Cambodia. 1996.
Portrait of an elderly Cambodian woman
The Cambodians' varied features enumerate the diversity of the tribes that have crossed this country, stuck between Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. There are about 200,000 Chinese people in Cambodia, 35,000 Thais, 150,000 to 400,000 Vietnamese. All these communities are essentially brought together in the cities. Time has however lead to all kinds of crossbreeding, and the varied features testify today of a fusion of Indian and Chinese influences making the Khmers real Indo-Chinese. Only the mountain tribes (Loeu Khmers), considered primitive, stay isolated in their remote region, in the north of the country. All wear the Krama, a rectangular piece of cotton or silk cloth with red, blue or green checks, or multicoloured. Used as a headgear, a protection against sun and dust, scarf, loincloth or a hammock for the babies, it is Cambodia's inhabitant trademark! 80 % of Cambodians live in the country side.