Cambodian Wedding, San Francisco, CA, 1989
During the nuptial ceremony, or "pelea ruom khnoevy," San and Heng lie prostrate on their elbows before a pillow while the well-wisher, acting as the officiant, provides a marital lecture. The will be the first to tie blessing strings around their wrists.
Katrina Thomas's notes: The Cambodians I photographed are newly arrived refugees, having fled the communist Khmer Rouge after the fall of Phnom Penh in 1975. Many came without their families, who had been killed or had remained to guard their properties. In the U.S. Khmer weddings usually take place on a single day. I photographed four, three on a single day, one lasting two days. All are abbreviated when compared to those in the home country. With little guidance, they try to keep traditions for a proper celebration but without their native substances or their own foods. Rather than falling in love, all the couples were matched by others and most weddings are conducted by their own people without the licenses to do so legally but able to marry them in the eyes of their own community.
Thomas, Katrina (photographer)
1989
1 photograph : color
reformatted digital
North and Central America--United States--California--San Francisco--San Francisco
BMC-M59
Photographer's categories: Nuptial rite , Blessing , Bride , Bridegroom
BMC-M59_C16-26