Expand your day in Cambodia: Visit a Cham village -- Svay Khleang (1)

By Sayana Ser

Svay Khleang is a typical Cham village on the bank of the Mekong River, in Svay Khleang commune, Krauch Chhmar district, Kampong Cham province. Historically, it was the center of Cham Muslim scholarship and learning in Cambodia. During the Khmer Rouge (KR), it was the site of one of the largest Cham uprisings against the Khmer Rouge.

In the French colonial era, a Svay Khleang villager named Haji Osman Paung or Sulaiman (also commonly known as Ta Ba-ror-tes, which means ‘foreign grandpa,’ because he had travelled to many places within and outside the country) was a close friend of King Monivong (some people said Prince Sihanouk’s father -- Soramariddh, and some other sources said the King Norodom). The King appointed him royal representative for the Cham throughout the country. He was called Boteh Chang-wang, or Jang-vang Ba-ror-tes, meaning foreign director, a name given by the King. Later, during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum period (1955-1970), one of Cambodia’s most respected authorities on Islam came to live in Svay Khleang. His name is Ly Musa. He was head of an Islamic school there that became the most prestigious institution for the study of Islam in the country. In its time, Ly Musa’s school could accommodate hundreds of students and attracted young Muslim scholars to Svay Khleang from all across Cambodia.

Svay Khleang village has several names, including Prek Kaut, Prek Cham, and Village 5. Even before Democratic Kampuchea (DK), many places in Cambodia were known by two names: one used by the Cham people, another used by non-Cham. For example, non-Cham knew the village as Svay Khleang, while Cham people called it Prek Kaut.

Prek Kaut means ‘broken canal’ in the Cham language, because a local canal had been dug and re-directed from its original course by the flow of the river. But the Khmer people preferred to call it Prek Cham as a reference to the canal dug by the Cham. Later, both names were applied not only to the canal but also to the Cham majority village that was located close by. Today, this village is called Svay Khleang village.

In Khmer language, Svay means ‘mango’ and Khleang is ‘warehouse.’ During the colonial era, the French government built a warehouse under a large mango tree in Prek Kaut. The people called this warehouse Khleang Svay. Later, the village’s name was changed from Prek Kaut or Prek Cham to Khleang Svay, and not long after, it was changed again to Svay Khleang. That was to be the official name of the village throughout the Sangkum Reastr Niyum era.

Svay Khleang is also well-known for its history of struggling for freedom against the Khmer Rouge regime. The village was home to about 6,200 inhabitants before the Khmer Rouge. Only about 100 families (600 Cham) survived after the fall of the regime January, 1979.

Svay Khleang village has several old houses built by rich Cham families, such as the homes of Ta Ba-ror-tes and Snong Man. Their houses are still in good condition.

Ta Ba-ror-tes’ home is a beautiful wooden house located on the bank of the Mekong river, just 50 meters from the water and approximately 100 meters from the village mosque. It was built around early 1900 by this wealthy Cham, who was once given a position of royal counsel to King Monivong. According to villagers, King Monivong once came to Svay Khleang by steamboat, which the locals called “fire boat.” He was welcomed by both Ta Ba-ror-tes (and his three wives in the house) and a wealthy Cham, Snong Man, who covered the path to the riverfront with red silk carpet. While Ta Ba-ror-tes was a royal official, Snong Man was a rich timber trader. Villagers said he floated timber down the Mekong River from Kratie and Stung Treng provinces and stored it along the riverbank until it could be transported further south to Viet Nam.

Next to the house stands an old Islamic minaret (known as Medara in Cham; locals refer to it as Seun). It was built in the early 19th century (approximately 1834). The Seun is one of the oldest such towers in Kampong Cham province. According to the village chief, Ta Ba-ror-tes built the Seun in the village for community use. According to local villagers, earlier residents of the village ascended to the top of the Seun to announce prayer times and observe the moon to determine the beginning and end of Ramadan. The tower has now been standing on the river bank for over one hundred years.

Credit/Source: Cambodia: The Cham Identities by Documentation Center of Cambodia