Kreung Ethnicity - United Nations in Cambodia

4.7.2 Sacrifices and ceremonies
Village sacrifices 17 and moving ceremonies
Village sacrifices
Every year during the season when farmland is cleared, all the villagers
celebrate a ceremony where they offer sacrifices to the spirits wishing for good
fortune and happiness. This ceremony is organised and conducted by the
Krak Shrok. The Krak Shrok will hold such ceremonies in accordance with his
dreams (during which the spirits communicate their sacrificial requests). Often
he will experience an increase in dreams when there is any illness in the village
and subsequently call for a ceremony to be held. The spirits tell the Krak Shrok
what they want to eat, such as a buffalo, cow, pig or chicken, and then he would
tell the villagers the resources need to provide the villagers for the ceremony.
For example, if he dreams that the spirits want to eat buffalo, he will lead the
villagers to celebrate such a ceremony where a buffalo will be sacrificed. All
resources spent in this ceremony must be collected by each family according
to their resource ability and commitment. This is the largest ceremony
celebrated in the village, continuing for three days and nights with much
dancing and drinking together.
Rong house of Kameng village located in the village centre. (Photo: UNDP/Yin Sopheap)
17
Some development terminology uses the alternative term community ceremony.
42 Kameng village, Rattanakiri province