Cambodian Wooden Houses; 1,500 Years of Khmer Heritage
Darryl Collins & Sokol Hok
SIPAR: 2022
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It was dark inside—traditional Cambodian wooden houses are like that—solid walls, shuttered windows, sunlight held at bay. In the gloom a woman of indeterminant years sat on the hard wooden floor in front of me, her legs stretched to her side. With rheumy eyes she stared at me and asked: ‘Why do you want to buy my house? It is old …  like me.’

It was a good question. I paused to consider my reply—my friend and translator, Katana, looking on. How to put into words the sense of history and place that radiated from the old beams and rafters surrounding us? Of how such buildings link the occupant to the air, ground and water of this land.

Keeping things simple, I resorted to a more modest reply: ‘I like how it looks.’

• Tags: Cambodia, Darryl Collins, Issue 27, Sokol Hok, Wayne McCallum