A weblog owner Phatry Derek Pan of ‘1.man.among.13,607,069.fists’ claims that he is ‘perpetuating the voice of the khmerican conscience’. Although philosphically I should not come to a quick conclusion, but I have to insist that he is a Cambodian-American citizen. Actually he is a Phnom Penh Post reporter, so he lives in both worlds, in professional journalism and in citizen journalism.
Of course, he is not the only Khmerican. Puthearorth is just another Cambodian-American. It is incredible that he has traveled to many different places. The more people travel, the more people learn new things on the road. His weblog title reads ‘My Khmerican Corner‘.
Also, a Cambodia-based weblogger and web designer, currently in Phnom Penh, names his weblog ‘Khmerang‘. Is he a French?
Not surprisingly that this term becomes increasingly common in Cambodia, where France played a significant role in a few chapters of Cambodian history. Rather than refering to French alone, the term also includes any Westerner. I am quite sure that a Cambodian-Australian will have her/his say about this. Khmeralian? Khmeradian for Cambodian-Canadian?
At the French Cultural Center, a Khmer-French artist was highly amused to hear me called a ‘barang’!
Once at a dinner we took turns explaining background. “I’m Cambodian-Chinese.” “I’m Cambodian American, grew up in Chicago.” “I’m Overseas Cambodian, I was born in USA.” Finally the last one said, “I’m Cambodian-Cambodian.”
oh wow thanks for the feature in your post. Finding a common ground between the two identities has been hard, but I am very pleased now to be called Khmerican!
[...] PS: Thanks to ThaRum for putting this thought in his blog. [...]
Prince Sihanouk: “Someone said American Cambodian, Chinese Cambodian,.. General Charle de Gaule has his own reason to say Cambodian Cambodian”. Sihanouk quoted General Charle de Gaule as saying in an interview on TV5.org.
General Charle de Gaule, former president of France paid an official visit to Cambodian in Sangkum Reastr Niyum(the name of an ara under king Sihanouk’s rule).
Dear ThaRum,
This notion of a Khmer-American identity is interesting for on many levels.
Would you agree that a person’s self-claimed Cambodian identity could include any, or all, or many different combinations of the following?
a) birthplace
b) parents’ birthplace
c) parents’ adopted country
d) language (speech and writing) of origin
e) biological ethnicity
f) religious values & beliefs
g) family values & beliefs
h) social values & beliefs
Would you say one or more individual traits is needed for Cambodian ethnicity? Which one(s)? Is there a more- or less- Cambodian American?
In the U.S. many Cambodian people would share sameness in a few, but not all of the above.
For example some Cambodian people living in the U.S.:
- were born in Thai refugee camps, or in Cambodia or in the U.S.;
- some share partial biological Chinese ethnicity/lineage; or partial Thai lineage;
- some are entirely Khmer literate
- some can speak Khmer, but are entirely Khmer illiterate;
- some understand the Khmer parents’ speech; but are only literate in English;
- some are entirely Christian;
- some claim ethnicity as Khmer Krom Cambodian; (said so himself)
- some have Cambodian biological parents but were adopted by American Cambodian relatives;
- some have Cambodian biological parents, but have been adopted by non-Cambodian American parents;
- each Cambodian American emigrated to the U.S. as one part three waves since the 1960’s;
- etc., (and even more variations in family histories)
Many Khmer Americans believe they must travel across the ocean to their geographic “roots” to witness the devastation suffered by today’s cambodian genocide survivors: families destroyed by physiological illnesses, untreated post-traumatic stress, poverty, domestic violence, addictions (take your pick), labor exploitation, and community violence.
Unfortunately, the reality is that the Cambodian American as an Asian immigrant population, is numerically the “least likely to succeed” in the U.S. from one sea to shining sea, for all the above postwar reasons, and more. In the U.S., the Japanese and Koreans are considered “the model minority” who frequently surpass other immigrants (and frequently Americans) in academic achievement and earning potentials. Although many/most westerners consider all asian groups the same— one glance at the actual statistics separates Chinese from Japanese from Vietnamese, etc. and shows staggering differences in generational accomplishments (both academic achievement and household income) for the Khmer.
The Cambodian American who possesses:
1) a college degree; and/or
2) a home; and/or
3) a legal business
is an elite Cambodian American minority in the United States.
I hope your numerous American readers will be so shocked at this claim that they will look it up for themselves. And maybe one of the elite will lend a hand in a struggling Cambodian community in the U.S.
It is true that there are many definitions of what being a Khmer is. In my humble opinion, I strongly believe that what counts as being Khmer is not where you were born, what blood lines run in your body, or what language you speak. It is the values and believes that you carry when it is time to make decisions regarding your future and who you are. I’ve seen American born kids who speak fluent Khmer, adore and love Khmer culture and history, and have plans to be part of the rebuilding of the country. I’ve also seen and met Khmer kids who were born and raised in Khmer, but now they are all choked up with the new ways of lifestyle and sometime wouldn’t even admit that they’re Khmer. I guess what I am trying to say is that, it is not where you come from that determines whether or not you’re Khmer, but where you are going. I do agree that there are more than few of Khmer students who have outstanding academic achievements with great potentials of being great role models for others in the community. However, there are increasing numbers of people who are going to college, graduate school, and they are hoping to make a difference. This is when having more than one identities is extremely important because the Khmer community is heavily depending on them.
Thank everyone for contribution. I believe it will be a frequent discussed topic of this generation of post-war Cambodia.
i agree with Rod,
wherever you were born,
it’s not important,
it’s the important is what you really want to be,
you have to find yourself,
a man will be happy to be what he is.
And what “quick conclusion” would that be? -P-
I am a Cambodian but was raised in America since age one. Although, I love America so much,I don’t think I should consider myself Khmerican. Khmerican in my definition implies to half American half Cambodian by blood. I would say I am Cambodian grew up in US to be more appropriate.
Chantou,
You are what you think. You choose the way you live. My writing aims to provide a discussion and an understanding to this identity issues. Thanks for dropping your thought.