| Presently, the Khmer Krom's population is between eight to ten million people. These people have been living under an oppressive society, which has been controlled by the Vietnamese people for hundreds of years. They are politically, economically, educationally, physically and psychologically dominated by the Vietnamese Communist government. They do not have freedom of speech. There are no official Khmer Krom schools anywhere in South Vietnam. The children have no choice but to learn the Vietnamese language and culture in order to survive.;This dissertation presents research designed to explore Khmer Krom cultural history and daily life experiences, both in Vietnam and in the United States. The purpose of this study was to more fully comprehend my own cultural identity and historical significance and to compare and contrast the similarities and the differences with the literature and the perceptions of others with similar backgrounds and experiences.;Findings from this study will be significantly useful for Westerners and other people around the world not knowledgeable about Khmer Krom people. Furthermore, I thought it would be extremely important for the Khmer Krom children to understand how and why the Vietnamese people conquered their parents' and ancestors' homeland. It was critical to educate and re-educate both the Khmer Krom parents and their children for many generations to come. By doing so, they would be able to maintain their cultural identity and traditional belief system. |
