Bến Tre is a province of Vietnam . It is one of the country's southern provinces, and is situated in the Mekong Delta . It is also famous for its coconuts and the Coconut Religion nationwide. Disconnected from the mainland , the province lies mainly on 2 river islands . It has land borders only with Vĩnh Long Province , which occupies the western tip of the southern river island.
41-523: The origin of the province’s name is still unclear as it was first inhabited by the Khmer people , though some speculated it may have been called Kompong Russei . Its original name was then later altered by incoming waves of immigration and settlement by ethnic Vietnamese into Bến Tre. In Vietnamese , “Bến Tre” literally means “bamboo port”, which is quite inaccurate considering it is regionally famous for its Coconuts . In what has been called "the start of
82-485: A kru khmae (shaman/healer), whom they believe can diagnose which of the many spirits has caused the illness and recommend a course of action to propitiate the offended spirit, thereby curing the illness. The kru khmae is also learned in herb lore and is often sought to prepare various "medicines" and potions or for a magical tattoo , all believed to endow one with special prowess and ward off evil spirits or general bad luck. Khmer beliefs also rely heavily on astrology ,
123-607: A 2009 study. The study found that the Gm afb1b3 is a southern marker gene possibly originating in southern China and found at high frequencies across southern China, Southeast Asia , Taiwan , Sri Lanka , Bangladesh , Nepal , Assam and parts of the Pacific Islands . The study found that the average frequency of Gm afb1b3 was 76.7% for the Khmer population. Mon language Too Many Requests If you report this error to
164-563: A Buddha Raja being substituted for the former Shiva Raja or Vishnu Raja. The rise of the Tai kingdoms of Sukhothai (1238) and Ayutthaya (1350) resulted in almost ceaseless wars with the Khmers and led to the destruction of Angkor in 1431. They are said to have carried off 90,000 prisoners, many of whom were likely dancers and musicians. The period following 1432, with the Khmer people bereft of their treasures, documents, and human culture bearers,
205-611: A century, the French exploited Cambodia commercially, and demanded power over politics, economics, and social life. During the second half of the twentieth century, the political situation in Cambodia became chaotic. King Norodom Sihanouk (later, Prince, then again King), proclaimed Cambodia's independence in 1949 (granted in full in 1953) and ruled the country until March 18, 1970, when he was overthrown by General Lon Nol , who established
246-720: A combination of these and other factors. The Khmer are considered a part of the Indian cultural sphere , owing to them adopting Indian culture, traditions and religious identities. The first powerful trading kingdom in Southeast Asia, the Kingdom of Funan , was established in southeastern Cambodia and the Mekong Delta in the first century, although extensive archaeological work in Angkor Borei District near
287-611: A dowry, the father of princess Soma drank the waters around the island, which was revealed to be the top of a mountain, and the land below that was uncovered became Cambodia. Kaundinya and Soma and their descendants became known as the Khmers and are said to have been the rulers of Funan , Chenla and the Khmer Empire . This myth further explains why the oldest Khmer wats , or temples, were always built on mountaintops, and why today mountains themselves are still revered as holy places. The Khmers, an Austroasiatic people , are one of
328-411: A major producer of rice , but also means that the area is prone to flooding. The Climate Change Research Institute at Cần Thơ University , in studying the possible consequences of climate change , has predicted that 51% of Bến Tre province can be expected to be flooded if sea levels rise by 1 meter. Bến Tre province is, on average, only 1.25 meters (4 ft 1 in) above sea level. Construction on
369-550: A million Khmer native to Northeast Thailand ; and Khmer Krom spoken by the millions of Khmer native to the Mekong Delta regions of Vietnam adjacent to Cambodia and their descendants abroad. A little-studied dialect known as Western Khmer , or Cardamom Khmer, is spoken by a small, isolated population in the Cardamom Mountain range extending from Cambodia into eastern Central Thailand. Although little studied, it
410-553: A minor genetic influence from Indian people . Cambodians trace about 16% of their ancestry to a Eurasian population that is equally related to both Europeans and East Asians , while the remaining 84% of their ancestry is related to other Southeast Asians, particularly to a source similar to the Dai people . Another study suggests that Cambodians trace about 19% of their ancestry to a similar Eurasian population related to modern-day Central Asians , South Asians , and East Asians , while
451-652: A remnant of Hinduism. A fortune teller, called hao-ra (astrologists) or kru teay in Khmer, is often consulted before major events, like choosing a spouse, beginning an important journey or business venture, setting the date for a wedding and determining the proper location for building new structures. Throughout the year, the Cambodian celebrate many holidays, most of a religious or spiritual nature, some of which are also observed as public holidays . The two most important are Chol Chhnam ( Cambodian New Year ) and Pchum Ben ("Ancestor Day"). The Cambodian Buddhist calendar
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#1732791598079492-800: A rich supernatural world. Several types of supernatural entities are believed to exist; they make themselves known by means of inexplicable sounds or happenings. Among these phenomena are kmaoch ខ្មោច (ghosts), pret ប្រែត (comes in many forms depending on their punishments) and beisach បិសាច(monsters) [these are usually the spirits of people who have died a violently, untimely, or unnatural deaths]; arak អារក្ស (evil spirits, devils), ahp krasue , neak ta អ្នកតា (tutelary spirit or entity residing in inanimate objects; land, water, trees etc.), chomneang/mneang phteah ជំនាងផ្ទះ/ម្នាងផ្ទះ(house guardians), meba មេបា (ancestral spirits), and mrenh kongveal ម្រេញគង្វាល (little mischief spirit guardians dressed in red). All spirits must be shown proper respect, and, with
533-650: Is based on the dialect spoken throughout the Central Plain , a region encompassed by the northwest and central provinces. The varieties of Khmer spoken in this region are representative of the speech of the majority of the population. A unique and immediately recognizable dialect has developed in Phnom Penh that, due to the city's status as the national capital, has been modestly affected by recent French and Vietnamese influence. Other dialects are Northern Khmer dialect , called Khmer Surin by Khmers, spoken by over
574-421: Is divided into 12 months with the traditional new year beginning on the first day of khae chaet , which coincides with the first new moon of April in the western calendar. The modern celebration has been standardized to coincide with April 13. Dance occupies a central place for the Khmer people, one of its earliest records dates back to the 7th century, where performances were used as a funeral rite for kings. In
615-448: Is unique in that it maintains a definite system of vocal register that has all but disappeared in other dialects of modern Khmer. The modern Khmer strongly identify their ethnic identity with their religious beliefs and practices, which combine the tenets of Theravada Buddhism with elements of indigenous ancestor-spirit worship, animism and shamanism. Most Cambodians, whether or not they profess to be Buddhists or other faiths, believe in
656-636: The Cambodian Civil War and Cambodian Genocide , there is a large Khmer diaspora residing in the United States, Canada, Australia and France. According to one Khmer legend attributed by George Coedes to a tenth century inscription, the Khmers arose from the union of the Brahmana Kambu Swayambhuva and the apsara ("celestial nymph") Mera. Their marriage is said to have given rise to the name Khmer and founded
697-479: The Khmer language , which is part of the larger Austroasiatic language family alongside Mon and Vietnamese . The majority of Khmer people follow Theravada Buddhism . Significant populations of Khmers reside in adjacent areas of Thailand ( Northern Khmer ) and the Mekong Delta region of neighboring Vietnam ( Khmer Krom ), while there are over one million Khmers in the Khmer diaspora living mainly in France ,
738-613: The Rạch Miễu Bridge , which links Bến Tre to neighboring Tiền Giang province to its north, was started in 2002. The bridge was finished and opened for traffic on 19 January 2009. Before that time, Bến Tre was only accessible to automobiles via ferry. Khmer people The Khmer people ( Khmer : ជនជាតិខ្មែរ , UNGEGN : Chônchéatĕ Khmêr , ALA-LC : Janajāti Khmaer [cɔn.ciət kʰmae] ) are an Austroasiatic ethnic group native to Cambodia . They comprise over 95% of Cambodia's population of 17 million. They speak
779-577: The United States , and Australia . The majority of the world's Khmers live in Cambodia, the population of which is over 95% Khmer. There are also significant Khmer populations native to Thailand and Vietnam . In Thailand, there are over one million Khmers (known as the Khmer Surin ), mainly in Surin ( Sorin ), Buriram ( Borei Rom ) and Sisaket ( Srei Saket ) provinces. Estimates for
820-578: The Varman dynasty of ancient Cambodia. A more popular legend, reenacted to this day in the traditional Khmer wedding ceremony and taught in elementary school, holds that Cambodia was created when a merchant named Kaundinya I (commonly referred to as Preah Thong ) married Princess Soma , a Nāga ( Neang Neak ) princess. Kaundinya sailed to Southeast Asia following an arrow he saw in a dream. Upon arrival he found an island called Kok Thlok and, after conquering Soma's Naga army, he fell in love with her. As
861-481: The 20th century, the use of dancers is also attested in funerary processions, such as that for King Sisowath Monivong . During the Angkor period, dance was ritually performed at temples. The temple dancers came to be considered as apsaras, who served as entertainers and messengers to divinities. Ancient stone inscriptions describe thousands of apsara dancers assigned to temples and performing divine rites as well as for
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#1732791598079902-636: The Khmer Republic. On April 17, 1975, Khmer Rouge , who under the leadership of Pol Pot combined Khmer nationalism and extreme Communism , came to power and virtually destroyed the Cambodian people, their health, morality, education, physical environment, and culture in the Cambodian genocide . On January 7, 1979, Vietnamese forces ousted the Khmer Rouge . After more than ten years of painfully slow rebuilding, with only meager outside help,
943-561: The Mon kingdom of Dvaravati . Consequently, he ruled over the greater part of present-day Thailand and Laos, as well as the northern half of the Malay Peninsula. This period, during which Angkor Wat was constructed, is considered the apex of Khmer civilization. The Khmer kingdom became the Khmer Empire and the great temples of Angkor, considered an archeological treasure replete with detailed stone bas-reliefs showing many aspects of
984-501: The Tiền Giang just upriver from Bến Tre province). Between the Tiền Giang and its main branch are two smaller branches, passing through the middle of Bến Tre. As a result, this province may be considered having 2 main river islands and has land borders only with Vĩnh Long Province on its western tip. The entire province is criss-crossed with a network of smaller rivers and canals. The extensive irrigation that this provides makes Bến Tre
1025-603: The United Nations intervened resulting in the Paris Peace Accord on October 23, 1992, and created conditions for general elections in May 1993, leading to the formation of the current government and the restoration of Prince Sihanouk to power as King in 1993. The culture of the ethnic Khmers is fairly homogeneous throughout their geographic range. Regional dialects exist, but are mutually intelligible. The standard
1066-717: The Vietnam War", in January and February 1960, the Việt Cộng attacked and took temporary control of several districts in Bến Tre, then known as Kiến Hòa. The Việt Cộng set up "people's committees", and confiscated land from landlords and redistributed it to poor farmers. One of the leaders of the uprising was Madame Nguyễn Thị Định , who led the all-female "Long Hair Army". Although the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) recaptured
1107-472: The culture, including some musical instruments, remain as monuments to the culture of the Cambodia. After the death of Suryavarman II (1113–1150), Cambodia lapsed into chaos until Jayavarman VII (1181–1218) ordered the construction of a new city. He was a Buddhist, and for a time, Buddhism became the dominant religion in Cambodia. As a state religion, however, it was adapted to suit the Deva Raja cult, with
1148-510: The exception of the mneang phteah and mrenh kongveal , they can cause trouble ranging from mischief to serious life-threatening illnesses. The majority of the Cambodians live in rural villages either as rice farmers or fishermen. Their life revolves around the Wat (temple) and the various Buddhist ceremonies throughout the year. However, if Cambodians become ill, they will frequently see
1189-580: The later Thai and Lao alphabets . The Khmers are considered by archaeologists and ethnologists to be indigenous to the contiguous regions of Isan , southern Laos , Cambodia and South Vietnam . That is to say the Cambodians have historically been a lowland people who lived close to one of the tributaries of the Mekong River . The reason they migrated into Southeast Asia is not well understood, but scholars believe that Austroasiatic speakers were pushed south by invading Tibeto-Burman speakers from
1230-579: The list of subdivisions, see List of communes in Bến Tre province . Geographically, Bến Tre is wedged between the two main branches of the Tiền Giang River , which is itself one of the two main distributary of the Mekong . The province's northern boundary is formed by the Tiền Giang 's main course, while the province's southern boundary is formed by the Tiền Giang's largest branch (which breaks away from
1271-585: The modern Vietnamese border has unearthed brickworks, canals, cemeteries and graves dating to the fifth century BCE. During the Funan period (1st–6th centuries CE) the Khmer also acquired Buddhism, the concept of the Shaiva imperial cult of the devaraja and the great temple as a symbolic world mountain . The rival Khmer Chenla Kingdom emerged in the fifth century and later conquered the Kingdom of Funan. Chenla
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1312-584: The north as evident by Austroasiatic vocabulary in Chinese, because of agricultural purposes as evident by their migration routes along major rivers, or a combination of these and other factors. The reason they migrated into Southeast Asia is not well understood, but scholars believe that Austroasiatic speakers were pushed south by invading Tibeto-Burman speakers from the north as evident by Austroasiatic vocabulary in Chinese, because of agricultural purposes as evident by their migration routes along major rivers, or
1353-664: The number of the Khmers in Vietnam (known as the Khmer Krom ) vary from the 1.3 million given by government data to 7 million advocated by the Khmers Kampuchea-Krom Federation . The Khmer population native to Laos is less significant than in Thailand and Vietnam, those communities reside in the southwestern tip of Laos, at the borders of Thailand and Cambodia. Due to migration as a result of
1394-594: The oldest ethnic groups in the area, having filtered into Southeast Asia from southern China , possibly Yunnan , or from Northeast India around the same time as the Mon , who settled further west on the Indochinese Peninsula and to whom the Khmer are ancestrally related. Most archaeologists and linguists, and other specialists like Sinologists and crop experts, believe that they arrived no later than 2000 BCE (over four thousand years ago) bringing with them
1435-413: The practice of agriculture and in particular the cultivation of rice . This region is also one of the first places in the world to use bronze . They were the builders of the later Khmer Empire , which dominated Southeast Asia for six centuries beginning in 802, and now form the mainstream of political, cultural, and economic Cambodia. The Khmers developed the Khmer alphabet , which in turn gave birth to
1476-745: The public. The Khmer classical dance was placed in 2003 on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Cambodian culture has influenced Thai and Lao cultures and vice versa. Many Khmer loanwords are found in Thai and Lao , while many Lao and Thai loanwords are found in Khmer. The Thai and Lao alphabets are also derived from the Khmer script . The Khmer people are genetically closely related to other Southeast Asian populations. They show strong genetic relation to other Austroasiatic people in Southeast Asia and East Asia and have
1517-510: The remaining 81% of their ancestry is related specifically to modern-day Dai and Han people . The genetic testing website 23andMe groups Khmer people under the "Indonesian, Khmer, Thai & Myanmar" reference population. This reference population contains people who have had recent ancestors from Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Thailand. Hideo Matsumoto, professor emeritus at Osaka Medical College tested Gm types, genetic markers of immunoglobulin G , of Khmer people for
1558-475: The villages, uprisings spread to many other areas of South Vietnam. The uprisings were spontaneous rather than planned. Bến Tre is subdivided into 9 district-level subdivisions. The eight districts are Ba Tri , Bình Đại , Châu Thành , Chợ Lách , Giồng Trôm , Mỏ Cày Bắc , Mỏ Cày Nam , and Thạnh Phú . There is also one provincial city of Bến Tre (capital). They are further subdivided into 7 commune-level towns (or townlets), 147 communes, and 10 wards. To view
1599-542: Was an upland state whose economy was reliant on agriculture whereas Funan was a lowland state with an economy dependent on maritime trade. These two states, even after conquest by Chenla in the sixth century, were constantly at war with each other and smaller principalities. During the Chenla period (5th–8th centuries), Khmers left the world's earliest known zero in one of their temple inscriptions. Only when King Jayavarman II declared an independent and united Cambodia in 802
1640-500: Was one of precipitous decline. In 1434, King Ponhea Yat made Phnom Penh his capital, and Angkor was abandoned to the jungle. Due to continued Siamese and Vietnamese aggression, Cambodia appealed to France for protection in 1863 and became a French protectorate in 1864. During the 1880s, along with southern Vietnam and Laos, Cambodia was drawn into the French-controlled Indochinese Union. For nearly
1681-480: Was there relative peace between the two lands, upper and lowland Cambodia. Jayavarman II (802–830) revived Khmer power and built the foundation for the Khmer Empire, founding three capitals— Indrapura , Hariharalaya , and Mahendraparvata —the archeological remains of which reveal much about his times. After winning a long civil war, Suryavarman I (reigned 1002–1050) turned his forces eastward and subjugated