Globalization has allowed myriad of flows of goods, services, and human forces that come along with cultural practices including, to name a few lifestyles and religious beliefs that penetrate in all walks of lives at any levels. The rural remote Dak Dam Commune in Mondulkiri Province of Cambodia largely inhabited by Bunong indigenous communities that has practiced animism for generations. At the same time, they also welcomed the arrival of the Church and Buddhist Wat or Monastery in their community for years. While there have been no clashes between believers or followers of the three systems, surprisingly, the funeral procession of 'accidental death', as opposed to 'natural death', rejected in animistic ritual ceremony instead ended up in the Wat. This suggests that constantly facilitated dialogues between the systems need to be at play for them to co-exist without the practices of one being detrimental but rather reciprocally supportive on another in order to achieve full peace and harmony in that particular society and beyond

1. Toward Harmonizing Cultural Pluralism in Cambodia
Case of Dak Dam Commune on Buddhism, Christianity and Animism
Dane SO1*
, Il OEUR
Analyzing Development Issues Centre, Cambodia
*Corresponding author:
Abstract
Globalization has allowed myriad of flows of goods, services, and human forces that come
along with cultural practices including, to name a few lifestyles and religious beliefs that
penetrate in all walks of lives at any levels. The rural remote Dak Dam Commune in
Mondulkiri Province of Cambodia largely inhabited by Bunong indigenous communities that
has practiced animism for generations. At the same time, they also welcomed the arrival of
the Church and Buddhist Wat or Monastery in their community for years. While there have
been no clashes between believers or followers of the three systems, surprisingly, the funeral
procession of 'accidental death', as opposed to 'natural death', rejected in animistic ritual
ceremony instead ended up in the Wat. This suggests that constantly facilitated dialogues
between the systems need to be at play for them to co-exist without the practices of one being
detrimental but rather reciprocally supportive on another in order to achieve full peace and
harmony in that particular society and beyond.
Keywords: Animism, Buddhist Monastery, Church, Harmony, Bunong, Cambodia
Introduction
Cambodia has mainly opened its door to the world since the UNTAC-supervised election in
1993. Influx of assistance has been pouring into Cambodia that has come in the forms of
loans and grants from voluntary donation, bilateral and multilateral. These aims initially to
recovers social and economic infrastructure that have been damages during the war and
internal strife. Amongst other things, on the economic side, there have been improvements in
road connection across the country, financial sectors including banking and microfinance that
serve the needs of different stratum of the society. Local and foreign investments in
agriculture has been welcomed in areas of forestry and fisheries. On the social side,
especially on religious practices which is the focus of this study, Cambodia has allowed for
plural practice of belief or faiths, despite Buddhism was deem a national religion stated in the
Constitution of Cambodia.
As a continuous effort to promote the role of the family and religious values, which is key to
the social fabric of the Cambodian society, the Government’s Ministry of Cults and Religions
(MCR) has played important role to actively promote the role of family and adherence to the
traditional religious values through different awareness programs on Buddhism in order to
raise the awareness of morality value and to get away from social ills. MCR has also
encouraged other religions to conduct their own religious practices as part of the national
development. More importantly, MCR has a role to strengthen the harmonization amongst all
religious holders of all religions, and stand to address the discrimination amongst people that
may come about from having different religious views, as harmony is seen as the factor

2. necessary for socio-economic development, peace, solidarity, national tradition.1
However,
odds of some investments such as the granting of forest concessions in the mid-1990s
affected indigenous groups in terms of denied access to food and income for generation; and
more so the destruction of “spirit forests”, which were sacred sites in indigenous cultures.2
Religious Diversity
Basically, religion is the belief in powers or in divine, supernatural forces that belied to be
god; but as a doctrine, religion is a system of beliefs, values, and practices that focus on the
supernatural and the unworldly aspects. Religion is a key part of societies where there still
exist of class division and conflict, man’s impasse in the face of the supernatural, social and
natural laws and phenomena that affect individuals’ lives, not elucidated. Religious diversity
refers to as existence of religions, its form and beliefs in a society. This means the acceptance
of various religious views and practices of different individuals, communities and social
groups. Diversity is the situation of things that are not the same, and that at least two entities
co-exist alongside or relate to each other or in a particular community or society. In general,
it refers to the characteristics and quality of variety among religions within a certain social
system; but also specifically within one religion. For instance, religious diversity that may be
found in Christianity (Catholicism vs. Protestantism), Judaism, Islam (Shiite vs. Sunni),
Buddhism (Mahayana vs. Theravada), and Taoism (Neo-Taoism vs. Traditional Taoism), etc.
The important feature of the religious diversity includes religious tolerance and human rights
protection, as it is with which, the various religions and religious beliefs of each individual
and social group can be safeguarded, recognized and respected. Hence, religious tolerance
and diversity are interlinked for they both are necessary for a plural society.3
Syncretism
It is brought up here for it offers the reflection later about the similarity of belief and
practices between Buddhism and Animism. Three important issues are in the concept of
syncretism in Buddhism: First, the monastery has the temple (vihar) locates within the center.
In the ritual perspective, it has two sacred perimeters called successive and concentric. The
temple is defined by eight sima (Sanskrit and Pali for "limit" or "boundary") which is
considered to be the sacred area as opposed to the latter which refers to the rest of the
monastery area. Generally, at the northeast corner there is a hut of the animistic spirit anak ta,
with its role within the monastery premise. Also, the village tutelary spirit has his own hut,
found in the northeast corner, that is not formed part of the monastery. The anak ta in a
monastery monitors good Buddhist practice, and would punish inappropriate behaviors
within the area such as urinating, or offensive words.
Secondly, with regards to the arrogation of the supernatural power of the Buddha by an
animistic spirit, there are also a type of animistic spirits connected with violent death, called
Bray, spirits of women who died in giving birth to a child, or spirits of virgins, which is seen
as the nasty spirits, due it the tragic death, hence become the bearers of extreme impurity.
1
National Strategic Development Plan, Kingdom of Cambodia, 2014-2018, For Growth, Employment, Equity
and Efficiency to Reach Upper-Middle Income Country
2
John P. McAndrew and Oeur Il (2009) Land and Cultural Survival The Communal Land Rights of Indigenous
Peoples in Asia; Edited by Jayantha Perera, 2009, ADB; Access to Natural Resources: Case Studies of
Cambodian Hill Tribes;
3
Religious Diversity and the Right to Freedom of Religion in Vietnam Today; Hoang Van Nghia; Academic
Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies; MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy; Vol 4 No 1; March 2015

3. Impurity means the source of great danger and formidable magical energy, a more polarized
attitude of Bray. This may be explained by the practice that villagers keep them out by a
chase, but also ask for their cooperation in magical ritual performance. Given the role the
faithful practice, a Buddhist monastery is like a holder of magic virtue. The bray exists there
in many forms: a) a monastery organizes a racing pirogue annually on water to compete with
other, for believer see the bray provide magical power and act as a guardian. She is supported
regularly by the monks, and the abbot. However, she can turn her back to punish a
miscarriage in a pregnant woman. b) a female spirit of inauspicious death is powered by
Buddha's supernatural powers by living in the pedestal of the main statue of the temple,
which become a guardian of Buddhist cult. This indicates syncretism between ancestral
animism of the Khmers and Buddhism. To perform her function as a protectress of the
sanctuary, the bray must alter her behavior by respecting for Buddha's religion. People can
see physical characteristics of her that on certain nights, in some "holy days," one may see
lights from the vihar; but also in her wild state the bray may be found in nature or the village
in a form of ball of fire with sparks, as the supernatural power of being a guardian. Her name
refers to as bray pallank " bray residing in the pedestal", or bray brah parami, or simply and
more frequently parami "perfection".
Thirdly, the practice of monks involves that interlinkage between Buddhism and animism
concerns the practices of monks themselves, purely religious and spiritual activities, also to
other activities which form part of their duties. Some of these make a more or less direct
appeal to magic. When practicing their traditional medicine, monks do not hesitate to utilize
means relevant to magic to expel evil spirit from a victim, to produce a kansaen yantr, etc.
Monks often keep in contact with spirits at least from time to time. Also, some of them with
purpose to help villagers send time for meditation in the forest, considered to have close link
to the place of a spirit, to get the next winning lottery numbers. For some individual practice
called dhutang "means of purification”, which may from time to time take up animistic form,
as monk hopes gain some superhuman power from spirit. If that occurs, a monk would
manifest many different form of spirit.4
Buddhism
Buddhism, from Siddhartha Gautama (560-480 B. C.), a prince of the Kahatriya caste of
Hinduism, is one of the World's oldest three religions which has proliferated throughout Asia
and Africa. That has started from India and Sri Lanka that, in deviation from the Hindu
teaching about social class and duty, the message of Buddhism gets away from caste or class
or rank. Cambodia accepted a Theravada Buddhism in the fourteenth century, with Hinduism
and Mahayana Buddhism as predecessors, when the Thai’s missionaries came into Cambodia
in late thirteenth century, and soon the Thai armies took over Angkor Wat. By the time Thai
retreated, many Cambodians were already instilled with knowledge by Theravada school run
by the Thai missionaries and occupation forces.5
The practice of which is profoundly rooted
in Cambodia these days.
Except the absence of which during the brutal Khmer Rouge period (1975–79) when much of
Cambodia’s religious heritage was destroyed, Theravada Buddhism was restored and it come
a refuge and different from of security for the people. In fact, since the 13th century, the
4
The Place of Animism within Popular Buddhism in Cambodia, The Example of the Monastery; ANG
CHOULEAN, Saint-Ouen, France; Asian Folklore Studies, Vol. 47, 1988: 35-41.
5
Southeast Asian Religions: A Perspective on. Historical Buddhism within the Developing States of Southeast
Asia; Paul Rutledge; Oklahama Baptist University, Shawnee, Oklahama, USA

4. monastery has been a place for education for children, the elderly, for wealth redistribution
performed by monastery committees, agricultural knowledge and a centre of community life.
Moreover, the monks have a role to make evil spirits less powerful, such as local tutelary
spirits, hungry ghosts or the restless dead. At the same time, especially in rural area, monks
practice meditation and follow codes of conduct to gain magical power.6
The monk also has
role to promote peace through peace-building activities or initiative known as the
Dhammayietra or pilgrimage of truth led by renown Buddhist monk Maha Ghosonanda,
focusing on compassion and non-violence, a basis for reconstructing the torn nation. This has
mainly started in the early 1990s when warring factions were still at tug-of-war against each
other, with the idea of reviving Buddhism in Cambodia and national harmony.7
Then,
Buddhism was made the state religion in 1989.8
Christianity
Protestant mission in Cambodia started as early as 1923 by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Hammond of
the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Then, churches were built, Christian lyrics were made
in traditional Cambodian music, the Bible also translated in accordance with Buddhists
Sankrit and Pali to make the text more holy. But religious activities were halted during the
Khmer Rouge period. Many Christians, like people of other faiths, were killed, but some
were lucky to escape to refugee camps in Thailand. That was an opportune time when
missionaries gathered them and other new ones into churches. In early 1990s, Cambodia
provides full freedom for various religious practices, and that has pave way for the Christians
from the camps to continue their missions in Cambodia, and slowly the missionaries
accelerated due to national stability.9
However, the challenge is the pure Christian practices are against the traditional celebrations
or rituals (such as weddings and funeral traditions) as they well attached to it for they play
important part as members in Cambodian society. One of the example of these practices is the
daily worshipping to the Rean Theivoda (hereafter RT), a structure the majority of
Cambodians build at homes, businesses, and even Buddhist temples. At RT, people pray to
ancestral spirits (nak ta) to gain full blessing for their household. The key issue here is that
missionaries and Cambodian Christian communities cannot accept the practice of the Rean
Theivoda, while some zealous missionaries even tell new believers to get rid of their RT
structure before baptizing to show that they are serious in taking up Christianity. The study
indicates that as Cambodian Christian community grows at fast rate, foreign practices
introduced but traditional practices were not accepted, and that has caused public and private
frictions between Christians and non-Christians; and even so none of Cambodian church or
foreign missionary agrees to the practice of RT10
.
6
Reconfiguring Security: Buddhism and Moral Legitimacy in Cambodia; ALEXANDRA KENT* Nordic
Institute of Asian Studies, Copenhagen, Denmark; Publications, Vol. 37(3): 343–361
7
Conflict, Conflict Resolution and Peace-Building: The Role of Conflict, Conflict Resolution and Peace-
Building: The Role of Religion in Mozambique, Nigeria, Religion in Mozambique, Nigeria and Cambodia
JEFFREY HAYNES; Department of Law, Governance and International Relations, London Metropolitan
University; Commonwealth & Comparative Politics; Vol. 47, No. 1, 52–75, February 2009
8
Theravada Buddhism and Buddhist Nationalism: Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Cambodia, and Thailand. Charles
Keyes. The Review of Faith and International Affairs, 14(4): 42-52. 2016.
9
Interpreting Religion: Spirit House: The Practice of Rean Theivoda, in Cambodia, by Daniel Shinjong Baeq,
International Journal of Frontier Missiology 29:1 Spring 2012•33
10
Ibid.

5. Animism
In Southeast Asia, especially Indochina peninsula, the respect to the spirits in the “spirit
house or hut” is quite widespread. In Cambodia, we call it as Rean Theivoda and in short as
RT (literally “angel tower,”) or formal religious term as Preah Phumdey (the earth god). This
practice is stemmed from ancient belief that may have done before the arrival of major
religions in Cambodia. RT, as its religious role, is where people respects many spirits such as
“nak ta (ancestral or grandfather-like spirits), Preah Ko (the sacred bull), and Buddha”. nak
ta, is considered to be longest belief system in Cambodia, and symbolizes a nature spirit
which is known to have its place in animals, old trees, rivers, and houses or huts. RT has
evolved from many religions. It was practiced during the Hindu empires of Chen La (505-802
AD) and the early Angkor (802-12th century.), for prayer to the angelic spirits of Hinduism.
King Jayavarman VII in about 1181 introduced Mahayana Buddhism in Cambodia, and
issued a Royal Decree for RT in dedication to Lord Buddha, and that was the basis for
monk’s practice, which has last till today in Buddhist temples. There are four to eight towers
of Preah Phumdey or RT in many temples around the fence to protect the area from evils.11
Animism is about the beliefs in a supernatural power that is being adhered strongly in
Cambodian society. Physical structure such as small spirit hut that is erected in almost
Cambodian household’s front part is an expression of animistic practice. The god inhabiting
the hut is called Rean Theivoda or ‘Preah Phumi’ (the earth god) as mentioned above whose
role as a guardian of the house. Also, another example is sweets and candy gifts to young
little spirits known as ‘Ma-rinh Kong Veal’ who have the role is to provide luck now and in
the future to a family. Different practice is found in Bunong, an ethnic group inhabited in
Northeast Cambodia’s Mondulkiri province, where they used to live off the land and still
practice shifting (slash and burn) cultivation. They practice animism that can be seen by a
‘magic pole’ in almost all families and their farm land area. The poles are designed with
bamboo fibers painted in red (formerly with blood), a small slit drum to roaming to invite
spirits, a small elephant head showing their power that can ensure people’s and possessions’
protection, and a small basket. The items found on magic poles in houses and fields are
normally more or less the same, but at the water wells, they used small water buffaloes
instead of elephant heads. The Bunong people believe that the pole communicates with many
spirits as an invitation to safeguard villagers, bring best lucks, and offer good crop yield, and
chase out the nasty spirits. Also, they still do animal sacrifices to please angry spirits or to
express gratitude to benevolent spirits for having good yields and maintain best health for
villagers.12
90% of Cambodia’s population is ethnically Cambodian or Khmer, the rest is Chinese,
Vietnamese, hill tribes, Cham (Muslims), and Laotian. Theravada Buddhism is the national
religion, which 95% of the population practice, and the rest is Islam, animism, and
Christianity. But animism has been practice from immemorial times. This is also true amongt
highland or indigenous people of northeastern Cambodia, whose culture embrace highly
animistic ecosystem-based approach in their daily life, as the author coined it as
“bioregionalism’. They are Brao, Tampuan, Bunong, and other highland groups of Ratanakiri
and Mondulkiri provinces. The link between nature and subsistence livelihood is that they do
not only see nature as physical things for their needs but also seeing with spirit that embed in
11
Ibid.
12
Ethics and Cambodian worldviews on nature; BunRong Kouy* Graduate Institute of Philosophy, National
Central University, 300 Jhongda Rd., Jhong Li City, Taoyuan Country, 32001, Taiwan, ROC; ETHICS IN
SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS; Ethics Sci Environ Polit, Vol. 13: 49–57, 2013

6. it. Ritual practice form important part of their life and they ensure that their way of life is not
against the spirits, for the nature provides them the necessity, including knowledge and
experiences in relationship with environment and resource management, to sustain life.13
Given the complexity to understand the religion, values, practices and relationship in a
particular society, it is this issues that is of important for us to explore the challenges of how
the multiple religions in upland Dak Dam commune co-exist, relates and reinforce each other
in the contemporary world either directly or indirectly.
Research Methods
The research was conducted as an ethnographic approach by staying, or immersing ourselves
into the real life of the community such as joining the farming activities, traditional
performance with community since ADIC starting the Participatory Action Research (PAR)
project in 2014. The PAR processes allowed the researchers to become so close with the
community people to understand the existing social institutions, customs and indigenous
spiritual practices in a small community like Dak Dam. This is also based on the earlier
studies conducted by CIDSE 2003, LI Study 2012 and old map produced by U.S Amy
military in 1966. In the PAR process, we have interviewed key informants, elder persons who
telling the story about how diverse family level settlements of Bunong tribes shifted from one
place to another. The study covers the current three villages of Dak Dam Commune, ORaing
district of Mondul Kiri province. In 2016, the small purposive survey with 100 respondents
were conducted by covering each sub-groups within the community.
General Characteristics of Dak Dam
Dak Dam Commune is home to the Bunong Indigenous Peoples located in ORaing district in
the northeast Cambodia and bordering Vietnam. It is about 15 kilometers away from Sen
Monorum town of Mondulkiri province. The current Dak Dam commune consists of three
villages namely Puless, Pu Antreng and Pu Chhob. The villagers of about 60 families came in
to resettle here in early 1980s after the collapse of the Khmer Rouge regime. The entire Dak
Dam Commune, which is highest altitude in Mondulkiri province of about 800+ meters
above sea level, is surrounded by mountain. The Origin of Dak Dam was located next to
Camp Le Rolland (local people refer to as the French post during colonial time period) which
is close to Vietnam border, but indigenous people lives in a settlement of one or a few
families scattered all over the places with practices of their own custom, structure and
territories. The Bunong Indigenous Peoples have been living in areas that stretches across
Cambodia and Vietnam borders. They speak their Bunong language and they still maintain
contacts with each other till these days.
Dak Dam Commune land mass, according to the former commune chief interviewed in 2012,
was about 80,000 hectares; but it was split in about half since 2008, and subdivided amongst
three neighboring communes of Rumanea, Srae Ampoum, and Bousra. Hence, since then it
has a roughly about in 40,000 hectares, but about half which is covered by ELC company
mainly growing pine trees, Coconut farm, and about 25% under community protected
including 5,000 hectares devoted for three community forestry areas, CLT Pu Antreng,
Puless and Pu Chhab about 5,000 hectares (preliminary mapping, DPA, MVY) while other
13
Ethics and Cambodian worldviews on nature; BunRong Kouy* Graduate Institute of Philosophy, National
Central University, 300 Jhongda Rd., Jhong Li City, Taoyuan Country, 32001, Taiwan, ROC; ETHICS IN
SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS; Ethics Sci Environ Polit, Vol. 13: 49–57, 2013

7. remain occupied by immigrant mainly Khmer, Muslim Toul Svay at border. Most people are
Bunong Indigenous peoples (90%) and Khmer 10% of 533 families. Since 1994, the peoples
living in these communities are of mixed group composed of 11 groups belonging to
animism, Buddhism and Christianity.
1980 2002 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018
Family 60 257 310 316 327 332 345 359 316 436 452 496
Pop. 1428 1484 1452 1488 1557 1770 1821 1994
%Fem 59 58 59 56 50 49 50 47 48
Figure 1: Map of Dak Dam (Source: NCDD/CDB, LI Study 2012, CIDSE Study 2002)
Religious Transformation in Dak Dam
A. Chronology
The transformation of Dak Dam religions has been along the line of Cambodian societal
change such as 13th
century or the period prior to the French colony, the colonial period, and
contacts of Khmer people with the northeast hill tribes though trade system of selling
products. In early 20th
century during a French colony, the system of administration set
boundary between Cambodia and Vietnam and hence divided hill tribe domain according to
the two-country border. After independence in 1953, Sangkum Reastr Niyum put an effort for
mainstreaming hill tribes into the Khmer society and influence a Khmer way of life. In 1970s
the civil war and Khmer Rouge regime conscripted them along with people from other areas
of Mondulkiri to work camp in Koh Nhek district of Mondulkiri, which is a fertile ground for
agricultural production.

8. Since 1980s or the collapse of the Khmer Rouge, they were re-integrated to their own small
settlements, but due to social and political reasons, they were mobilized to live in one place
close to each other, currently known as Dak Dam, under the administration of commune,
district and provincial authorities. In 1990s, the open-up of market economy, more contacts
have been made with Khmer in-migrants, and people who have been part of the forestry
concession between mid-1990s to mid-2000s, the economic land concession (since mid-
2000s), land acquisition, and arrivals of Khmer charity to help villagers, and bring along the
idea of setting up Buddhist Monastery in Dak Dam.
Given the same tribal status of Bunong, regardless of whether they are in Vietnam or
Cambodia, they can communicate each other using their Bunong dialect. They have invited
their relatives across border to events such as wedding, funerals, or village ceremonies. Prior
to 1950s, they share livelihood strategy, joint hunting, shared labour which is normal to their
life, which is not constrained by territorial domain. They still maintain that relationship
amongst themselves due to their same cultural practices and beliefs.
As far as the religious transformation of Dak Dam is concerned, there are four stages 1)
transform their religions in Origin of Dak Dam a period of prior to 1960s along with
integration with Khmer people to newly established province of Mondulkiri and teaching
Khmer ways of life to the tribes, 2) during civil war and Khmer Rouge regime 1970s, 3)
resettlement in current Dak Dam in 1980s, and 4) Integration with Khmer people and open-
up of the market economy 1990s.
In each stage and with new contacts, some of tribal families have completely transformed
their religions and accepted new religion such as Christianity, especially those who are living
on Vietnam’s side as they gained more active support of Christianity missionaries. That shift
has also something to do with the challenges to retain animistic practices. Such practice was
not possible during the war time for them to be able to raise animals to celebrate as sacrifice
to their spiritual gods. That appears an opportune time for the remarkable shift. In contrast to
animistic ritualization, those who takes up Christianity gained support from Catholic or
Protestant missionary groups. Dak Dam people have encountered the two missionary groups
in their areas, and that is why Dak Dam possesses the two churches next to each other.
Prior 1960s, the tribes with 26 families settled in the forest with each small group of few
families doing slash/burn cultivation, hunting at origin Dak Dam where most of those
residences were near Camp Le Rolland. At that time, the tribes fully practiced animism in
respect to their spirit forest gods who occupied over 80,000 hectares of land.
In 1970s–1980s, little by little their life was adapted, especially the new generation who hjave
been exposed to constantly changing environments since the Khmer Rouge period. Of those
go to Vietnam side, they generally accepted Christianity for they obtained support as opposed
to more resources or spending required to continue practice animism. In Koh Nhek district, of
those who stay together in villages where there are Khmer families, they tend to adapt more
rapidly than those who do not.

9. Figure 2:Map of residential land current Dak Dam 1980 and 2018
In early 1980s, about 60 families who used to live in Koh Nhek during the Khmer Rouge
period returned to Dak Dam and living in small areas close together in central area of what is
now called Dak Dam, and they could be identified as six sub-groups. Then, in early 1990s,
the population keeps increased, they have resettled in a more closely knitted community with
clear structure of administration, currently known as Puless village, Pu Chhob village, Pu
Antreng village of Dak Dam.
Currently, Dak Dam has 11 sub-groups who have their own beliefs and practices. There are
seven spiritual shrines or Nak Ta14
where they can worship at certain time during the year.
The practice of the sub-groups can be traced back, at least from the pre-French colonial
period. In addition, there are two churches within this commune, one Buddhist monastery,
and but young generation tends to be neutral to the practices of the three types of religions.
On observation and interviews, Buddhism and Christianity contains clear leadership structure
compared to animistic one. Animism and Buddhism appears to share some similar aspects of
practice, and that is why most of them believes the two are the same, and that is why they
start accepting Buddhism, as they have seen clear role of monk and Achar (Buddhist teachers
who were disrobed later in life or abbots) who lead the practices. It seems that Pules villagers
strongly believes in animism, followed by Pu Chhob and Pu Antreng. Each village is
represented by their respected elders who play social role in organizing mainly the ceremony
of Nak Ta.
B. 2016 Survey Data on Beliefs and Practices
The 2016 study found that 50% Buddhists, 30% animists, 18% Christians and the rest is
neutral and almost a third who are adults still practice animism/ ancestral spirits, and less than
a fifth believes in Christianity who are also adults, while others tend to be neutral or just
don’t know which one they should adopt. The Christianity arrival in the commune is dated
back to 1985 while Buddhism monastery was established in 1996. When asking about the
discrimination on their own religion from other religion practitioners or believers, there are
only very few, especially elder people who fully practice worshiping ancestral spirits, who
criticize the arrival and practices of other religions. However, no responses were made
amongst Christianity groups. The little by little as it seems the animistic practices could likely
14
Ang Choulean (2000) the nak ta is not just a kind of simple spirit but rather a phenomenon or energy force
relating to a specific group such as a village community.

10. transform to Buddhism practices because of the beliefs that two types share many things in
common. Some mentioned that animistic leadership does not delineate clear role compared to
Buddhism and Christianity though the speaker or Achar.
When asking about a trend in their belief in spiritual and traditional authority, it is clear that it
will be no longer appropriate to current situation and future of their next generation. In
contrast, they see Christianity will be highly prevalent, followed by Buddhism and Animism.
Despite a role of traditional authority remains strong in their tribal society, those who are
Christians believe that spiritual trees and animals that animists worship will no longer be
relevant as high percentage indicated on ancestral or offering food to their relative though
ceremony (78%), spiritual shrine (72%) and forest or ancestral spirit (70%) are not necessary,
except the majority of Buddhism and Animism believers who point out the need for having
spiritual trees and animals.
Figure 3: Current beliefs
The interegration and acceptance of different religious practices still prevalent as indicated by
the social interaction including exchange of livelihood activities remained high except
specific norm or practices, for example, eating ancestral food after pray, wedding at Church,
Chrismas’s day at Church, which is specifically not in friction with their belief. For instance,
animism/ancestral ceremony in the community where all of those who believe in animism
and Buddhism join but still more than half of those believe in Chrisnity also joint. When
specifically asking about eating food behavior on any food that is already offfered in the
spirit ceremony, most of them do not eat that food, but very few of Buddhism do so. People
are invited to the wedding party and they all enjoy following the Khmer (modern day) style
regardless of what religions they believe in. Some families do both Khmer style and their
religious style, for example, in doing such first day of weeding, they offer animinsm such a
chicken, pig and buffalow with invite all their neirbour joint wedding, it also do after
complete a big event or close party. In the Khmer style, this includes the wearing tranditional
khmer dress, the desk preparation, invited with official letter, dancing etc., either in Chrisnity
or Animism. However, Only a third (33%) of Christians still practice of wedding in
indigenous peoples’s style, especially using dress and then go to the church. Interestingly,
only very few of those believes in animism join the wedding of Christians at the church and
none among Buddhism believers. The younger adults likely enjoy entertainment at the

11. monastery incluidng dancing or drinking, including many people among Christianity. At the
church, espcially Christmas’s day, the present of those believing in Animism/Buddhism are
not found, as that seems to be entertaining made specific for their own Christianity group.
Table 1: Social interactions among tribes across religions within year 2016
Particular Animism Buddhism Christianity
IP's day 100% 100% 100%
Animism/Ancestral ceremony 100% 100% 56%
ceremony but not eat ancestral food 0% 6% 83%
help & share labour (diff religious) 100% 98% 100%
help & share collective farm (diff religious) 100% 100% 89%
joint patrol other community (diff religious) 93% 98% 94%
joint wedding 100% 100% 94%
wedding khmer style 97% 96% 100%
wedding IP style 100% 100% 33%
wedding Christian style/church 7% 0% 94%
entertain at pagoda (party/dancing) 80% 86% 61%
entertain at church/ Christmas’s day 0% 0% 83%
A Case Study of Accident Death
This case occurred in Puless village of Dak Dam Commune at the Community Forestry area.
A girl in her early 20s, considered as one of the active community members, joined the group
of about 20 people in conducting forest inventory in 2017 led by a local NGO, My Village
Organization (MVi) dedicating to forest resources protection through promoting community
forestry program. While walking in the forest together, a sudden dead branch of a tree fell of
head, which result in severe injury. In that condition, she was rushed to a hopital in provincial
town, and then to Phnom Penh. Within only a few days, doctors could not save her life. From
an animistic perspective, her death was defined as unnatural (Tai Hong in Khmer) and hence
village members were notified not to touch the body of the girl.
Her body was prevented from bringing her back to her village, let alone her home. It was
ordered by elders that her body be kept outside of the village only. On some level of
discussion, the family members and friends brought her body to the Buddhist monastery,
located just at the pheriphery of the village’s residential area. There were only few villagers
who practice Buddhism and Christianity joined the funeral. The Puless villagers with their
animistic beliefs were not permitted to contribute or touch any of her house’s tools, dress or
things that she used, as they believe they could in return having bad lucks; except family
members who can touch or use. Finally, those things were burned along during cremation.
Moreover, her family need to do several spirit offers and ceremonies including each time two
small chickens, or pig and wine for their spirits. The big ceremony requires two jars, two
chickens, two dogs, two cows and two buffallos, which can be equated to thousands of US
dollars to celebrate this for Puless villagers, but only under the responsibility of her family,
despite some voluntary contribution from NGO staff, networks, and others including those
who believe in Buddhism and Christianity for funeral. This was not allowed to do in the
village.

12. Figure 4: Body of the Girl
Conclusions
Historically, with animistic practice that precedes other religions including Hinduism,
Mahayana Buddhism, Theravada Buddhism, and Christianity, that none of which has been
abolished completely in the evolution process over centuries but rather remain diverse. This
seems to reveal that the diverse religions play a very influential role in the social and
economic lives of Cambodians. Although currently the national religion of Cambodia is
Buddhism, the freedom to other religious beliefs and practices offers a broad framework for
harmonious diversity or pluralism of religions. It is interesting to see that animism shares lots
of values and artifacts with Buddhism, or constitutes a certain level of syncretism between
different religious values and beliefs. However, some aspects such as RT in Animism and
Buddhism is rejected by Christianity when one is converted prior to baptizing into Christian.
However, lensing the diversity of religious practices in Dak Dam, there have been no clashes
have been manifested amongst believers or followers between Buddhism, Animism and
Christianity. This suggests that there some levels of harmonious co-existence of the three
religions. A noticeable case is that a tragic death of a girl, from a family of animistic belief,
was welcomed by the monastery management, given its shared values and practices. But this
raises a question about if the case would be accepted by the Christian churches in that
commune. This suggests a mechanism for exchanges of belief system and values, and explore
ways to promote practices that can be reciprocally beneficial or reducing risks to
confrontation amongst believers or followers by embracing tolerance and respecting rights
and freedom to religious practices, while sustaining harmonious co-existence in that
community.

13. Annex: Former Indigenous Peoples’ Settlements and the Shift in Dak Dam
No Before 1970
1970
Period 1970s
1970s
( - )
1980s – Now
1980-
( - ? )
1 Bu Prang
2 Lum Pek
3 Pu Luk
4 Lomes
5 Pu Toy
6 Pu Toy
7 Pu Taom
8 Pu Cheng
9 Pu Cheng
10 Pu Char
11 Pu Reang
12 Pu Leng
13 Pu Prang 2
14 Pu Chri 2
15 Pu Antreng
16 Pu Antreng 2
17 Pu Kroch
18 Pu Rotang
19 Pu Rodet
20 Pu Roles
21 Pu Rach Leu
22 Pu Rach Kroam 1
23 Pu Rach Kroam 2
24 Pu Chhab Leu
25 Pu Chhab
26 Pu Tru Leu