Bokator World: Cambodia

Administrators • Wednesday, February 19, 2025 •

Why Sralao?

When I am talking about Sralao (a growing white long tree), it reminds me of a love song lyrics “Mlub Daem Sralao (the Shade of Sralao) written By Kung Bunchhoeurn, a writer of steoung SANGKAE (SANGKAE River song composer), sung by Sin Sisamut and Ros Sereysothea, Khmer pop singers of the 1960s.” Sralao is a type of tree that can be used for building houses, and others. It is a useful tree, particularly for wooden houses and furniture. Sralao tree is white, and strong. The tree can be used as pillar for typical Khmer houses, farming tools, furniture made of Sralao as it can be seen at many local houses in Prah Vihea and surrounding province. (Source: documentaries)

Despite the tree is strong, white and useful, Sralao cannot be bent. If you try to bend it, it will be broken. So, it is commonly not to be bent.
Thinking it more deeply about Sralao, let me try if it is possible to analyze an attitude of human being that is similarly to Sralao, a person who is dreaming focused, strong and white(black&white) but fragile. He/she might not be so friendly with flexibilities and challenges. The person might strive to do whatever possible to make their dream come true but it is hard to be flexible and recognized some truth that come across its journey. It takes time. Maybe it is easier to contemplate the reality than make any judgement. This type of attitude should have been let go and let it grows to the way it should. “We can take the horse to the water, but we cannot make the horse drink the water.” Also, we have a saying in Khmer “Don’t bend Sralao ” It grows in its natural design. I think we should be happy to help and see it grows well, positively and uniquely. Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot) and his communist regime did not like this idea. They think Sralao must be bent.

This is Mlub Daem Sraloa (Shade of Sralao) song.