Carving a banana tree as a fancy design for ornament in various traditional ceremonies is a luxurious art that the residents of Angkor have continued for generations.

According to the APSARA National Authority (ANA), residents of Angkor still consider banana tree carving or the art of banana carving to be an almost indispensable art for the design of shrines.

Mr. Chea Vuth, a 44-year-old resident of Angkor, living in Peam village, Daun Keo commune, Puok district, Siem Reap province, who came to help with the banana tree carving artwork for his relative’s funeral, said he has been doing the art of banana tree carving for more than 20 years. He learned this skill from the elders in the village. In addition, he also observed the carvings in the temples, such as Angkor Wat, Banteay Srei, etc. to create more lively and prosperous carvings.

Mr. Vuth said that to make a good banana tree carving artwork, we needed a sharp knife, a smooth banana tree with many good bamboo sticks to attach the pattern, and colored paper. The carving of the banana trees was also adapted to the atmosphere. “If we organised a summer ceremony, we needed to do this artwork quickly and made the shape a little bigger to retain its good shape longer. On the other hand, we could do this artwork immediately during the ceremonies,” he explained.

Mr. Vuth added that the residents in his village seemed not to like the plastic setting up or printing artwork as those living in the city. The residents of Peam village liked planting banana trees and used them for decorating various festivals according to the villagers’ ancestral traditions. Mr. Chea Vuth wanted the next generations to help preserve this banana tree carving artwork because it is a long-standing ancestral heritage.

Peam and Kork Tnaot villagers in the Angkor area understand that banana tree carving artwork left by their ancestors can lead to more creative ideas. At present, in each house in the two villages, many banana trees are planted for use in various ceremonies.

Source: Agence Kampuchea Presse