I. Our culture on the mountains has existed for a very long time. We live far away from urban area. We live depending on natural resources.
II. We do shifting cultivation. Our rice yields greatly. Beans and corns are fruitfully. Luff a gourds are young and fresh. Cucumbers are sizeable. Other crops are growing greatly.
III. There are fruits, young and ripe ones, to bring home and trade it as our meals. We collect resin and forest vines. We make basket which is a skill that our ancestors passed on to us.
[Music]
IV. When we are sick, we pray to the forest spirits as this is our belief, religion, tradition, and culture. When someone passes away, we play the gongs, sing, and dance to chase away all the bad luck.
V. Unforgettable! We are mountain people. We live together as groups based on our nationality. Women and men of indigenous group are united. We listen to advice from our senior people.
Extracted from THEANG Saveun’s poem
Rattanakiri,27th November, 2009 Edited: The Messenger Band
