Khmer kerchief

The Khmer kerchief was recently inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List on December 4, 2024. The Khmer kerchief was inscribed on the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List as a national pride for the Cambodian people, who have long desired it. The kerchief is very important in the life of Cambodian society. Cambodian people in rural areas use kerchiefs from birth to death, such as tying them as a hammock for children, bedding, clothing, covering, covering, covering their heads, wiping sweat or body, bathing, changing clothes, tying their necks, tying grass, making baskets, picking fruits, or placing other items as needed. There is much evidence of the kerchief, such as through sculptures, paintings, and literature. Evidence at Banteay Chhmar Temple in Banteay Meanchey Province, sculptures at Bayon Temple in Angkor, Siem Reap Province, which some researchers believe is the daily use of the kerchief that sculptors of that time brought down. Evidence of paintings in the gallery of the Preah Keo Morakot Temple in the Royal Palace, Wat Kampong Tralacha Leu, Kampong Chhnang Province, Wat Preah Sisowath Ratanaram Temple in Kandal Province, Wat Reach Bo Temple in Siem Reap Province, and paintings on the roof of Wat Prek Samrong in Takhmao City, Kandal Province, etc. Evidence through other writings include the Law of Women of Meun Mai from the Middle Ages, the Law of the New Law of Kam Ngoy in 1922, songs and music, red scarves, silk scarves, scarves, songs about the Khmer land, and many other songs. In addition, the krama has been associated with Khmer beliefs, traditions, and customs since ancient times. In particular, in the Sambor Prei Kuk area of ​​Kampong Thom province, locals wear kramas to cover the ceremony of raising the ancestors, who are symbols of the rice fields. The krama-laying ceremony in Siem Reap province involves the use of kramas made of fresh rice to cover the grave and inviting the monks to come and take the krama to the monks to pray for the deceased. In some provinces, locals wear kramas to cover the coffin. In some places, they cover the body, and in some places, when the body is cremated, before collecting the remains, they perform a ritual of transformation and cover it with a krama. In some areas, they wear kramas to cover the remains, and there is a final ritual called phampe pham, where they tie the kramas like a hammock and swing it. There are many types of Khmer kramas, such as silk kramas, which are mostly made in Kandal province, Siem Reap province, Banteay Meanchey province, dyed yarn kramas in Kampong Cham province, burnt kramas in Kampong Cham and Kampong Speu province, as well as yarn kramas in other provinces of Cambodia. The krama weaving business has helped Cambodian artisans and significantly boosted the national economy.