Celestial Dancer Certification: Khmer a Moment by
Mike Violette
Forty thousand elephants were used in the construction of Angkor Wat,
the iconic world-heritage temple complex located in the west-central
area of Cambodia. Simply translated “City Temple” the complex covers
acres upon acres of cleared jungle a short tukk-tukk drive away from
Siem Reap (a city named after a victory over the Siamese: “Yeah, we beat
them and we named our city thus.” Siem Reap: Thailand’s Waterloo,
perhaps?)
It is indeed built on the scale of a city.
Angkor Wat--one of over forty temples in the area--is the largest
religious structure in the world, representing “the completely realized
microcosm of the Hindu universe, culminating in Mount Heru”--the home of
the gods (Hindu Mount Zeus?). The extensive carvings and friezes tell
the story of the beginning of the world, as well as declaring devotions
to various gods, rulers and builders of the complex. The temple was built
during the rule of Suryarvarman II (1113-1150) and represents the
highest achievement in Khmer architecture.
Situated
between Thailand and Vietnam, Cambodia has a strong identity of her own
formed by a mélange of groups, with the Khmer being the predominant one.
The other groups include peoples from Lao and Vietnam as well as Muslim
Cham. Khmer religious beliefs, iconography and architecture all stem
directly from India* and this can be seen in the overwhelming presence
of Hindu creationism and Buddhist religious motifs. The thirty hour trip
from Washington DC is well worth each cheek-numbing minute.
Angkor Wat: The Eastern Approach
Angkor Apsara
These various ethnic groups and styles are known by the works of their
hands; our reason for being in this neck of the jungle is to participate
in a conference on Intellectual Property protection focused on
protecting native handicrafts—a far throw (and welcome relief) from the
rigors of our usual regulatory, but with a serious intent nonetheless:
to protect and sustain indigenous cultures.
The event was organized by the International Intellectual Property
Institute (iipi.org) whose mission on this conference is apt-stated in
the conference title: “Harnessing Intellectual Property to Protect and
Promote Traditional Arts and Crafts and to Empower Women.” The
US Patent
and Trademark Office provided funding for the program.
Intellectual Property? One might raise an eyebrow. How so? Isn’t
Intellectual Property (IP) the purview of patents and software and
know-how and technology? Does not the discussion usually require a
Harvard MBA? Maybe in our über-Western sense, but there is work in the
“IP” area that gathers to itself the deep-seated roots of lore that
define a people and culture, not in a way described by coding a
cyber-security method or the fine art of imaging an X-ray. As we
discover, the definition of intellectual property extends to the work
that has been carried out for millennia and the preservation of small
groups of people who have little “say” in the greater world. That is the
mission defined by the organizers of this conference, which drew 150
participants from throughout the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN).
IIPI Conference: Empowering Women
Conference Crowd from ASEAN
Sure, it took me a couple of days to get my head around this notion, but
it turned out to be well-worth the effort, especially in this world of
homogeneity, world-brands and convenience stores on every corner that
look like postage stamps of Western culture and sameness. It is
refreshing to experience the tendrils of the unique fabric that are
woven in the small villages and still convey the essence of practice
handed down from parent to child throughout the millennia.
With just a few days’ sampling, strong impressions emerge. This place
has a preternatural innocence, a pseudo-naïvete that flows through the
manners and customs, nurtured under a strong Buddhist influence or
perhaps war-wounded psyche.
Lacking experience in Thailand, I can only give some measure against
Cambodia’s neighbor to the right and compare impressions with those of
the Vietnamese, with whom the Cambodians have had a roiling relationship
over the millennia. By comparison, while equally kind and friendly, Ho
Chi Minh residents appear more street-smart (worldly?)--more hustle.
Siem Reap feels a little like Saigon lite, the throttle backed off of
redline.
Another striking difference is the Hindu culture that permeates the
symbology, the script and the complexion of the faces: features and
coloration favor more of the western genes of SE Asia versus what might
be described as Chinese features. The iconic Buddha is largely
representative: rounded nose, high eyebrows, a peaceful countenance. The
language is more mellifluous and less nasal than Vietnamese with more
rounded consonants and less tonal constructs.
Angkor Wat Monks
Artisan Work: Don’t Push Me Away
It is like the Mekong River was a wall between the more
Chinese-influenced Vietnam and the Hindu-Buddhist nature of Cambodia.
Unique in its own right, the culture is a rich mixture of Khmer, Thai,
Hindi and Chinese. The language is tonal, but not so strikingly so. Many
people speak English in the shops.
Industry and Entrepreneurs
Technology is not too far away, either, as I found out to my relief. My
Macintosh power supply died an untimely death. I found another at an
Apple-authorized reseller a short sweaty walk from the hotel. The
proprietor was a young lad who was excited because the iPad was to be
available for sale in September.
No problem getting a taxi ride in this town, any time of day. Walking
anywhere one is offered rides from drivers of the ubiquitous
“tukk-tukks”. Mechanical minotaurs, half-human and half machine, a
motor-scooter connected to a quad of seats on a trailer. The motorized
part can be unhooked at the end of the day (whenever that is) and the
driver can head home.
Tukk-tukk drivers don’t have much in the way of upward mobility,
although I suppose there are ways to get ownership of one’s own
concession. But some days getting a handful of rides at two bucks a piece
(the standard fare from point A to point B in Siem Reap) doesn’t really
allow a man to accumulate too much. Maybe you get lucky and score a
couple of rides to the airport, about 6 km away (six bucks) but with gas
running over five bucks a gallon at the pump, just feeding the machine
can get expensive.
Siem Reap Fountain and Monk
Navan and Poullee
Meet Navan and Poulee:
WATCH VIDEO
Or, you can attach a small restaurant to a scooter, broaden your service
and product offering and get the whole family involved in the production
of income.
Which brings the discussion back to the Empowering Women part of the
conference. In developing countries where artisanal crafts form a basis
for a sector of the economy, it is often the women that produce the
goods in small shops and mini-factories. As craft are preserved, so are
traditions that are passed along to new generations, if tradition is
anything to be valued.
The dollar is still the transportable and fully-convertible currency in
this corner of the world--for the time being anyway--and prices are
marked in dollars. If you have local currency, multiply by four thousand
to get the price in Cambodian riel. The smallest note is the 100 riel
note, worth a couple of pence, with intricate designs and
representations of some of the famous monuments in the country.
Life
looks pretty simple for the tukk-tukk driver, who patiently waits in the
shade in the parking lots of the tourist hotel with a number of his
compadres--maybe they are brothers--I never got a chance to find out
about the life among the tukk-tukks; I will make up for that when I come
back.
Nor am I sure how they divvy up the work that comes up, especially
during the low season, but it appears without noticeable rancor, some
sort cooperative: “Hey it’s your turn, Lok Hen, go for it”.
In
the marketplace--and there are good markets here, both the local earthy
kind and the shiny western kind, with shaving cream and brightly
packaged disposable diapers—the local food is pretty cheap. A standard
lunch can be had for the equivalent of a dollar, which is about the same
cost of the equivalent of a bowl of phở in Saigon.
Mr. Hen, Tukk Tukk Driver
Scooter Eats
Not nearly as crowded as many Asian cities, Siem Reap is a jewel. It’s
hard to fathom how things were like just thirty years ago as the horrid
scourge that Cambodia is too-well known for: 2-3 million dead out of a
population of about 12 m at the time. Even at the low end, a staggering
1000 people a day (on average) were killed during Pol Pot’s reign.
The people of Cambodia suffered famously under Pol’s grip, and it was
hell-on-Earth from 1975-79. The unique form of genocide that was
practiced during that period was neither purely ethnic nor religious,
but largely carried out against intelligentsia and rural-vs-urban or
“old” versus “new” people. Many of the educated, and much of the urban
population, were forced to collectivized farms where they were starved,
beaten, worked to death or executed.
The word Khmer is a strong one, from the western (my) under-informed
point of view, as it is associated strongly with the Khmer Rouge (or red
Khmers) who were in charge of this country during a phantasm of
brutality formed on the notion of an agrarian utopia: self-sufficient
isolated from the world, like Jonestown writ enormis. Pol Pot read his
Mao, but didn’t learn any lessons.
Now, with a population with a median age of about 23 years, the past is
exactly that and peace in Cambodia is one of the grateful results of UN
peace-keeping, free elections and a measure of hope, and foot massages.
Reil Note: About 2 Cents
Khmer culture, on the other hand, stretches back over 2000 years and is
a mix of indigenous, Hindu and Buddhist influences. The control of the
area, rich in natural resources and occupied since Neolithic times,
swapped back and forth between the Hindi and Buddhists. The adoption of
the “foreign” religions into existing Khmer beliefs created a rich and
complex belief system, but the native gods were less likely to be
enshrined in the permanent stone temples.
The temples around Angkor Wat, with pedigree stretching to the 8th
century, were largely completed by the early 14th century with the most
activity under the Jayavarman lineage of rulers. “J” the Seventh ( JVII,
c. 1181-1220) undertook a frenzied building spree that included several
temples, including my favorite Preah Khan, as well as hundreds of
hospitals in the region. As Rick points out, this was the same period of
time as the building of the great cathedrals in Europe. After much of
the building ended and for several hundred years, the temples were
consumed by the jungle as commercial and political power and the
population shifted east to Phnom Penh. The temples around Angkor Wat
were “re-discovered” by the French in the late 1800s and active
preservation efforts continue to this day.
Many
of the icons and images were trashed not by nature, but by man, notably
Jayavarman VIII, who beheaded and de-armed thousands of the Buddhist
icons in a shift back to Hindu beliefs.
Corner Tower (Gopura)
The temples are not so much spaces for gathering of the faithful as they
are shrines to the gods, lacking the soaring internal spaces
characteristic of European cathedrals.
The Preah Kahn temple was more than a temple and was used as a Buddhist
university. According to modern thought, it was built on the site of a
major battle where the Khmer fought and defeated the Cham people. The
temple was dedicated to Jayamarman’s father Dharanindravarman (say that
five times fast).
Everywhere is stone and jumble and endless religious imagery. The walls
are covered in Khmer inscriptions, which mostly deal with honorifics to
the gods and the kings; very little is depicted about the daily lives of
the people.
Everywhere are Apsaras, the “celestial dancers” whose role is to
entertain gods and fallen heroes. Apsara and the divine forms of the
Devata adorn the temples and are associated with fertility, good luck
and overall good blessings.
Thus to the theme of the conference. With a large segment of the
population of SE Asia minimally industrialized, many families rely on
the creation of traditional art and cultural expressions to feed their
families. Transitioning from an agrarian-based economy, to a
tourist-based economy has opened up possibilities for Cambodian families
to support themselves and (marginally) move up their standard of living.
The result of the infusion of foreign influence (and cash) is the
dilution of traditional culture. The world is a more interesting place
as result of this diversity and the buttressing of traditional values
and practices is a worthwhile endeavor.
Foot Massage; $5 per hour or $2.50 per foot
Preah Kahn: My favorite temple had a mystical vibe
One of the issues is the mis-use or mis-appropriation of cultural
symbols. One of the attendees took offense over the use of the Apsara
was used in the west. Flames were depicted consuming one Aspara, which
were offensive and in another case an image featured an Aspara wearing a
bikini top, which are traditionally bare.
Come copyright protection of expressions of folkloric images and the
work of native artisans.
Other
questions of the conference revolved around how to balance society
transition (as the agrarian economy moves to manufacturing), preserve
the culture, and achieve economic fairness. To balance the whole of
these requires protection of the essence of the culture. Thus, efforts
to protect the images and traditional methods steered towards
“Certification”—a validation of the origin.
So, a move towards the preservation of these images would be to
establish Certification Criteria to authenticate the source of
traditional means of expression.
A lively discussion about the merits of Certification and how it applies
to “Traditional Cultural Expressions” was conducted and, ultimately, the
question that hangs in the air is “How do you Certify a Celestial
Dancer?”
It was suggested, in the end, that the way to do it would be to create
collectives, develop standards and work towards a branding regimen.
Lotus Position
Angkor Nun: 75 year-old Buddhist devotee
I picked up a wooden Apsara at a small shop in the market. The
proprietor of the enterprise, a neatly-laid out antiques and handi-craft
concern, was hand-carving new wares in the front of the store. His
daughters (fourth-graders, perhaps) worked on their English lesson in
the back of the store, singing tunes from “Titanic”.
I am pretty certain that the Celestial Dancer was authentic, but it
carried no independent Certification mark.
Home
Arriving Dulles Airport at the end of this journey, a looping video
greets guests at Baggage Claim 3. There are no words in this video and
no direct message, just a continuous churn of images of the US, focused
on mostly Western US icons: cowboys, horses, Native Americans and vistas
of the plains. Cultural icons. Heritage to be preserved and celebrated
everywhere, just as in Siem Reap.
Mike Violette
July 2011
Angkor Tam Support Shows Her Age
Apsara in Wood
Preah Kahn Stones
*Reference: Ancient Angkor. Michael Freeman, Claude Jacques. Amarin
Printing and Publishing. 2010.
Khmer Inscriptions
In Memoriam:
Donald E. Syvrud, PhD July 15, 1924-July 16, 2011
It is
with sadness that I convey that Liv’s great and loving father and my
father-in-law passed away a few hours into his 88th Year.
Don Syvrud was born in a small town in Wisconsin and left to join the
Army, serving in Japan during the re-building of that country after
WWII. He later served in Korea and returned to marry Beverly Wurtzler
from his hometown.
From his humble beginnings he went onto gain a PhD in Economics at the
University of Wisconsin.
Don
and Beverly lived in Norway where he was a Fulbright Scholar and later
went to Brazil where Don worked for the Treasury department.
Returning to the US, he worked with Henry Kissinger on the Paris Peace
Talks, flying the Concord SST to Paris several times.
After retiring from serving his country, he worked as an Executive
Director at the International Monetary Fund. Later, he spent nearly a
year in Liberia, working to re-build that country and spent time in
Kabul after the exit of the Soviet forces from Afghanistan.
In sharp contrast to his amazing global achievements was his simple love
of the Earth, making things grow, driving his tractor, cultivating
trees, building stone walls around his property and spending time with
his family, which grew to include 10 grandchildren and several foster
children.
A role model for many, a man who accepted people of every background and
culture, from the highest in the government to the man who delivered
gravel for his driveway. He appreciated them all and made everyone
around him feel comfortable and valued. I knew him as a man who treated
me like another son, was keenly interested and supportive, loving and
always understanding.
He loved painting, music, dancing and ice cream.
His
last great gift was of his body, which went to Johns Hopkins to further
the understanding of Parkinson's disease, which he fought valiantly and
tirelessly.
He will be missed by many.
Mike
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