Ponloeu and En Thyra of RDIC were being married in a combined Khmer and Christian ceremony at the Lucky Star Hotel in Phnom Penh (PP). A wedding in Cambodia is traditionally a multi day celebration. Our celebration, as with many these days, was streamlined to one big day of activities.
We began at 7.00am at the hotel. My fellow RDIC volunteers, Heather and Hanna, and I knew the time it would take to get ourselves into PP – 40 mins - was valuable beauty sleep time (it was for a wedding after all!) so we chose to stay at a guest house (ptea samnah) in PP overnight.So…at 7.00am dressed modestly and without elaborate ornamentation as was custom, we prepared to participate in the Groom’s procession. Traditionally the procession ends up at the bride’s house, but in this modern Phnom Penh, we finished at the hotel venue.
We each carried gifts from the Groom (Ponloeu) to the Bride (Thyra). Gifts are provided in pairs – two dishes of oranges, two cakes, two pig hindquarters – to symbolise the couple. Rather like a Noah’s ark of food.
Thyra and her family met the procession at the door, and the happy couple entered the hotel together. Then followed the gift giving, the hair cutting, feet washing and the wrist binding ceremonies, highlighted with singing and stand-up comedy routines. 
Thyra was required to change 3 times during the morning celebrations, which was spliced with both breakfast and lunch of beautiful Khmer food.
We were amazed by the colours, the detail of the gifts, the beautiful outfits, and the fortitude of Thyra throughout.
The afternoon break provided us time to relax and nap, and spend 2 hours in the salon with hair and makeup (nails having been attended to last night) the most grooming I have ever subjected myself to… which was remarkably painless and fun…though a little frightening at times.
When we reached the evening wedding reception at 5.00pm that evening we knew it had been worth the effort as all parties…female at least…. had gone out hard with beautiful hair, dresses and makeup. Khmer weddings, we are told, are a great place to find a spouse, so the normal rules of covering the shoulders, the knees, and wearing high cut tops are thrown out the window as eligible young women are permitted to strut their stuff.
I am not sure how many successful matches were made that
evening, but it was certainly great fun to let loose a little and be treated to seven courses of fish, vegetables, curries and soups.
evening, but it was certainly great fun to let loose a little and be treated to seven courses of fish, vegetables, curries and soups. The happy couple though, were not yet allowed to relax. As part of the evening proceedings they processed in, participated in a number of games, cut the cake, and had the first dance. Then the floor was opened for all.
Khmer parties still focus on traditional Khmer dancing which involves a center piece, often an arrangement of flowers and in our case the wedding cake, around which dancers shuffle and groove in a single direction. We were treated to an excellent young band who brought a bit of base and electric guitar to the lightness of Khmer music. With lots of teachers – including to our delight Thyra herself in a gorgeous sparkling evening gown – we gave the dancing a whirl to the amusement of many.
For Ponloeu and Thyra it was straight back to work the following week. With deadlines for the RDIC film studio to meet, and villagers to inform about traditional medicine, Ponloeu and Thyra did not miss a second in getting back to where they are very much needed.
Judy – 20 November 2007
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