First They Killed My Father: True Story

The book First They Killed My Father, was based on Cambodians. In Cambodian culture, it’s typical for Cambodians to politely greet each other with a Sampeah. A Sampeah includes squeezing the palms together before the chest with a slight bow and welcome with a pleasant 'Chumreap Suor'. Usually, the higher the hands are held, and the lower the bow is, the more regard is passed on. Rather in my Hispanic culture, it is polite to greet another person by a kiss on the check.

The Khmer customary prescription of medicine is a naturopathy utilizing regular cures, for example, roots, barks, leaves, and herbs to propel the body's fundamental capacity to mend and look after itself. It has been utilized to treat different maladies for a long time. It offers a comprehensive methodology evading the utilization of medical procedure and medications. On the other hand, in most Hispanics households it’s been normalized to apply ‘Vapor Rub’ to treat any injury or cold.

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Hispanics, especially the older they are, believe that Vapor Rub can cure or prevent any cold, so they apply it to their chest, feet, or back.

The wedding customary of Cambodian were quite unique, lasting three days and three evenings. It would begin once the groom, and his family arrived at the bride’s house. They would present the bride’s family with gifts, as well as introducing the whole family and exchanging rings. Three traditional songs accompanied the wedding, the arrival of the groom, the presentation of the gifts, followed by a final song inviting the senior figures to chew Betel Nut, an age-old Khmer tradition.

They would also have a Tea Ceremony, mainly offering the tea to their ancestors. For the bride and groom to start their life as a married couple their hair must be cut by the master of the ceremony and family, symbolling a new start as husband and wife. The most unforgettable part of the wedding is the finale. Family members and friends take turns tying the couples left and right wrists with ‘blessing strings’ and throwing palm flowers over them while a traditional song plays. At the end of the ceremony, all the guests attend a wedding reception where an orchestral concert takes place. A Cambodians wedding is completely different from a Hispanics wedding. Before a Hispanic wedding, small parties are thrown weeks or months prior to the wedding day known as ‘despedidas’ for either the groom or bride. The wedding day starts off by going to a catholic church and being blessed by the priest as one whole, it’s common for the groom to wait at the alter while the bride is walked down the aisle by her parents. After the church, everyone attends a reception where the newly couple are celebrated with many food and drinks. It’s a tradition for the couple to dance their first song together after they enter the venue, its then followed with long night of celebration.

Loung and her family went through many traumatizing experiences. Being kicked out of their city and having to survive the journey was exhausting, I believe. Not only did they survive the journey, they were brave and ready to fight for anything to protect their family after every obstacle. For example, I wouldn’t have continued to fight after the deaths of my family members, but Loung did. I think I would have given up because the whole situation was too painful to bear, but Loung saw it as a way of revenge, so it wouldn’t get the best of her. They also experienced forced labor, which is relatable to many Hispanics. The Ung family and many others had to work in horrible conditions in order to receive food and housing. The Ung’s worked in the field or attending a ‘Master’. While many Hispanics previously, and sometimes even currently, were forced to work in fields picking food. Many Hispanic women were also ‘maids’ attending the needs of their ‘boss’. The consequences of not completing a task was horrible for both cultures. While Cambodians were not fed or housed if not finishing their work, Hispanics were not paid or immigrated, they both faced physical abuse and even death at times. Both Cambodians and Hispanics were looked down upon, and I’m sure the hardships they had to endure were similar.