Kreung Ethnicity - United Nations in Cambodia

must first find out whether the spirits will allow him to farm in this location.
Before going to bed, s/he asks the spirits to allow dreams that indicate whether
or not farming should take place. If the dream is good, it is a sign that he can
farm on the land he has marked, but if the dream is bad, then he will not farm in
that area and will continue his/her search for another location.
Seak Bri
This is a ceremony to ensure that the spirits will look after the villagers whilst
they have their farm. After the Sorsouy ensures that this is a good area to farm,
the villager will clear a few square meters of forest, then plant banana trees,
sugar cane, lemon grass and proteal 20 . Before planting, the villager throws
some proteal into the air and watches it fall to the ground. If the proteal lands
face side up, it signifies that the area is fit to farm on, however, if it lands face
side down, the area is considered unfit for farming. Then crops are planted
and showered with wine mixed in chicken blood, used to ask the spirits to look
after the plants and the farm. Then the area is left for two days. Upon returning
after a few days, if the plants are uprooted and strewn on the ground, it is
considered a sign from the spirits that they do not allow them to do farming
there. If they find a trace of cow or buffalo in the area, it means that the plants
will get sick and die unless a cow or a buffalo is sacrificed. If those plants
remain in the same position, it means they can farm there and that the spirits
are happy to look after them, as well as tend to their farm.
Sen Bri
The highlanders typically cut down trees and clear land for plantations such as
rice. The villagers say that after they clear small trees and bushes, they will wait
before cutting down the big trees. Before cutting big trees, they need to make
a sacrifice to the spirits to be given wishes of safety, otherwise farmers believe
that the trees might fall, injuring or killing them. This sacrifice can be wine or a
chicken according to the resources of the farm owner.
20
This refers to some kinds of root plants (similar to ginger) that are considered as magical and used as
herbal remedies.
Kreung Ethnicity: Documentation of Customary Rules
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