Krama

A krama (/krɒˈmɑː/; Khmer: ក្រមា /krɑmaa/ [krɑːmaː])[1] is a sturdy traditional Cambodian garment with many uses, including as a scarf, bandanna, to cover the face, for decorative purposes, and as a hammock for children.[2] It may also be used as a garrote by Bokator fighters, who also wrap the krama around their waists, heads and fists.[3] It is worn by men, women and children, and can be fairly ornate, though most typical kramas contain a gingham pattern of some sort, and traditionally come in either red or blue. It is the Cambodian national symbol.

For the linguistic term, a level of politeness, see Javanese language § Registers.
Market woman with krama in Kampong Thom
Farmer and his son wearing krama khmer scarves in Siem Reap

A closely related Thai garment is known as pha khao ma (ผ้าขาวม้า) and is worn in the Isan region by locals and by ethnic Khmers.[4]

History

According to Hab Touch, director of the National Museum of Cambodia, the krama may date back to the Pre-Angkor Norkor Phnom era, between the first and fifth centuries CE. Over the period, many Shivas and other Hindu gods wearing the kben (a simple hip wrapper rolled at the waist takes the form of a large krama) have been recovered at the Angkor Borey site. A man was even pictured wearing a krama-style head covering in some instances.[5]

Records from around 1296-1297, by Chinese envoy and diplomat Zhou Daguan (a Chinese envoy and diplomat) show several fabrics of high quality were produced locally in Angkor Thom, with others imported from Champa and Siam, but the most coveted coming from the western seas.[5]

Cambodians did not raise silkworms at the time, did not know how to sew, but did know how to weave cotton cloth from kapok. The inference is that their basic sampot hip wrappers were woven from cotton and were around the size of a considerable krama. Krama can be seen in some of the first photos of Cambodian costumes taken around the end of the nineteenth century. In 1896, the young French photographer and traveler Andre Salles was among the first to shoot pictures of daily Cambodian life.[5]

Many Khmer Rouge fighters wore red and white gingham krama scarves during Pol Pot's reign. Some Cambodians may decline a red and white gingham Krama scarf in favor a blue and white scarf or another color due to the legacy of the Khmer Rouge era.[6]

See also

References
  1. "SEAlang Dictionary". www.sealang.net. Retrieved 2023-10-11.
  2. Shiv Shanker Tiwary (2009) Encyclopaedia Of Southeast Asia And Its Tribes, p. 185 ISBN 978-8126138371
  3. "Good Krama". Archived from the original on 2015-09-25. Retrieved 2015-09-23.
  4. "Silk at Ban Sawai, Ban Chan Rom and Khwao Sinarin". Archived from the original on 2011-07-19. Retrieved 2009-08-25.
  5. "Cambodian Krama - Asian Textile Studies". www.asiantextilestudies.com. Retrieved 2023-03-22.
  6. "The Cambodian Krama Scarf, The Story Behind This Iconic Scarf – A Bus On A Dusty Road". abusonadustyroad.com. 27 April 2020. Retrieved 2023-03-22.


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