The story begins in the pre-Funan era (5th century BC to 1st century AD), at the dawn of recorded history. At this point Khmers were animists, worshipping ancestor spirits and deities of mountain, cave, and forest. These spirits, known as Neak Ta, were invoked to bring rain (and thus prosperity) to farmers. Kite flying took place at the beginning the rainy season and after the harvest as a way of thanking the Neak Ta for their help.
During the Funan period (1st to 6th century AD) the practice became more complex, as animist religion was fused with imported beliefs. Influences from the subcontinent and Sri Lanka changed religion, art, and literature - Braham priests revolutionized administration and education, and advanced engineering techniques, such as irrigation and transport canals, led to increasing prosperity and growing complexity.
As Neak Ta were incorporated into the polytheistic Hindu system, animistic deities became conflated with the gods of the classical Hindu pantheon, and the bamboo and woven leaf kites of the pre-Funan era saw radical changes. Advanced symbolism and fertility obsessed matriarchal society saw kite-flying imbued with much deeper significance. Preah Peay (the wind Goddess) was now rain deity and to thank her, a new type of kite, the Khleng Mer-Kon (mother and baby kites), was flown.
In the Chenla era (7th and 8th centuries AD) agrarian. Reforms continued. Successful exploitation of water resources and increased trade led to a growing number of Kampongs (riverside settlements). All religious rituals, including kite-flying, became more uniform and systemized.
The Angkor Era (9th to early 15th century AD) was the zenith of Khmer civilization. Angkor, a complex agrarian society based around massive reservoirs known as Baray, quickly rose to become the regional superpower. The perceived importance of fertility spirits meant Khleng were classified as sacred in their own right, according to an inscription of 972AD. Unfortunately Siamese invasions and falling rice yields led to the desertion of Angkor and, perhaps feeling betrayed, people abandoned many of their religious beliefs.
Kite flying was briefly mentioned in the account of Portuguese envoy Quiroga de San Antonio in 1590 and there are some obscure references to it during the reign of King Srei Surypor (early 17th century). The lack of records and chaotic political situation suggests kite flying had been all but forgotten.
Instability and Civil war continued into the first half Ang Doun, a renowned scholar and tireless promoter of ancient traditions, finally managed to re-unite Cambodia’s warring factions. Under his patronage Khleng Ek grew in popularity and Buddhist leaders advised the king to restart the royal festival of kite flying. Pithy Banghos Khleng, as the festival is known, still takes place on the dates it was first re-established – the 12th to 15th day of the Maksir lunar month during the dry season – although it is no longer restricted to the Royal Palace. It is still dedicated to the same deity – Preah Chula Muni Chetdey (a Brahman sky god called Preah Peay in modern Khmer) – to pray for good weather and a good harvest. The ceremony’s symbolism was forgotten after King Ang Doung’s death in 1894, becoming the simple entertainment of today.
A short renaissance took place during the Sangkum Reas Niyum period (1953-1970), a time of rapid development and growing respect for traditional culture. Kite flying, along with many other aspects of Khmer culture. Was banned and nearly lost during the Khmer Rouge regime (1975-1979). In 1992 old people, the only ones who remembered how to make Khleng Ek, began to open fields. Khleng Ek soon caught on and have grown in popularity ever since.
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