AT THE END OF WINTER /

BULLETS FOR HIRE. PHNOM PENH

TAMDEN BUDDIES CHOEUNG EK IN THE KILLING FIELDS NR PHNOM PENH CAMBODIA JAN 1997

Buddies out in the former Killing Fields of Choeung Ek where the sounds of children playing has once again returned to a place of witness to so much notorious brutality.

PRISON CELL WITH TORTURE BED TOUL SLENG AKA S21

BIRD GIRL AT THE CORNER CAFE ON PHLAUV 130, PHNOM PENH CAMBODIA 05TH JANUARY 1998

Balance perfectly she leant over as I sat in the cane chair of the corner cafe to quench my thirst with a bottle of Angkor beer. She simply looked for the moment; both of us sheltering from the intense afternoon heat before a few minutes had passed and she asked me if I wanted to buy a bird. I said I didn’t really need a bird and what would I need one for..? She eyeballed back with a look that didn’t for one minute believe me “you could let it fly free or…” and then she moved her hand to her mouth “…or eat it”. Apologetically and sorry to disappoint I declined knowing on the one hand that already starved the bird would soon fly back to the cage and that as I explained I hadn’t bought my cooking pot on my travels with me. Eleven months later as the Khmer Rouge officially dissolved Cambodia herself was once again allowed to fly free.

HOLY WOMAN THE BAYON ANGKOR THOM

IN CLASS AT THE SCHOOL OF BEAUTIFUL ARTS PHNOM PENH

There is something both exciting and deeply moving about The School of Fine Arts. That so much should be placed on the matters of soul as opposed to that of the body in a country so decimated by recent history is as it should be but not as it always is. But then music and particularly dance are pivotal to the Cambodian culture. I watched spellbound early one morning as these young Apsara dancers who begin their training in early childhood rehearsed their slow, elastic fluid and beautifully measured boneless movements. With heads still and the forearms tilted upwards their supple wrists twisted gently with outstretched fingers arching backwards gliding from pose to pose while caressing the warm Cambodian air. Their feet are bare, turned outwards with legs bent delicately at the knees, cushioning the gestures of the upper body as they move in attempted unison dressed in brightly coloured leotards and leggings. Some smile as they dance. Others meanwhile are concentrating too hard to smile. Dance itself fared pretty badly under Pol Pots ‘Khmer Rouge’ regime with very few dancers and teachers surviving. In 1981, with a handful of teachers, the school re-opened and the training of dance students resumed. For the first intake of students a preference was given to orphans. Dance brings history and culture to life and shows the importance of Cambodian woman, that they are the soul of the nation. Dance is a way of showing that they have survived the past and can look forward to the future with strength to defeat the common enemy, not the Khmer Rouge but poverty. That is Cambodia’s biggest enemy; here the weapon against poverty is dance.

The School of Fine Arts, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. 01st December 2000.

BEAUTY PARLOUR

BOXING CLASS AT THE SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS PHNOM PENH

GRACE AND BEAUTY AT THE SCHOOL OF FINE ARTS, PHNOM PENH

A young dancer rehearsing classical Khmer dancing on the dais at the rear of the School Of Fine Arts in the early morning. Dance fared pretty badly under the Pol Pot regime and very few dancers and their teachers survived. In 1981, with a handful of teachers, the School of Fine Arts was re-opened and the training of dance students resumed with preference being given to orphans for the first intake of students.

THE CLEANER ANGKOR WAT NEAR SIEM REAP CAMBODIA NOVEMBER 2000

In the grounds of Angkor Wat a child runs around playing trying to peel away a few riel or even dollars from any passing tourist. I guess the reality of poverty is never far from their door and the sack that was at one minute a play thing quickly becomes a litter bin with which to pick up any rubbish lying around and earn a little extra cash after the crowd of tourists and locals missing for so long is this part of the world have gone home.

FOREVER FRIENDS CHANTREA ON THE FIRST TIER SOUTH OF THE EAST GATE IN THE BAYON, ANGKOR THOM CAMBODIA 06TH JANUARY 1998

Many local children hang around the temples of Angkor and offer to guide one beyond the normal areas safe for visitors and anyone who makes the journey here in the mid to late 90's as the war drew to a close. With a friendly 'follow us' wave of her hand she and her friends had led me into the jungle beyond the Bayon all the time under her strict orders to stay on the path and follow in her footsteps, when I ask she and her friends turn and point saying a single word "landline". I follow with sharpened senses as they lead me deeper into the jungle until we reach our destination a crumbing reclining Buddha wrapped deep within the Jungle foliage and away from tourist eyes, they've given me treading through the land mined jungle along their secret path a unique view hidden for years from western eyes and they win a place in my heart forever becoming friends if I ever happen to come here again.
A few years later on my return the authorities where trying to discourage these perfect guides and replace them with a more official model sporting a jacket and trousers and unwilling to show anyone 'off' the growing and now beaten tourist path. The girl in the picture Chantrea I found again and she remembered me from 3 years before. These days the mines have been cleared in and around the temples of Angkor through the continual, determined and admirable efforts of the Cambodian Mine Action Center (CMAC) and Landmine International and the way to the hidden Buddha was by now a much simpler journey. Seeing the Buddha once more although this time shrouding in scaffolding I remembered my scramble through the jungle years before with the young band of children and Chantrea which literally means 'Light Of The Moon' leading the way. These days she sells T-Shirts and delicate wrist bangles made of reed to the now swelling numbers of tourists replacing the once encroaching jungle.

IN THE BAYON ANGKOR THOM

MINE VICTIM WAITING FOR FEW TOURIST DOLLARS IN THE BAYON 1997

MONK WAT BOTUMVATEY GARDEN PHNOM PENH CAMBODIA 31ST DECEMBER 1997

TWO LANDMINE SURVIVORS AT THE LANDMINE INTERNATIONAL REHABILITATION CENTRE

Landmine International. Siem Reap, Northern Cambodia 1997.

URCHIN OF ANGKOR WAT IN THE INNER SOUTH WESTERN GALLERY

The Urchin of Angkor Wat takes care of her younger brother once again as her parents work to support their expanding family. Inner south-west corridor near the inner library of Angkor Wat.

THE KILLING FIELDS ORCHARD CHOEUNG EK PHNOM PENH

On my second visit and with the war now over I am informed that the skulls of the European victims killed here had now been removed and repatriated.

MONKS IN THE INNER LIBRARY ANGKOR WAT

Monks at ease in the north-western corner of the inner courtyard of Angkor Wat.

BROTHER AND SISTER ON THEIR MOTHERS BOAT ON THE TONLE SAP 27TH NOVEMBER 2000

MEKONG BROTHERS SISOWATH QUAY PHNOM PENH

ROAD HOG AT THE SOUTH GATE TO ANGKOR THOM

Outside the south gate on the causeway of Angkor Thom, Cambodia.

STRONG

Women only have to follow eight of the precepts or vows as opposed to the 227 by men in Buddhism. Because discipline for those “nuns” is less arduous, at present they don’t attain quite as high a social status as do monks, although because women do not choose temples for reasons of clerical status, when more than just a few do reside at one temple it’s because the teachings there are considered particularly strong.

CLEANER THAN CLEAN

Temple Man taking a break from the constant challenge of jungle debris falling in the grand ruins that are Ta Prohm. Later in the afternoon one can smell the aroma of woody fires as these cleaners burn their piles of collected leaves and wood.

BROTHERS AT SUNSET PHNOM BEKENG ANGKOR NORTHERN CAMBODIA

EVENING REWARD ANGKOR WAT 1997

With the war still technically on and the last remnants of the Khmer Rouge still at large but withdrawing daily further and further back into the jungle the first shoots of tourism begin to emerge. With security and soldiers still patrolling the perimeter guarded mini buses bring the more adventurous tourist during the early daylight hours before collecting them again an hour before sunset and with the groups and their cameras gone a group of young local entrepreneurs collect after a days business and get together to talk of the day while eating on the terrace before Angkor Wat.