The most popular souvenir of Cambodia's water cloth
Everyone may have seen photos of Cambodians, and almost everyone has a plaid cloth on them. That kind of plaid cloth is called "Groma" in Cambodian and "Shuibu" in Chinese. Watercloth is an indispensable article for Cambodians in their daily life. In Cambodia, all men, women and children carry a tarpaulin, some wrapped around their heads, some around their necks, some draped over their shoulders, and some tied around their waists ...
The tarpaulin is made of cotton yarn or silk, and the size is like a small sheet. Watercloth is generally woven into a checkered pattern with several different colors of threads, some of which leave a thread end to be woven into a spike shape, while others are directly closed.
Watercloth has a wide range of uses, and some of them are listed below:
Shading the sun: Cambodia is located in the tropics, and the sun is like fire in the dry season, and the temperature can reach 4 to 5 degrees Celsius. In order to avoid direct sunlight, Cambodians, especially women, like to spread out the tarpaulin when walking or working, and put the tarpaulin on their shoulders and behind their backs.
Shelter from the wind and cold: When the weather is cold, Cambodians put a tarpaulin over their shoulders or wrap their heads. When sleeping, or when the sheets are covered on the body, or when the sheets are laid under the body.
As a sarong: The weather in Cambodia is hot, so you need to take a shower frequently. Before and after their high-rise houses, one or two large water tanks and copper or aluminum water scoops are usually placed, so that water can be scooped from the tanks with the scoops to take a shower. When taking a shower, women tie the sarong (skirt) to the upper part of the breast, bare arms and shoulders; Men use water cloth as sarong around their waist, topless, which is very convenient. Some men usually use tarpaulins as sarongs to surround their lower bodies.
Bagging: When people go out, they wrap things with water cloth, or put them on their heads or slung them over their shoulders, in order to carry scattered things easily. Sometimes they subcontract things at both ends of the tarpaulin and hang them around their necks.
Head mat: Cambodian women are good at using things on their heads, and some heavy things are carried on their heads, so they can walk easily, which has a lot to do with the role of water cloth. They folded the tarpaulin into a slender strip, and then coiled it into a round cushion, which was placed between the head and things, playing a role in maintaining stability and dispersing pressure.
as an ornament: cambodians often hang brightly colored and generous water cloth woven from pure silk in front of the door, or spread it by the bed, or put it on the back of the chair, or spread it on the table as a very distinctive ornament.
repel mosquitoes and flies: There are many mosquitoes and flies in Cambodia. People can shake the tarpaulin to drive away mosquitoes and flies around or indoors.
Playing games: Young men and women in Cambodia like to play a game called "throwing cloth balls" after work or during festivals. They wound the tarpaulin into a ball and threw it around, just like all kinds of butterflies flying in the air, having a great time.
As a gift: Watercloth is a specialty of Cambodia, and foreign guests visiting Cambodia are generally interested in it. The host often gives the most beautiful silk woven water cloth as a gift to the guests, which is very popular with foreign guests.