Vanishing Roots

A Cambodian community protects its sacred forest.

- Clothilde Le Coz/The Ruom Collective

A SPIRITED MANDATE 

One of the largest ethnic groups in Cambodia, the Kuy community lives in harmony with the forest. For them, life follows the organic rhythm of Nature, rooted in the essence of community life.

“We call this place our home. This is where we feel protected,” they explain. A community strongly tied to their animist beliefs, the Kuy people says that the Neaktah – or ancestral spirits – have blessed their presence in the forest. The Neaktah watch over people and places, as long as they are paid respect through prayers and offerings.

Saom Than, a 48-year-old farmer, explains that the Neaktah ensure safety for the people by warding off imminent threats. “They always provide for the people. We can find fruits when we are hungry, and we do not have to worry about wild animals,” he says.

In the Kuy dialect, Prey Lang means “our forest”. For the community, this is home; they have been living here for at least two decades. More than a spiritual place, the forest is also “a nurturing mother”. This is how Hon, a 50-year-old farmer, explains it: “We have a deep connection with the forest because we look for its natural products.”

The Kuy people pay homage to the forest for providing them with resources, blessing the community with farmlands, food, medicine, rattan, vines, and other natural gifts that the villagers can use and rely on. This is how the Kuy community has been self-sufficient for the past two generations.