambodian native Sonith Peou (center) - a Program Director at Metta Health Center – for the interpretation between English and Khmer, acupuncturist Judy Fang (left) gets ready to treat Cambodian native Sreng Putha, 53, (right), who doesn’t talk English much. In May 2009 Sreng Putha was in a car accident. Since then he suffers back pains and come to Metta Health Center once or twice per week to ease and treat these pains.

Survivors' Voices, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2009-12-03T10:49:00.027-05:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/ASRICPhillie/index.html

After California, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, and Massachusetts non profit ASRIC (Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) has organized in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on Nov. 13th and 14th 2009 what may be its last workshop to help the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime share their stories, file a complaint for the trial now in process in Phnom Penh, possibly have their voice be heard.
ASRIC is guided by its mission to seek social peace and health for Cambodians who have been directly and indirectly affected by the Khmer Rouge regime, and still suffering from it, 30 years after the collapse of the regime.
Thanks to the support of the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University, and with the help of organizations of Pennsylvania (Cambodian Association of Greater Philadelphia, Mental Health Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, The Khmer Post East Coast), ASRIC could gather in Philadelphia a group of volunteer lawyers and students to listen to the stories of survivors and help them file.

Today, after 10 workshops in 2009 in the United States, ASRIC has already received and filed more than 150 complaints that will soon be addressed to the ECCC in Phnom Penh (the “Khmer Rouge trial”) for the second part of the trial that should start early next 2010…

On the picture above: Cambodian native Soeun Tauch (right), 73, shares her experience and story as survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime with Cambodian native Phatry Derek Pan (left), a South East Asian specialist, human rights writer, and an ASRIC volunteer to help receive the stories of survivors.

On the picture left: Leakhena Nou, Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University, Long Beach, and Founding Director of ASRIC, receives the stories of survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime.

Survivor's Voices, Lowell, Massachusetts

2009-12-03T10:39:00.018-05:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/ASRICLowell/index.html

After California, Oregon, Virginia, Maryland, and a week before Pennsylvania, non profit ASRIC (Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) organized in the building of the CMAA (Cambodian Mutual Assistance Assistance) in Lowell, Massachusetts from Nov. 6th to 8th 2009 another workshop to help the survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime share their stories, file a complaint for the trial now in process in Phnom Penh, possibly have their voice be heard.

ASRIC is guided by its mission to seek social peace and health for Cambodians who have been directly and indirectly affected by the Khmer Rouge regime, and still suffering from it, 30 years after the collapse of the regime.

Thanks to the support of the Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University, ASRIC could gather in Lowell a group of volunteer lawyers and law students to listen to the stories of survivors and help them file. On the picture above Cosette Creamer (left), 28, an international relations and law PhD candidate at Harvard Law School, receives the story of Cambodian native Yean Chhoeun (center), 56, sharing her experience as a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, with the help of Cambodian native Sonith Peou (right), a program director at Metta Health Center-Lowell.

On the picture above Cambodian native Sok Sareth (right), 53, shares her experience and story as a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime with Leakhena Nou (left), Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University, Long Beach, and Founding Director of ASRIC.

Sopheap Pich, Sculptor...

2009-09-24T00:34:00.043-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at :
http://stephanejanin.com/media/Sopheap/index.html

“Global Hybrid” group exhibition, Meta House,
July 2 to August 2, 2009, Phnom Penh.

“WRITHS” by Sopheap Pich

Rattan and wire, 2009, 110 cm x 145 cm x 130 cm

Based in Phnom Penh, Sopheap Pich is a Cambodian artist. He was born in Battambang in 1971 and has emigrated to Amherst, Massachussets, USA in 1984, with his parents and his three brothers. During his College years, Sopheap eventually traveled, studied and lived in Miami, Chicago, France and Boston where he received his Masters of Arts.
In 2002, Sopheap Pich decided to come back living in Cambodia. In Phnom Penh he has settled a space for work, found his voice (abandoning painting for sculpture) and his material, rattan and bamboo, which he uses to create his sculptures, some of them referring to the body and our organs, and the feelings and emotions that our mind and spirit experience through them.

One of the most prominent artists in Cambodia today, Pich now receives international interest. His work is currently represented by H Gallery in Bangkok, 10 Chancery Lane Gallery in Hong Kong and Tyler Rollins Fine Art in New York City. Important past shows include “The Best of Discovery” and “The Ke Center for the Contemporary Art”, both in Shanghai, or a participation at the Fukuoka Triennale in Japan. In November, Pich will open "The Pulse Within", a solo show in New York. In December he will be part of the Asia Pacific Triennale in Queensland, Australia. Few Cambodian artists have yet been that prolific and successful to that international level. Still, Sopheap Pich recognizes that this is something he couldn’t have achieved if he had not secured great working relationships with the two assistants working with him in his studio...Sopheap Pich's work is online at http://sopheappich.com/

Toma (above left and below), 31, Sopheap’s assistant. They have worked together since 2004.

Deported... Returned...

2009-09-13T18:31:00.013-04:00

In the 1980s, the American government has welcomed some 145 000 Cambodians, most of them from the different refugees camps of the Thai border. For some of the children of these Cambodian refugees, America has sometimes played unwanted tricks, taking advantage some twenty years later of their lacking the American citizenship: in March 2002, the United States signed a deportation agreement with Cambodia.
Since then deportation back to Cambodia has become the fate of more than 200 Cambodian Americans (212 to this day) who had encountered the American justice system. Many of the deported are people who left Cambodia as babies or young children or who were born in the Thai refugee camps, having never touched Cambodian soil in their entire lives. They’re from California, Massachussets, Minnesota, Texas, Florida and other places in the US where Cambodians have gathered. And they will never be allowed to go back to America, even for a short family visit!

Unlike the integration of others Asian nationalities, the integration of Cambodians to the American life has not always been easy. Many surveys in the last decade show that Cambodians usually have some of the worst rates in terms of poverty living, access to American citizenship, access to college studies, use of the English language…
The reality for many returnees was simple, especially for those living on the West Coast (California, Oregon and Washington State): handled badly by Black or Hispanic gangs, their response has been to regroup and create their own gangs to protect themselves, their family, eventually their community… Tiny Little Rascals, Cold Blooded Cambodians, Bishop Street Blood are a few of these gangs, evidences that the integration model in the United States – at least for the Cambodians – has not been totally successful.

Among the returnees are probably harden criminals, yet many people have been, still are, and will unfortunately be deported for minor crimes, even after they often have repaid their debts to society and rebuilt their life, with a steady job, family and children. Among the deported are also individuals who need psychological or personal help to deal with difficult circumstances, help that they have never received. These individual considerations make no difference to the ICE, the Immigration and Customs Enforcement Service of the United States, for which any crime or offence, minor as it may be (for example: shoplifting, street drinking, etc), is considered an “aggravated felony” from the moment it is committed by a non-citizen. These offences, committed up to 20 years ago in some cases, bring with them the possibility of deportation. Good-bye America! Hello Cambodia!

Returnees often arrive without resources, as money is frequently stolen from them by the immigration authorities during their arrival at Pochentong Airport. Returnees also usually arrive without knowledge of Cambodian culture, habits and social rules. At the Returnee Integration Support Center (RISC), a diminishing staff is doing the best it can to provide a place for these Returnees. Funding was available early on, but after USAID withdrew support for the project, staff at RISC has diminished to just a few people to help the Returnees with housing, health, education and most of all finding a job.
If a some returnees have succeeded getting good jobs correctly paid (from a Cambodian point of view…), sometimes even creating their own organization and receiving fame international fame and attention (such as KK and “Tiny Toons), most returnees don’t have the chance to be in a great positive mood. Some face real physical or health concerns, sometimes crippled by malnutrition or drug abuse. Some face psychological issues or depression, some end up in the streets, weak, vulnerable and often the victim of violent crime.

On July 4th some returnees from the Phnom Penh area (some now live in the countryside, making their life as farmers) gathered at RISC in Phnom Penh Bœung Tompun neighborhood, to celebrate the 7th year’s reunification of Cambodian American returnees. Barbecue, sodas, hamburgers were at the menu. Some returnees came with their girlfriend or spouse, and kids, some time to share the latest info, get some news from friends, spend an afternoon in a friendly environment… A gathering to try to warm the heart of some guys who face a big challenge in their life, in a country – Cambodia - that is not well known to provide immediate safety nets for those in need…

Boomer, a returnee rapping destiny

2009-09-12T15:58:00.023-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:

http://stephanejanin.com/media/Boomer/index.html

Boomer is 27 years old. He was born in a refugee camp on the Thai border and arrived in the United States when he was just a baby. He has lived in Stockton, California. In 2003, after a couple of years spent in a Californian jail, he got deported back to Cambodia, in the “6th group” of returnees. Boomer is one of the 212 returnees who have already been deported back to a native country that they barely know – if not at all – when they arrive on the Cambodian soil. After his arrival, Boomer quickly realized that he couldn’t give up hope and looked forward to reconstruct a new life in Phnom Penh. Though it’s not easy at all, Boomer – in comparison with other returnees - hasn’t done too bad, even if he admits still struggling to make ends meet, support his family and the project that he has started.

Boomer has created his own organization, “A+ Entertainment”, certainly inspired by the success of KK and his organization “Tiny Toons”. Boomer is an artistic producer, mixer and DJ, but most of all he is an educator and role model for the young boys he brings off the streets of Phnom Penh, where he gives them a chance or at least a ticket to the growing rap-hip-hop-DJ club scene in Cambodia.

The “Khmer Tassou”, four boys who dream of being under the television spotlights, working under the mentoring and tutoring of Boomer, an older brother or a dad they may not have at home.

In the studio, the “Khmer Tassou” are working on their texts. The four boys don’t cheat under Boomer’s instructions; they think and write conscientiously with Boomer behind them.

Poeun Sophon Pheap, 16, alias “DJ Shadow”, another singer at working in Boomer’s studio.

Survivor's Voices, Virginia, Day 1

2009-06-02T18:33:00.029-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/ASRICVirginia/index.html
On May 30 and 31, 2009, with the support of “Cambodian Americans for Human Rights” (CARHAD) and Asian/Pacific/American Institute at New York University, Leakhena Nou (a Professor of Sociology at California State University-Long Beach and the founder of ASRIC, the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) has organized a workshop for the Cambodian American community of the Washington DC area.

Pictured left: Leakhena Nou, founder of ASRIC (the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) and organizer of the workshop...

The goal of the “Cambodian Diaspora Victims’ Participation Project” is to educate the Cambodian Americans on the process of the ECCC-Khmer Rouge trial in Phnom Penh that has already started judging one of five KR responsibles held in custody. Eventually, the people who attend Nou’s workshops are proposed to participate in the trial by filing a complaint that could be presented to the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial) within the next few months.
Nou’s numbers about the Cambodians from the diaspora who have filed claims are impressive: according to her just 17 Cambodians from France and Belgium have filed a complaint to be addressed to the ECCC. On her side here in the US, with her modest organization that has no real funding she has brought so far 22 Cambodians from Southern California to file a complaint. Northern California is still in process. In the fall 2009, Nou plans to organize a similar workshop in Lowell, Massachussets. If she could reach one hundred complaints by the end of the year, Nou would probably be more than satisfied…
On the first day of the workshop (noon to 5PM), Leakhena Nou explains the details of the ECCC, reviewing its historical background, how it currently works, using video materials that were originally produced for the Cambodians from Cambodia… Most important is her speech about the psychological consequences of the KR regime on those who have lived through it, as well as on their children even if they were born after the regime.

It seems everybody knows about it, but few people among the Cambodian American community really dare putting the focus on it and tell the truth that – if some have healed and made peace with what they have experienced in the past – an important proportion of people in this community are still really sick of what has happened 30 years ago: lack of confidence, sleep problems, suicidal tendencies, mental pain, permanent angriness, difficulty to trust, silent suffering, you name it... Nou’s background in medical sociology and field work observations in Cambodia corroborate the obvious similarity of symptoms between the Cambodians from home with the Cambodians from outside…

Pictured left: Tung Yap, President of “Cambodian Americans for Human Rights and Democracy” (CAHRAD)

Julie M. Sheker (pictured aboved left), a volunteer lawyer for ASRIC (“Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia”) taking notes during the presentation of Leakhena Nou.

Sarann Lim (pictured above), 81, a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime, getting familiar with the administrative documents of the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial)...

Survivors' Voices, Virginia, Day 2

2009-06-02T18:22:00.031-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/ASRICVirginia/index.html

The second day of Nou’s workshop (noon to 5PM) is dedicated to the filing of the complaints. Nou’s call for volunteers to help her review the applicants’ testimony (and “interview” them to get the most detailed and accurate story) was heard. In addition to the members of CARHAD organization that have helped set up the weekend, 3 people are there to help Nou on the interviews on that day: two lawyers, Audrey Redmond (pictured below left), Julie Sheker, and a member from the community: Thilda Outhuok (pictured above left).

Pictured above: Leakhena Nou, founder of ASRIC (the Applied Social Research Institute of Cambodia) and organizer of the workshop.

At the end of the afternoon on this second day, Nou could add 12 more stories, testimonies and complaints to be addressed later to the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial). A drop of water in the ocean of pain and sufferings that still overwhelms so many Cambodian. But Nou’s doing what she’s convinced she has to do, step by step, on the West Coast, on the East Coast, and she has not stopped yet…

Vannary Tan (pictured above), 45 - a mother of two and a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime - is filing a complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial). Behind her stands Pearak Tan, 10, one of her sons.

Julie M. Sheker (pictured above right), a volunteer lawyer for ASRIC, helping Cambodian natives for the filing of their complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial).

Leakhena Nou (pictured above left) supports Cambodian native Marie M. Chea (right), 56 - a survivor of the Khmer Rouge regime - to file filing her complaint for the ECCC ("Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia", the official term for the Khmer Rouge trial).

The Graduate, College Park, Maryland

2009-05-26T17:04:00.016-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:

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Jamie Lok was born in the United States in 1984. Friday May 22, 2009 is one day Jamie will remember in her life, as this is the day of the ceremony and celebration of her graduation with an MPH, a Master degree in Public Health…
I joined Jamie and her family in Silver Spring, Maryland. Both Jamie’s parents are Cambodian natives . Her mother - Horn Lok (pictured below left) - arrived in the US in 1980 with Jamie’s grandmother and other siblings… Jamie’s father - Kimline Lok (pictured above) - has lived in the United States much longer as he arrived there as a student in 1972. He is today retired.

Together in the family car, with Jamie’s grandmother - Hauv You Orn - and her aunt - Suthy Ngan (pictured above center) - we drove to College Park, University of Maryland, more precisely to the graduation ceremony of the School of Public Health. Nearly 30 years after her mother had to flee her country devastated by the KR regime, and after 7 years of hard studies, Jamie is graduating with a Master of Public Health.

After graduation, Jamie will continue her research in substance abuse/addiction and working with minority communities. She plans to pursue a doctorate in public health in the near future.

Long Beach, Cambodia Town USA

2009-05-03T21:58:00.013-04:00

Long Beach, California… A “suburb” of Los Angeles (just 20 miles away), on the Pacific coast. Long Beach is a city of nearly half a million people, the most ethnically diverse city in the United States. Besides this, Long Beach has one of the world’s largest shipping ports (for my whole life I had never seen such a wide huge massive extended port!), with a large oil industry since oil in the area is found both underground and offshore.

Long Beach Asian community includes a large Cambodian community, considered the second-largest Cambodian community outside of Asia (after Paris, France) with 50 000 Cambodian American people or Americans from Cambodian descent. The Cambodian community of Long Beach is mostly visible in a neighborhood along Anaheim Street, between Atlantic and Junipero Streets. In 2007, the “Little Phnom Penh” became “Cambodia Town” - http://www.cambodiatown.org/ - with an official recognition from the city of Long Beach.

Long Beach is a place that makes Cambodian people proud! Even though the integration has not always been easy, even though some people in the Cambodian community still face big challenges to be able to make it here in the USA (language, jobs, wages, health, studies, education, “weight” of the past, identity struggle…), the Cambodian people in the US are proud of Long Beach for the actions, the results and the impacts that the community here has built in the city…

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

New Year festivities in Santa Ana, California

2009-05-03T21:52:00.017-04:00

Santa Ana is located 20 miles East of Long Beach. On Saturday May, 11, 2009 the Cambodian community of the area gathered at the building of “The Cambodian Family” for the festivities of the Cambodian New Year. “The Cambodian Family” - http://www.cambodianfamily.org/ - is a non-profit agency serving the refugee and immigrant community of Orange County, California, promoting social health, helping immigrants in the search of jobs, mentoring youth. If it emphasizes on the Cambodia community, the agency also serves other Southeast Asian immigrants (Vietnamese, Lao/Hmong) and Hispanic immigrants.

As "The Cambodian Family” also serves Hispanic immigrants, Mexican folkloric dances were in the program of the day.

And then came the Cambodian folkloric dances…

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Cam-CC meeting, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T21:47:00.015-04:00

Cam-CC - http://www.cam-cc.org/ -is the “Cambodian Coordinating Council”, a non-profit organization founded in 1999 to take on the organization of the Cambodian New Year celebration events in Long Beach … On Sunday 12, April 2009, the organization had a meeting to discuss the upcoming Cambodian New Year party of April 25 at El Dorado Park. Meeting was held in an office room of “Parts for Less” business on 1050 E Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach.

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

"Transformation II", Bringing contemporary Khmer Art/ American Art to Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T21:43:00.013-04:00

Saturday April 11, 2009: the opening reception in Long Beach of “Transformation II”, an exhibition of Khmer/American art in the 2nd City Council Art Gallery + Performance Space. Show was organized and curated by Long Beach based artist Denise Scott and Phnom Penh based Lydia Parusol from Meta House. 22 artists: 11 US based (Phally Chroy, Gina Han, Aragna Ker, Prumsodun Ok, Yoshie Sakai, Amy L. Sandford, Linda Saphan, Denise A Scott, Sayon Syprasoeuth, Tom Tor and Chie Yamayoshie) and 11 Cambodia based (Srey Bandol, Nawath Chhan, Sopheak Chuop, Touch Khchao, Vollak Kong, Lorn Loeum, Virginie Noel, Sokuntevy Oeur, Chath Pier Sath, Leang Seckon and Rattana Vandy).

Pictured above, from left to right: American born dancer and visual artist from Cambodian descent Prumsodun Ok, Denise Scott, artist, curator and supporter of the Cambodian Arts, and Lydia Parusol, art organizer from Meta House-Phnom Penh.

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

New Year at Willow Temple, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:42:00.012-04:00

Wat Khemara Buddhikaram in Long Beach is commonly called ‘Wat Willow” as it is located on 2100 West Willow Street. Even though it is not in the Cambodian “business neighborhood” along Anaheim Street, it remains one important Buddhist temple for the Cambodian community.

During the week of April 14, thousands of people come and gather at the temple, to honor Lord Buddha, give respect to the monks, pray and share food.

The artists of the Cambodian Culture and Arts Association will perform folkloric dances that are still very familiar to those who were born in Cambodia and had to flee or leave the country sometime in their life…

Cambodian elders are happy to contribute financially during a performance of “Chayam” folkloric dance.

Srey Met (pictured above), 61, playing “Chapey dong veng”, a popular Cambodian two-stringed, long-necked guitar.

Before a performance, Nhoeun Gnim, 58, is burning incense in honor of the spirit of the music and instruments.

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Learning English, learning Cambodian, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:34:00.016-04:00

On one side, a generation of Cambodian elder (sometime not always very old) who have lived in the USA for more or less time (can be 20 years, can be just a few years), but who speak small English as their professional and social relations probably remain in the Cambodian community. Learning English is a necessity…

On the other side, a generation of young Americans from Cambodian descent who are not always skilled in Khmer language and can not talk or understand their grandparents, aunts, uncles… Knowing Khmer would give so much benefit.

In a weekly class of ESL (English Second Language) for Cambodian people, in the building of “United Cambodian Community” on Anaheim Street, Long Beach.

Elder Burgogne, 19, from Arizona, one of the two teachers in the ESL class, is from the Mormon Church, can speak and write Cambodian well, even though he has never been in the country…

Cambodian native Bryant Sokphanarith Ben (pictured above left), a community activist, is the teacher for the weekly Cambodian class at the Long Beach Public Library. He has lived under the Khmer Rouge regime and consider crucial to share with the younger generation not only the knowledge of the language but also the understanding of what the older generation has been through.

Johndee San (pictured above left), 12, from Cambodian descent, comes at the Khmer class every week. “I want to be able to understand what my grandparents say, so I can talk with them more…”

Cambodian native Lance Salin (pictured above left), 30, has left Cambodia at the age of 3. Still he is curious about the history, the language and the culture of his country. He comes every week to the Cambodian language class and usually takes extra time when the class is finished to talk more with his teacher.

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Kickboxing, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:26:00.016-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:

http://stephanejanin.com/media/Kickboxing/index.html

This Khmer Kickboxing center is a story that would required more than just a few lines to be told. For those who still have time in their life to read here is a link to a long story written by a staff reporter of the Press Telegram from Long Beach: http://www.presstelegram.com/ci_6273151
If you’re not much of a reader, then I will try to summarize in just a few lines below…

Oumry Ban (pictured above left) is a former Cambodian kickboxing champion. He won his first national title in 1964 at 61 kilograms (or 135 pounds). His career shows 309 fights with 278 wins (31 losses only), 200 of them were KO! In 1970, Ban joined the governmental army where he first started as a soldier, being part of brutal and bloody battles. Eventually, the army realized how a celebrity he was and sent him back to Phnom Penh to continue fighting. In April 1975, the Khmer Rouge took control of the whole country, Ban went to work in the rice fields like all his Cambodian fellows…
Ban arrived in the United States in 1981 as a refugee. He originally lived in Chicago and moved to Long Beach in 1986, the year he opened the Khmer Kickboxing center with the help of established Cambodian people who knew who he was. Since, Ban, the father of 5 children, has run this modest studio for 20 years and struggled to make ends meet. Several times he was offered to sell the business, but Ban can’t resign to it. Kickboxing is his life and too much about Cambodian culture to be stopped like that. In the club, some consider him a living legend, for what he has been through and the fighter he was.

I got to visit that club after I met with Phiream Sok (pictured above right) and his girlfriend Jeanne Thoek (above left) at the United Cambodian Community (see next post in the blog). The two come to “Long Beach Kickboxing Center” every evening from 7 to 9pm to keep in shape, remain healthy, and get rid of the stress of the day. Most of all, they like the spirit of respect and self-confidence (among other things) that one can find in the practice of Kickboxing.

Phiream was born in Cambodia in 1989. He had to flee Cambodia with his mother and other siblings in July 1997 after his father - a Funcinpec colonel and Secretary of State at the Ministry of Interior - was killed in what human rights groups alleged was an execution. On Phiream’s back, a tattoo: RIP: “Rest in Peace”…

Americans from Cambodian descent, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:19:00.014-04:00

On my arrival in Long Beach, it didn’t take long time to find the building of UCC, the “United Cambodian Community” - http://ucclb.org/welcome/ - in the heart of the Cambodian neighborhood of Long Beach, on Anaheim Street. The organization was formed in 1977 to answer the urgent needs of Cambodians who entered the American mosaic in the late 70s and 80s, many as survivors of the Khmer Rouge regime. Today the UCC has developed in providing services not only to the Cambodian community of Long Beach but to other low-income groups that need assistance.

Every day, after their class is finished, a group of youth gathers in the “youth room” of the UCC, most of them being from Cambodian descent. They spend a few hours listening to their music, eating snacks, drinking soda, sharing the latest news form the neighborhood or from their clan. David Hak (pictured above left), 19, nicknamed “Kurby”, says: “This place here is like our second house…". There are few girls in the group, but a couple ones showed up when I was there, like Jeanne Thoek, 17 (pictured below right).
Phiream Sok (pictured above center), aged 20, is the oldest in the group. He has finished high-school and plans to go into mechanical studies soon. Unlike the others, he was not born in the US but in Cambodia. He fled the country with his mother and siblings after the tragic death of his father in July 1997.

Kevin Ouch, 17 (pictured above left) and Dar Nop (above right), 17, are getting ready to go with their parents to a dinner organized by UCC to celebrate the Cambodian New Year.

Seila Lonn (left), 16, is embarrassed of the tattoo on his right arm that tells “Khmer” in Cambodian writing. He says he would probably have it erased. I wonder if he will make the decision.

. . See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Learning classical dance at Khmer Arts Academy, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:15:00.017-04:00

The Khmer Arts Academy in Long Beach (http://www.khmerarts.org/) was created by Sophiline Cheam Shapiro in 2003, after she had already taught the classical Cambodian dance since 1991. "KAA" is now a recognized public benefit organization dedicated to fostering the vitality of Cambodian Arts in the United States and Cambodia.

American born classical dancer and visual artist from Cambodian descent Prumsodun Ok, 22, has learnt the Cambodian classical dance for 6 years now. He is currently the dance instructor, curator and media artist at "KAA".

On April 16, 2009, I stopped at the the Academy to watch Prum teach his two younger sisters, Callie, 19, and Khannia, 15… Eventhough they are siblings, I was impressed on how demanding and "strict" Prum is with his sisters. It it clear in his mind that he is not there to entertain two young girls with some "after class" activitiy but truly trying to bring them into the spiritual dimension of what that art is and what it means to be a dancing artist...

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

April 17, Memorial day, Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:07:00.015-04:00

Every year, in the same week that they celebrate their New Year, some Cambodian people in the world will also mourn and remember the day that the Khmer Rouge guerilla took over Phnom Penh in April 17, 1975. Actually, the Khmer Rouge guerilla had taken over many other cities and provinces in Cambodia before April 75. Some parts of the country had even been under KR control for quite a while. Still April 17 in 1975 marked the start of a three years, eight months and twenty days regime of terror, killings and sufferings.
At the very time where some last still alive former Khmer Rouge responsibles are judged in Phnom Penh, Cambodian people from Long Beach gathered at Wat Vipassanaram for a memorial day of prayers, testimonies, healing poetry and candle light vigil, organized by “Killing Fields Memorial Center” (http://kfmemorial.org/home/)
In the picture below Cambodian native Vat Rattana, 70, explains the spiritual meaning of burning incense to young American from Cambodian descent Kai Lee, 8.

Pictured above and below: some former Lon Nol governmental army soldiers (“veterans”) who could escape Cambodia before the Khmer Rouge took over Phnom Penh and therefore have not lived under the regime.

Unlike some of his veteran friends, Cambodian poet Chandara Nop (pictured above left) has not escaped the Cambodian turmoil and was trapped like many others into the Khmer Rouge regime.

Bryant Sokphanarith Ben (left), a Long Beach community activist, secretary of the “Killing Fields Memorial Center” shares the loss of one of his brother who died under the Khmer Rouge regime.

Caleb Lee, 6, from Cambodian descent, came with his family and brought his candle to honor the souls and spirits of those who died under the KR regime.

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See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

Sarong Party in Long Beach, California

2009-05-03T20:01:00.021-04:00

On Saturday, April 19, 2009, a party was organized at Sophy’s, a famous Cambodian cuisine restaurant in Long Beach: a “Sarong Party”. A young generation of Cambodian Americans or Americans with Cambodian descent came to dance, listen Cambodia born star rapper Prach Ly (pictured above center) and watch a fashion show from fashion designer Remy Hou (pictured above right)…

Prach Ly, star rapper for the Cambodian people, showed up to play a few songs.

. . See more stories about the Cambodian Americans in the archives of this blog! ..

The Rehearsal, Silver Spring, Maryland

2009-04-08T20:41:00.018-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:

http://stephanejanin.com/media/Rehearsal/index.html

These last weeks - and still now - at Vatt Buddhikarama, the Cambodian Buddhist temple of Washington DC area in Silver Spring, Maryland, artists (dancers, musicians) have been busier than ever. The Cambodian New Year festivities of mid-April are always a big time for the Cambodian Buddhist Society Culture Group.

But this year, an extra project is bringing the whole troupe a bigger challenge: a fundraising performance to help fund new teachers and art programs at the temple is planned at the Clarice Smith Performing Arts Center of University of Maryland College Park on June 27. The performance – titled “Agangamasor” - will tell the prelude to the “Reamker”, the Cambodian adaptation of the Ramayana, the famous Indian epic tale about the gods and struggles between good and evil.

Renowned Masters of Dance or Music, skilled adults or teenagers who have learned and practiced for many years, and children who are at the early stage of their practice, they all come every Sunday (sometime doubling on the Saturday as well) to rehearse, get better week after week, and most of all be ready for the New Years festivities or for their big performance of June 27.

The Liquor Store, Washington DC

2009-04-07T18:16:00.031-04:00

See a multimedia version of this story at:
http://stephanejanin.com/media/Liquor/index.html
At the intersection of North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue in Washington DC, just a mile and a half (2,5 kms) from the Capitol building, there’s a liquor store. Nothing exceptional except that the business is owned and managed by a Cambodian family.
The Pich family arrived in the United States in 1988 after some years in Thai refugee camps and 6 months in Philippines before reaching the US. They have been based in the DC area all these last 20 years, and have bought this liquor business from Korean people in 2006. The two boys of the family, Mak and Pron (aged 25 and 29) managed the store, Monday through Friday, from 10am to 10pm. Their parents work in a hotel downtown and regularly come help and keep an eye on the accountancy.

This area at the intersection of North Capitol Street and Florida Avenue is not the safest place in DC. This is where the North East neighborhood starts, on the way to Florida, New York and Rhode Island avenues. The ghetto, a lot of hanging around in the streets, evidently some drug dealing and insecurity.
Pron and Mak are separated from their customers with thick windows. The money is checked before anything is delivered… Calling the police to get rid of excited customers is not rare. Still it’s a business, and even during these hard times, the sales of beer, wine, soda, hard liquor and lottery tickets constantly bring people into the shop. The two boys don’t have much time to be bored...