Following the theme of Post War Criticism and the Viet Nam Syndrome as Praxis, the readings for week 9 strongly emphasized how it is crucial to remember the past, in order to validate those who suffered as result of war conflict, particularly to offer proper representation for those who are often reduced to silence or have little say. These readings, particularly "War, Genocide, and Justice" by Cathy Schlund-Vial, were interesting, especially since I got to learn a much more in-depth portrayal of Cambodia and the history of the nation during the Killing Field and Khmer Rouge era. Consequently, this reading made me think about how the traumas this community has dealt with for generations, and how much of the history of the nation has been impacted, due to this intricate past, which was largely influenced due to the Vietnam War, and its role in the development of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia.
Documenting memory pieces can be difficult, especially since people’s experiences are distinct and vary from one another; so, as a result, it can be difficult to condense peoples’ memories altogether. It pains me to see how the Cambodian government committed such atrocities against its own people, and it is something that I cannot fathom, due to the extent of the damage that the government inflicted on the innocent people. It is a conflict of interest, in how the Cambodian government refuses to let the people heal and recover from these traumas, especially since they are adamant on conducting research on these “historical sites”, which were in fact torture chambers, mass grave sites, and places which do not respect the cultural practices that Cambodians practice, such as cremation.
This class has made me realize, alongside my other ASA classes, that Southeast Asian history is largely excluded in history textbooks and is often overlooked; this is something that is disheartening and is an ongoing problem. That brings to me the question, how can we commemorate the histories of those who come from marginalized communities? How can we offer better representation of this history of memory? It makes me recognize how these cultural practices are strongly tied to the sense of community and connectedness among a group of people, in order to feel human, as well as feel as if their life has significance. I think one of the biggest things in many Southeast Asian communities, is how the dead is laid to rest, whether it be through ritual practices, or keeping an altar to remember those who have passed away. These are things I personally think about, since it is really important in my own culture to remember those who have passed away, to carry on their oral history.
The following picture shows the cremation site of Pol Pot and how it has become part of the ‘historic’ tourist trail.
Buncombe, A. (2011, October 22). Cambodia puts the cremation site of Pol Pot on 'historic' tourist. Retrieved February 29, 2020, from https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/cambodia-puts-the-cremation-site-of-pol-pot-on-historic-tourist-trail-1919472.html
No comments:
Post a Comment