Dedication Page
To my brothers and sisters back home and abroad, Khmer Leur in Northeastern Cambodia, Khmer Krom in South Vietnam, Khmer Isan and Khmer Surin in Thailand, may you find peace and happiness wherever you are.
For my father, my guiding star.
For my four brothers, Leavorn, Viriya, Rattana, and Veasna, you are my inspiration.
To all of the volunteers and missionaries around the world, thank you for all your help.
Acknowledgement
My heartfelt thanks to Cindy Chiek, Lorrie Cobain-Danelski, Robert Herness, Florina Lupsaiu, Soreyrith Um, and my writer siblings for your invaluable comments.
A very special thanks to Jacque Bragg, Vilayvanh Bender, Dinnie Chiek, Linda Chiek, Phaly Elliott, Cynthia Goodwin, Sheree Henning, Vilayphone Kao, Judy Leang, Justina Loeun, Robert Loeun, Jackie Mora, Tony Ortego, Kay Rushforth, Leisa Schaefer, Jenny Tucker, Tiffany Vincent, Renee Veillon, and Sally Wise for your generous support.
I owe huge thanks to my children, Emily and Nicholas, whose great sense of imagination is a constant inspiration. Your comments helped me bring this story into focus.
My personal thanks to Professor Perry Link and Professor David Biggs of University of California, Riverside for your interest in Soulful Journey.
I am grateful to Associate Professor Estrella Romero of Riverside City College for inviting me to "Discovery Lecture."
Finally, I owe huge thanks to you, the reader, for taking the time to go on this adventure.
WATER FESTIVAL
NOVEMBER 1, 1969
Under the clear blue sky, the sound of drums fills the air. At the Naga Boat Racing Competition on Tonle Sap River, hundreds of boats decorated like war vessels of ancient times battle each other for the championship.
The boat racing contest dates back to the twelfth century. At the end of the rainy season, people in Cambodia celebrate the Water Festival called Bon Om Touk to honor the Khmer naval forces and offer thanksgiving to the river for providing the country with fertile land and abundant fish.
According to the lunar calendar, the festival usually starts on the full moon day in late October or early November. This festival is a three-day event. It brings in race boats from all over Cambodia.
In the river, scores of colorful race boats shaped like giant serpents glide along the shoreline like torpedoes.
The biggest race happens on the last day of the event. Yellow, red, orange, green, blue, and purple teams are approaching the finish line neck and neck.
Each race boat is over thirty meters long and about three meters wide and can carry up to a hundred people.
An exquisitely painted yellow boat with a golden snake head at the prow is leading. It represents the people of Great Moat Village of Siem Reap Province in northwestern Cambodia. There are eighty oarsmen dressed in Khmer traditional costumes at the oars. They are wearing yellow short-sleeve cotton shirts and black trousers with red and white checkered scarfs tied around their waists. They stand upright facing forward. With a drummer at the bow as the coxswain, the men row the race boat to the rhythm of the drumbeats.
Loud cheering voices echo from the back of the yellow boat. Three handsome young men in their late teens come into view on the starboard side. With backs bending and powerful arms bulging, ISANAPURA, MONDULKIRI, and RATANAKIRI row the boat with all their strength.
At the riverbank, the atmosphere is festive with parasols and cheerful faces, shining as brightly as the tropical flora. People from all walks of life flock to the pier to watch the Row Boat Regatta.
In the bright sunlight of noon, three beautiful young women from Great Moat Village of Siem Reap, elegantly dressed in yellow floral silk sarongs, white lace blouses, and platform flip-flops are making their way through the crowd. With their paper parasols over their heads, they stroll along the riverbank, enjoying the festival like everyone else around them.
MONEY has smooth brown skin and a slender waist. She’s the tallest of the three. She stops walking and smiles broadly. “Look at our boat!” she shouts. Her delicate face is as radiant as the morning sun.
SAVANNA is strikingly beautiful. In her late teens, she is tall and slim, symmetrically built with an hourglass figure. Her light brown skin is as smooth as a porcelain doll's. Savanna has the kind of features that the Khmer people consider flawless: prominent cheekbones, full lips, round brown eyes that are large and open. She raises her head to see their team, but the crowd blocks her view. Savanna mutters under her breath, “I can’t see our boat.” Savanna turns to her friend on her left and asks, "How about you?”
MOLLY has dark brown skin and a supple body. She replies with a burst of energy, "Neither can I. Come on, let’s go down to the river!”
Along the shore, thousands of people crane to see the race boats. Molly pushes her way through the crowd. Savanna and Money follow her.
The young women stroll to the boardwalk, twirling their yellow paper parasols like children playing with spinning wheels.
They go down to the pier and see the yellow race boat from Great Moat Village of Siem Reap coming in first place. Happily the three young women stop spinning their umbrellas and applaud thunderously. Their smiling faces fill with awe as they wave to the oarsmen of their village, encouraging them to row faster.
As soon as the yellow race boat crosses the finish line, the crowd goes wild, clapping, cheering for their team.
Drenched in sweat and overjoyed, the winning team from Great Moat Village greets their enthusiastic fans proudly. Many of them plunge into the refreshing water to cool off. They swim ashore to meet their loved ones.
Isanapura is known as Isan in Great Moat Village. He is the first one to reach the shore. His eyes search for and find Savanna waiting for him on the pier about twenty paces ahead. Isan has been waiting to propose to her in front of the crowd whether they win or lose the race.
In Great Moat Village, when a couple gets married, the whole community gets involved.
A traditional wedding is not a private affair for most people in Great Moat Village. The marriage sacrament encourages young couples to give thanks to their parents for giving them the priceless gift of life and to share joy and happiness with others. And so Isan wants people from his village to rejoice in the happy moment with him as well.
Savanna waves to him. Isan rushes to her side and shouts out bluntly, “Savanna, I’m madly in love with you. Will you marry me?”
The crowd suddenly grows silent. Some know him well. Others do not know him at all. Many look at him with great interest. Their smiling faces seem to wish him well.
Savanna stands motionless, speechless with amazement. All eyes seem to stare at her. She becomes self-conscious and drops her chin shyly.
Isan lifts up her face gently with his fingers and tells her softly, “Please come with me.”
Savanna looks at him for a considerable length of time. Isan is handsome. He is leaner and taller
