Khmer Writers' Association
Encyclopedia
The Khmer Writers' Association (KWA) (alternates: Association of Khmer Writers;; Association des Ecrivains Khmers; Association of Cambodian Writers) was established in 1954 or 1956, and re-established in 1993 as a non-governmental organization
. Previously located at 465 Bd. Preah Monawang, it is currently located at Oknha Suor Srun (St. 7), Wat Botum
, Phnom Penh
, Cambodia
.
The organization encourages and promotes writing while offering training programs and competitions. Its authors try to promote a new direction to literature, introducing new themes, such as the abandonment of morality incompatible with modern life; developing new genres, such as theatre nouveau; and providing translations, such as The Arabian Nights, as part of a "didactic and diverse" genre. According to Smyth, the establishment of the KWA helped complete the "insitutionalization of Khmer literature" as, through the 1960s, it became the vehicle for writing and publishing textbooks on Khmer literature
and literary criticism
. In the 2000s, the organization's focus has shifted; it provides training programs for writing poetry and film screenplays.
(1911-1959), the author of the first modern prose published novel in Cambodia, was president from 1955 until 1957. Only one of the organization's ten founding members was a woman, Suy Hieng. Sam Thang and Hell Sumphea served as subsequent presidents. In the late 1950s, Ly Theam Teng, the association's secretary, established an agreement to send their bi-monthly publication, Ecrivains Khmers ("Khmer Writers") to the Library of Congress
.
In 1970, according to it president Trinh Hoanh, there were 178 members representing most of the Cambodian writers. Hoanh was still president in the mid 1970s. Destroyed under Democratic Kampuchea
, the association was re-established in 1993 by two former members, You Bo
and Sou Chamran, with King Norodom Sihanouk
serving as honorary president. Bo served as president from 1994-96, Chey Chap succeeded him, and Bo became president again in 1998.
Starting in 1995, the KWA organised the annual Khmer Literature Festival. It also staged competitions for novel and poetry writing, and gave out two awards: the Preah Sihanouk Reach Award and the 7 January Award. The topic of the PSRA competition was national unification and peace, while the topic of the January competition was national development. Lacking funds, the festival and awards did not continue after 2000.
As of 2002, there were 192 members with approximately half being professional writers.
interview with 18-year-old Noun Pichsoudeny, the youngest student writer in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the author of four published novels, she stated she was a current member of KWA.
Membership is not limited to residents of Cambodia. Nada Marinković (1921–1998), a Yugoslavian journalist and author, was a past member. Pech Sangwawann, the short story writer who fled to France and founded the Association des Ecrivains Khmers a l'Etranger ("Association of Khmer Writers Abroad"), was a long-time member of KWA before 1975.
and Dhamma
. Some of the works, characterized as being interpretations by "modernist intellectuals", may not represent the view of all Khmer Buddhists
.
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
. Previously located at 465 Bd. Preah Monawang, it is currently located at Oknha Suor Srun (St. 7), Wat Botum
Wat Botum
Wat Botum Vathey is a wat located at Oknha Suor Srun Street 7, Sangkat Chaktomuk, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh, Cambodia. It is located to the south of the Royal Palace of Cambodia, on the western side of Wat Botum Park.-History:...
, Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh
Phnom Penh is the capital and largest city of Cambodia. Located on the banks of the Mekong River, Phnom Penh has been the national capital since the French colonized Cambodia, and has grown to become the nation's center of economic and industrial activities, as well as the center of security,...
, Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
.
The organization encourages and promotes writing while offering training programs and competitions. Its authors try to promote a new direction to literature, introducing new themes, such as the abandonment of morality incompatible with modern life; developing new genres, such as theatre nouveau; and providing translations, such as The Arabian Nights, as part of a "didactic and diverse" genre. According to Smyth, the establishment of the KWA helped complete the "insitutionalization of Khmer literature" as, through the 1960s, it became the vehicle for writing and publishing textbooks on Khmer literature
Literature of Cambodia
Cambodian or Khmer literature has a very ancient origin. Like most Southeast Asian national literatures its traditional corpus has two distinct aspects or levels:*The written literature, mostly restricted to the royal courts or the Buddhist monasteries....
and literary criticism
Literary criticism
Literary criticism is the study, evaluation, and interpretation of literature. Modern literary criticism is often informed by literary theory, which is the philosophical discussion of its methods and goals...
. In the 2000s, the organization's focus has shifted; it provides training programs for writing poetry and film screenplays.
History
Rim KinRim Kin
Rim Kin was a Cambodian writer, and one of the founders of Cambodian modern literature. Published in 1938, he was the author of Sophat, the first published novel in Cambodia, and Cambodian's first modern novel to be written in prose rather than the customary verse form. It became a 1964 movie of...
(1911-1959), the author of the first modern prose published novel in Cambodia, was president from 1955 until 1957. Only one of the organization's ten founding members was a woman, Suy Hieng. Sam Thang and Hell Sumphea served as subsequent presidents. In the late 1950s, Ly Theam Teng, the association's secretary, established an agreement to send their bi-monthly publication, Ecrivains Khmers ("Khmer Writers") to the Library of Congress
Library of Congress
The Library of Congress is the research library of the United States Congress, de facto national library of the United States, and the oldest federal cultural institution in the United States. Located in three buildings in Washington, D.C., it is the largest library in the world by shelf space and...
.
In 1970, according to it president Trinh Hoanh, there were 178 members representing most of the Cambodian writers. Hoanh was still president in the mid 1970s. Destroyed under Democratic Kampuchea
Democratic Kampuchea
The Khmer Rouge period refers to the rule of Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen, Khieu Samphan and the Khmer Rouge Communist party over Cambodia, which the Khmer Rouge renamed as Democratic Kampuchea....
, the association was re-established in 1993 by two former members, You Bo
You Bo
You Bo is a Khmer writer and the president of the Khmer Writers' Association, whose office is located at Wat Botum, Oknha Suor Srun Street 7, Sangkat Chaktomuk, Khan Daun Penh, Phnom Penh 12207, Cambodia....
and Sou Chamran, with King Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk
Norodom Sihanouk regular script was the King of Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his semi-retirement and voluntary abdication on 7 October 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni...
serving as honorary president. Bo served as president from 1994-96, Chey Chap succeeded him, and Bo became president again in 1998.
Starting in 1995, the KWA organised the annual Khmer Literature Festival. It also staged competitions for novel and poetry writing, and gave out two awards: the Preah Sihanouk Reach Award and the 7 January Award. The topic of the PSRA competition was national unification and peace, while the topic of the January competition was national development. Lacking funds, the festival and awards did not continue after 2000.
As of 2002, there were 192 members with approximately half being professional writers.
Notable people
Pal Vannariraks, a female Cambodian writer of social and sentimental novels, won first prize in the 1989 Seven January literary competition. At a 2009 University of CambodiaUniversity of Cambodia
The University of Cambodia , founded 23 June 2003, is located in Preah Norodom Boulevard, Phnom Penh, Kingdom of Cambodia. It is located just south of the Independence Monument, near the Cambodian Red Cross Health Centre...
interview with 18-year-old Noun Pichsoudeny, the youngest student writer in the Kingdom of Cambodia and the author of four published novels, she stated she was a current member of KWA.
Membership is not limited to residents of Cambodia. Nada Marinković (1921–1998), a Yugoslavian journalist and author, was a past member. Pech Sangwawann, the short story writer who fled to France and founded the Association des Ecrivains Khmers a l'Etranger ("Association of Khmer Writers Abroad"), was a long-time member of KWA before 1975.
Criticism
A 1966 catalog of KWA works includes the Buddhism genres of PaliParacanonical texts (Theravada Buddhism)
The term "paracanonical texts" is used by Western scholars to refer to various texts on the fringes of the Pali Canon of Theravada Buddhism , most often to refer to the following texts sometimes regarded as included in the Pali Canon's Khuddaka Nikaya:* Suttasamgaha * Nettipakarana The term...
and Dhamma
Dharma (Buddhism)
Dhamma or Dharma in Buddhism can have the following meanings:* The state of Nature as it is * The Laws of Nature considered collectively....
. Some of the works, characterized as being interpretations by "modernist intellectuals", may not represent the view of all Khmer Buddhists
Buddhism in Cambodia
The kind of Buddhism practiced in Cambodia is called Theravada Buddhism. Buddhism has existed in Cambodia since at least the 5th century CE, with some sources placing its origin as early as the 3rd century BCE...
.