Yolanda Saayman Photography

Cambodia
May 2010

Maybe it is important to emphasize that this is my experience and overall impression of Cambodia…

We all have pre-conceived ideas of things, the world and how we would like it to be, until you are faced with reality. Sometimes we are pleasantly surprised by reality and sometimes, immensely disappointed. Such is life…

I arrived at Siem Reap International airport at night. Siem Reap is the gateway to the Angkor Wat Archaeological National Park. It is a tourist hive and not a real reflection on Cambodian life. Everything costs a Dollar. Tourists even refer to it as the U$1-city. Real = Nothing. Dollar is the currency to use and ATM’s dispense Dollars. Children will sing for money and the refrain would be “money”.

Once you venture out to the areas surrounding the Tonlé Sap, you perceive poverty and a life of extreme simplicity. You see a different view of Cambodia, children playing in the rain and riding over-sized bicycles - happy, smiling and eager to greet foreigners without expectations of any gain.

I spent a couple of days in Battambang visiting the surrounding sites including Phnom Sampeau, also known for the Killing Cave. This was the first visible, remaining sign of the Khmer Rouge brutality – a reality check. Toni, our tuk-tuk driver and survivor of the genocide, introduced us to Nha. Nha was a 10-year old, bright young boy who was very surprised that we were planning to walk to the top of the hill in the extreme heat. He kept asking us: “To the top?” and every now and again would request us to stop as he was tired. Dicing him up the hill made him laugh and his fighting spirit grew on me. The locals at the top was as surprised when we steamed past them: “OH MY GOD!!! You walked here?”

In Battambang I saw many people who seemed to do well for themselves. There is a strong Chinese influence in Battambang and one has to wonder how they make their money. Some of these people drive large 4×4’s and their children are dressed in uniform and go to school - I had a glimpse of the flipside of the coin…

Although I had no intention of spending much time in Phnom Penh, I stayed a couple of days. Phnom Penh reminded me of a shack-town and not the capital of a country. I was convinced to visit the Tuong Sleng Genocide Museum and the Killing Fields. The first impressed me a lot, but I thought that the latter was a tourist trap. I felt inevitably sad and realised why Cambodia had a depressing air about it. The scars of the Khmer Rouge (1974 – 1979) are still visible.

I found the people to be very friendly, however, they definitely have trust issues. Unfortunately, corruption is real. One often hears the term “the boss”. Someone continues to thrive on the nation’s psychological scars and ruling the locals with fear. They are free, yet prisoners in their own country. Every now and again, I would see cruelty in the actions of children and then remind myself that children are cruel anyway…

It concerns me though. Maybe it is a time bomb just lurking, waiting to explode. I’m not convinced that the survivors of the Pol Pot terror regime escaped without psychological damage. Although the families seem very close, there is no proof that any form of domestic violence has not filtered down to the next generation. The families are big - 2 to 10 children – many young children or infants. It is not compulsory for children to go to school. Most people only send children to an age which they can afford. If they cannot afford it, the children stay home. They watch over the crops and the water buffalo or sell crafts to tourists.

Overall, my impression of Cambodia is of a country battling to climb out of a historical grave and still being exploited by neighboring countries like China and Vietnam. Cambodians are peaceful people and you are almost always greeted with a smile. They seem to have little, but they are happy. They work hard, long hours for a very difficult existence. Food plays a very important role in their lives and they will eat almost everything. They don’t beg. Some of the survivors of landmine explosions will try their luck, but most of them will find different ways of generating an income. They sell, they hard-sell, but they work for a living – children and adults alike.

Johannes Kerkorrel wrote a song Blou Aarde (1992) which sums up how I feel after travelling through Cambodia. I have no illusions about this life. I hold onto hope and the belief that people are inherently good and that good will conquer evil.

En eendag sal dit beter wees.
Eendag sal ons wel verstaan,
hoekom mense soms so wreed kan wees
net om soms weer soveel meer te gee.
En die wêreld is ‘n groot blou bal,
wat stil deur die ruimte val
en ek en jy is kinders,
wees is ons gelaat
en soms vir ‘n oomblik,
kan ons mekaar se taal weer praat.

Yolanda Saayman