Long Heng: Culture Ministry organizes marriage ceremony expohibition

Culture Ministry organizes marriage expo


By Chhorng Long Heng

Ministry of culture and fine arts in cooperation with IEM group Co., Ltd on July 29 conducted a three- day marriage exhibition in a move to promote valued Khmer Culture and kinds of clothes wearing during the marriage ceremonies and other steps of processing in marriage ceremonies.
“This expo is creating a cultural event of Khmer marriage that has been recognized as a country that is full of ancient temples, art performing, music, priceless tradition,” H.E Pov Soeung, undersecretary of state for ministry of culture, and fine arts.
“I am very proud of this kind of event that is showing some forms of traditional dresses, jewelry, and other valued decorative objects for bride and bridegroom that and are always used during wedding ceremony,” he said, adding that it also will attract all kinds of Khmer citizens and foreigners to see this event and it will make them seek understandings about the Khmer tradition in the past times in ways to match their children for living in peace and happiness.
He added the marriage ceremony, has followed the traditional ways that Cambodian people has adopted since ancient times, is one of the Khmer identity and the ceremony is in the minds of all local people even wealthy or poor but in a life, they need to marry. The marriage shows the love relationship between man and woman that occurred with natural ways and it conducted publicly with recognizing both materials and spirit support. It also expressed the gratitude of the parents, and love relationship has protected by law of the country, and forms of remembrance between love partners that could not forget.
“The marriage is the value for human beings in society and it usually occurred through honesty and it could not be forced from someone and it is the duty of families, communities and relatives that enjoyed the ceremony,” he said, adding that the marriage is setting up a new family and always support from society and it also get the blessing from relatives and society also provided dignity, but for those who had children, it seems that society does not provide the value and even the children. Now Cambodia has monogamy law and adultery that forced individual to implement it and it provided the value for love.
He continued that Cambodians in the past times took three or seven days for marriage ceremony but the development and society and situation of country, the marriage period also reduce to one day and it also depends on the resources of t he family. Currently, it has evolution and trend of globalization. Cambodian people has affected from foreign culture that could not fit with minds of local people. It also forced some people to abandon our valued ancient and traditional forms and integrate with western forms in marriage like cake- cutting ceremony in current marriage ceremony and force bride and groom to keep each other in front of publics.

“In reality, Cambodians have never expressed their love in publics like that and that kind of forms is funny one and love nature keeps in heart for Cambodians, he said. Some Archar “priest” organized the funny events in marriage ceremony in a modern style but it is against Cambodian tradition. We have to join to conserve and develop our culture and help prevent inactive cultural forms from outside that are affecting on our society and if not so, we will lose our culture and identity,”. We also need private sector joining with us to develop and conserve our culture, “he added.
Loun Hok, director general of IEM group Co,.Ltd said that the event today participated 138 companies with displaying their materials, food, drinks, and jewelry, traditional dresses, beauty salons of making up for wedding ceremony. It will last for three days from 29-31 July.

“We want to promote our culture through marriage ceremony and develop it with sustainability. We want our next generation to understand about valued tradition of wedding and wedding ceremonies,” Loun said.



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