The Cambodian Krama
The krama—a traditional checkered Cambodian scarf—is a deeply personal and cultural object. Worn around the neck, head, or waist, used to carry babies, wipe sweat, shade from the sun, and carry many objects, its many uses reflect both its practicality and its place in everyday life. It is also a symbol of the Khmer soul, survival, resilience, and connection across time and place.
Through portraits and oral history interviews with Cambodians in Providence, Lowell, and surrounding cities, I am exploring how the krama continues to live in the memories, stories, and daily practices of people across generations. From elders who associate it with its uses from the past to younger Cambodians who are rediscovering it as a link to heritage, each participant offers a different window into the krama’s significance. The krama is more than fabric; it is a thread between generations.
Jasper
Jasper, 33, lives in Lowell, Massachusetts, expressing his Cambodian heritage through art and fashion. Growing up, he saw the krama worn by elders during temple ceremonies and family gatherings—a symbol deeply woven into community life.
He bought his first krama at a local art exhibit and now wears it intentionally and stylishly—as a head scarf paired with a traditional vest he made himself. Traditionally, the krama served as practical protection against Cambodia’s intense sun, shielding the wearer’s face and head while providing comfort and breathability. This functional purpose remains alive in how Jasper styles it today—draped over the head in golden sunlight, evoking both protection and grace.
More than just sunwear, the krama is a versatile fashion statement and powerful cultural emblem, bridging past and present. Jasper experiments with styling it around the neck, as a belt, or as a head covering—each choice reflecting personal expression and a deep pride in his roots.
Chan
The krama—a traditional checkered Cambodian scarf—is a deeply personal and cultural object. Worn around the neck, head, or waist, used to carry babies, wipe sweat, shade from the sun, and carry many objects, its many uses reflect both its practicality and its place in everyday life. It is also a symbol of the Khmer soul, survival, resilience, and connection across time and place.
Through portraits and oral history interviews with Cambodians in Providence, Lowell, and surrounding cities, I am exploring how the krama continues to live in the memories, stories, and daily practices of people across generations. From elders who associate it with its uses from the past to younger Cambodians who are rediscovering it as a link to heritage, each participant offers a different window into the krama’s significance. The krama is more than fabric; it is a thread between generations.
Marlena
For Marlena, the krama is a symbol of memory, identity, and becoming. Passed down from her grandmother to her mother, and now to her, the sequined scarf marked a turning point when she was told, at fourteen, to start dressing “like a young lady” at temple. She wore it while performing Khmer classical dance throughout high school—something her parents encouraged to help her come out of her shell and stay rooted in her culture.
Now, Marlena wears the same krama in her graduation portrait, taken at the temple where she’s experienced both growth and grief. After switching majors from biomedical engineering to medical lab science, her journey wasn’t easy—but finishing her degree has become a powerful act of pride and healing for both herself and her family, Cambodian refugees who never had the same opportunity.
She sees the krama as a bridge between generations—once everyday wear, now a reclaimed tradition. “When I wear it across my chest,” she says, “I’m saying it with my chest.”
Sarah
Sarah Prak, Chief of Program Development at Rhode Island’s Office of Veteran Services, carries a family history marked by resilience amid profound trauma. Her father was among the children forced to kill under the Khmer Rouge.
At first, Sarah saw the krama only through the shadow of history—its red-and-black checkered pattern worn by soldiers of the regime in the documentaries she watched. Yet, as time unfolded, she discovered the krama’s deeper spirit: a cloth woven into the very fabric of Cambodian life, a quiet witness to love, survival, and renewal.
For mothers like Sarah, the krama is more than a scarf—it is a living embrace, a gentle cradle that carries their babies close to heart and home. Though she once held back from wearing it publicly, mindful of its painful echoes, she now wraps her daughter Violet tenderly in its folds—an intimate symbol of protection, warmth, and the enduring bond between mother and child.
Her arms, etched with graceful tattoos of apsara dancers and Angkor Wat, speak silently of heritage and resilience—a living tapestry that honors the past while embracing the future.