Coconut dance- Traditional Khmer Dancing
The coconut dance is a routine that Cambodian people traditionally
perform after working hard in the fields and on occasions such as Khmer
new-year and sometimes at weddings. The dance means a lot to Cambodian
people, especially singles in the countryside, who tend to value
traditions like these more highly than city-dwellers nowadays. The dance
symbolises youth and fertility, and also represents how much people
value the life-giving coconut fruit and its by-products, which are a
staple crop across the nation. Cambodian villagers like to plant coconut
palms around their houses, and harvest products like the roots, trunks,
leaves, shells, fruit and nectar from the trees. The shell of the
coconut is used in rural areas to make useful household items such as
scoops, measures, combs, bowls and musical instruments. The coconut
shells make a sweet sound when knocked together and such 'music'
encourages villagers to dance and relax especially after a hard day
working on the paddy field. It has since developed into a favorite
pastime for unmarried people in the villages, who often assume different
forms, such as the praying mantis, to tease and arouse interest in each
other.
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