Curse of the dammed
Curse of the dammed
A little voodoo and effigy burning were the order of the day.
https://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/vill ... dam-78885/Cambodiadaily.com wrote:Villagers Call on Spirit to Curse Officials, Company Behind Dam
BY AUN PHEAP | MARCH 2, 2015
Villagers in Stung Treng province displeased local authorities on Saturday by holding a traditional ceremony calling upon a powerful local spirit to curse those behind the construction of the Lower Sesan 2 dam.
During the ceremony, some 300 members of the Lao and Bunong ethnic minorities marched about 10 km to a shrine dedicated to the local deity Neak Ta Krahomkor, or “Red Neck Spirit,” in Sesan district’s Srekor commune, asking him to protect the villagers from harm and curse the officials and investors behind the dam.
“The villagers…prayed to the spirit of Neak Ta Krahormkor to use magic to stop the construction of the hydroelectric dam,” said Bun Thann, a program coordinator for the 3S River Protection Network, which has been campaigning against the dam.
His and other environmental groups say the 400-megawatt dam, which is being constructed on two tributaries of the Mekong River, will deplete fisheries and displace about 5,000 people living in the Mekong River basin.
After praying to the Neak Ta spirit, promising to sacrifice two buffalos for him if he stopped further construction of the dam, the villagers set up four effigies known as “ting moungs,” representing Mines and Energy Minister Suy Sem, construction company owner Chip Mong, Hydro Lancang company officials and local authorities who helped green-light the project.
“The villagers cursed all the people involved with the construction, saying they are going to die without being buried in the land,” Mr. Thann explained.
Vuth Khoeun, one of those who participated in the ceremony, said villagers ritually stabbed and burned the effigies, which were made of clothes stuffed with rice.
“We stabbed the ting moungs with a sharp stick, meaning that we killed the people involved with the construction of the hydroelectric dam, then we burned the bodies of those people,” he said.
Deputy provincial governor Doung Pov said he was not happy about the spectacle, and blamed villagers for failing to inform local authorities about the ritual cursing, as well as “violating the rights of investors.”
“I understand that it is a right of the villagers to celebrate a Buddhist ceremony, but they violated the rights of investors because they cursed them,” he said.
“We will find out who is…behind the villagers and then I will report to the upper levels,” he added.
Re: Curse of the dammed
Red Neck Spirit? Is its name Jim-Bob or Bubba?
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 2653
- Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:46 pm
- Reputation: 12
Re: Curse of the dammed
Red Neck is the name of Neak Ta (Spirit). Beside Buddha, we still believe in nature spirit such as hill, trees, river, mountain... We believe the spirit looks after that place.
កុំស្លាប់ដូចពស់ កុំរស់ដូចកង្កែប
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:17 pm
- Reputation: 6
Re: Curse of the dammed
Well, rednecks are good at cursing.
Re: Curse of the dammed
Well, older Cambodian almost believe in everything especially superstition, that's why they don't allow younger Cambodians do anything they want lolzzz. i.e when they are sick they will not immediately go to see the doctor, but traditional healer who will just scam the money from them.prahkeitouj wrote:Red Neck is the name of Neak Ta (Spirit). Beside Buddha, we still believe in nature spirit such as hill, trees, river, mountain... We believe the spirit looks after that place.
បើសិនធ្វើចេះ ចេះឲ្យគេកោត បើសិនធ្វើឆោត ឆោតឲ្យគេអាណិត។
If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
If you know a lot, know enough to make them respect you, if you are stupid, be stupid enough so they can pity you.
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 2653
- Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:46 pm
- Reputation: 12
Re: Curse of the dammed
You are right 50%! Sometimes I think doctors are also a kind of scammer! LolzzSamouth wrote:Well, older Cambodian almost believe in everything especially superstition, that's why they don't allow younger Cambodians do anything they want lolzzz. i.e when they are sick they will not immediately go to see the doctor, but traditional healer who will just scam the money from them.prahkeitouj wrote:Red Neck is the name of Neak Ta (Spirit). Beside Buddha, we still believe in nature spirit such as hill, trees, river, mountain... We believe the spirit looks after that place.
កុំស្លាប់ដូចពស់ កុំរស់ដូចកង្កែប
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 3858
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 7:49 am
- Reputation: 978
- Location: Outside of Kampong Cham city
Re: Curse of the dammed
Well, older Cambodian almost believe in everything especially superstition, that's why they don't allow younger Cambodians do anything they want lolzzz. i.e when they are sick they will not immediately go to see the doctor, but traditional healer who will just scam the money from them.[/quoteSamouth wrote:prahkeitouj wrote:Red Neck is the name of Neak Ta (Spirit). Beside Buddha, we still believe in nature spirit such as hill, trees, river, mountain... We believe the spirit looks after that place.
Yeah, that's how it is where I live too, Sanouth. However, even though it's a scam, it's a cheaper one than many "real" doctors charge, so I think frequently it's a financial decision as well as, if not more so than a spiritual one. Also, in our village they will place a scarecrow at the entrance to scare away the evil spirit of dengue fever. No, I don't want my children to believe in this animism! I have trouble understanding why Cambodians always seem to revere and protect those practices in their culture that are ineffective and should be discarded.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 1264
- Joined: Sat Sep 06, 2014 10:17 pm
- Reputation: 6
Re: Curse of the dammed
I don't think it is all Cambodians, but you live in rural Cambodia and most of the people you interact with aren't very educated. I think lack of education causes people to believe in superstition everywhere in the world. The more people learn, the more they can explain the world around them; this is why education is so important. I think this is true with religious people too; there's a reason most academics are agnostic or atheist. The more you learn, the harder it becomes to swallow stories or beliefs that require adherence to "faith" or "tradition" when you have the tools to understand things scientifically or rationally.
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 2653
- Joined: Tue Feb 03, 2015 11:46 pm
- Reputation: 12
Re: Curse of the dammed
I agree with your idea !MekongMouse wrote:I don't think it is all Cambodians, but you live in rural Cambodia and most of the people you interact with aren't very educated. I think lack of education causes people to believe in superstition everywhere in the world. The more people learn, the more they can explain the world around them; this is why education is so important. I think this is true with religious people too; there's a reason most academics are agnostic or atheist. The more you learn, the harder it becomes to swallow stories or beliefs that require adherence to "faith" or "tradition" when you have the tools to understand things scientifically or rationally.
កុំស្លាប់ដូចពស់ កុំរស់ដូចកង្កែប
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 3858
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 7:49 am
- Reputation: 978
- Location: Outside of Kampong Cham city
Re: Curse of the dammed
Of course, you are correct Mekong Mouse, but please read my thoughts on rural education atMekongMouse wrote:I don't think it is all Cambodians, but you live in rural Cambodia and most of the people you interact with aren't very educated. I think lack of education causes people to believe in superstition everywhere in the world. The more people learn, the more they can explain the world around them; this is why education is so important. I think this is true with religious people too; there's a reason most academics are agnostic or atheist. The more you learn, the harder it becomes to swallow stories or beliefs that require adherence to "faith" or "tradition" when you have the tools to understand things scientifically or rationally.
https://cambodiaexpatsonline.com/newswor ... t4119.html
It isn't just the old people in our village who buy into animism. I see no hope for this country. If I weren't so old and had no family responsibilities I would have left years ago.
g
If you missed the reality; read the book(some more of the same) go to https://www.cambodiadaily.com/archives/ ... dom-78830/
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 2 Replies
- 1531 Views
-
Last post by SternAAlbifrons
-
- 5 Replies
- 1299 Views
-
Last post by John Bingham
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: Amazon [Bot], Ong Tay, paul2d and 790 guests