Women in Cambodia – Analysing the Role and Influence of Women in Rural Cambodian Society with a Special Focus on Forming Religious Identity
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WOMEN IN CAMBODIA – ANALYSING THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN RURAL CAMBODIAN SOCIETY WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON FORMING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY by URSULA WEKEMANN submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF THEOLOGY in the subject MISSIOLOGY at the UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA SUPERVISOR: DR D C SOMMER CO-SUPERVISOR: PROF R W NEL FEBRUARY 2016 1 ABSTRACT This study analyses the role and influence of rural Khmer women on their families and society, focusing on their formation of religious identity. Based on literature research, the role and influence of Khmer women is examined from the perspectives of history, the belief systems that shape Cambodian culture and thinking, and Cambodian social structure. The findings show that although very few Cambodian women are in high leadership positions, they do have considerable influence, particularly within the household and extended family. Along the lines of their natural relationships they have many opportunities to influence the formation of religious identity, through sharing their lives and faith in words and deeds with the people around them. A model based on Bible storying is proposed as a suitable strategy to strengthen the natural influence of rural Khmer women on forming religious identity and use it intentionally for the spreading of the gospel in Cambodia. KEY WORDS Women, Cambodia, rural Khmer, gender, social structure, family, religious formation, folk-Buddhism, evangelization. 2 Student number: 4899-167-8 I declare that WOMEN IN CAMBODIA – ANALYSING THE ROLE AND INFLUENCE OF WOMEN IN RURAL CAMBODIAN SOCIETY WITH A SPECIAL FOCUS ON FORMING RELIGIOUS IDENTITY is my own work and that all the sources that I have used or quoted have been indicated and acknowledged by means of complete references. 25 February 2016 ______________________________________________________________ ________________________________________________. SIGNATURE DATE (Ms U Wekemann) 3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This study would not have been possible without the support of different people. I would like to thank my supervisor Dr Debora Sommer for all her support and her encouragement that helped me to keep going. Also I would like to express my appreciation to my joint-supervisor Prof. Reggie Nel for his helpful comments and feedback. I owe my gratitude to my friend and fellow OMFer Rebecca Lee for helping me with English corrections, as well as for her valuable feedback as someone who is familiar with the Cambodian context. I am indebted to my Khmer friends, who shared their lives with me and introduced me to their culture. I learned a lot from them. I am also grateful for my friends, teammates and prayer partners who supported me in doing this study with their prayers and encouragement. Above all I am thankful to God who enabled me to do this, and for all that I could learn from him in this process. Ursula Wekemann 4 CONTENT Abstract .............................................................................................................................2 Key words..........................................................................................................................2 Acknowledgements...........................................................................................................4 Content...............................................................................................................................5 Abbreviations.....................................................................................................................7 1. Introduction...................................................................................................................8 1.1 Background and aim of research............................................................................8 1.2 Research question................................................................................................10 1.3 Research design and outline of the thesis............................................................10 1.4 Limitations ..........................................................................................................11 2. Historical Overview.....................................................................................................13 2.1 General overview on the history of Cambodia....................................................13 2.1.1 Pre-Angkorian time......................................................................................13 2.1.2 Angkor..........................................................................................................17 2.1.3 Cambodia between the fourteenth and nineteenth century..........................21 2.1.4 The French protectorate...............................................................................26 2.1.5 The independent state...................................................................................33 2.1.6 Democratic Kampuchea...............................................................................38 2.1.7 Cambodia after the Khmer Rouge................................................................39 2.2 The changing role of women...............................................................................43 3. Social Structure............................................................................................................46 3.1 Some demographic data and statistics related to gender.....................................46 3.2 Social organization of rural Cambodian communities.........................................47 3.2.1 Describing the community in a village........................................................47 3.2.2 Hierarchy......................................................................................................50 3.2.3 Patronage......................................................................................................51 3.2.4 Legal situation..............................................................................................52 3.2.5 Roles of women in the community..............................................................54 3.3 Family..................................................................................................................58 3.3.1 Khmer kinship..............................................................................................58 3.3.2 Marriage.......................................................................................................61 3.3.3 Children and parenting.................................................................................62 3.3.4 Roles and relationships within the family....................................................66 3.3.5 Decision making in the household...............................................................70 3.4 Education ............................................................................................................70 3.5 The role of women in Cambodian folktales: an example....................................73 3.6 The 'chbab srey' ...................................................................................................76 4. Belief System...............................................................................................................80 4.1 Traditional belief system......................................................................................81 4.2 Hinduism..............................................................................................................86 4.3 Buddhism.............................................................................................................88 4.4 Religious festivals................................................................................................98 4.5 Christianity in Cambodia...................................................................................101 4.6 Conclusion: Forming religious identity.............................................................110 5 5. Implications for forming religious identity...............................................................112 5.1 Defining the context...........................................................................................112 5.1.1 Psychological considerations.....................................................................114 5.1.2 Social considerations..................................................................................116 5.1.3 Religious considerations............................................................................119 5.2 The agency and influence of rural Khmer women ............................................123 5.2.1 Being a role model.....................................................................................124 5.2.2 Child rearing: shaping gender roles...........................................................126 5.2.3 Sharing with other women.........................................................................129 5.2.4 Impact on the household............................................................................131 5.2.5 Prayer.........................................................................................................131 6. Conclusions...............................................................................................................133 6.1 Designing a mission strategy ............................................................................133 6.2 Final thoughts.....................................................................................................138