PHNOM PENH: A silk tradition nearly erased during the Khmer Rouge genocide is being woven back to life through the memories of Cham women, as Cambodia looks to community heritage to strengthen its appeal as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination.
The Queen Mother’s Library’s Cham Silk Initiative was among the cultural products showcased at the Muslim Friendly Tourism Forum and Fair 2026, highlighting how an endangered weaving tradition can connect historical memory with women’s livelihoods and a growing tourism market.
Presented through the project “Cham Silk: The Colour of Memory”, the initiative seeks to reconstruct traditional Cham silk using the knowledge and living memories of women who still remember the craft and techniques that were at risk of disappearing.
The exhibition was visited by Minister of Tourism Huot Hak and Phnom Penh governor Khuong Sreng during the forum and fair, which was launched by the tourism ministry to promote domestic tourism and present Cambodia as a safe, attractive and welcoming destination for Muslim travellers.
For the Cham, however, the fabric carries a history far deeper than its colours and patterns.
Between 1975 and 1979, the Khmer Rouge pursued genocidal policies against Cambodia’s ethnic Cham population.
The Queen Mother’s Library’s Cham Silk Initiative is part of efforts to leverage community heritage to strengthen Cambodia’s appeal as a Muslim-friendly tourism destination. Supplied
According to information presented by the initiative, between 200,000 and 400,000 Cham people lost their lives, while women accounted for about 65 per cent of an estimated 200,000 survivors.
“After 16 years of legal proceedings, senior Khmer Rouge leaders were found guilty of genocide against the Cham,” said So Farina, Documentation Centre of Cambodia principal director.
Yet, she said, the project argues that legal recognition alone cannot restore the traditions, knowledge and lives lost during the period.
“We reconstruct Cham silk through the living memories of women who still know how to weave it. Memory cannot be erased. It lives in every thread,” explained a Cham Silk Initiative statement.
The project is therefore working with women who retain knowledge of Cham weaving to reconstruct a tradition that came close to disappearing.
By transforming those memories into tangible cultural products, Cham silk stands at the intersection of heritage preservation, historical remembrance and sustainable enterprise, according to the initiative.
The project’s participation in the Muslim Friendly Tourism Forum and Fair also points to a wider opportunity for Cambodia’s Cham communities as the government seeks to develop tourism products for Muslim visitors.
Community tourism is considered central to Muslim-friendly tourism because it allows travellers to experience local people, places, history, culture and services directly, while tourism income flows into host communities.
In 2023, His Majesty Norodom Sihamoni personally thanked the Cham Silk Initiative for presenting him with two sets of precious silk from the initiative’s craftswomen. Supplied
The initiative said this model could enrich visitors’ experiences while contributing to the economic well-being of communities and the national economy.
“For Cham women, the revival of silk weaving could also turn cultural knowledge into sustainable livelihood,” said Farina.
The initiative described women’s contribution as essential to Cambodia’s recovery and growth, noting that cultural heritage can be developed into sustainable enterprises without stripping it of its historical meaning.
Rather than treating Cham silk as simply a souvenir, the project encourages visitors and consumers to consider the rarity, quality and stories embedded in the textile.
“Cham silk stands at the intersection of beauty, ethics and history, encouraging the world to value quality, rarity and meaning,” the initiative said.
The tourism ministry launched the Muslim Friendly Tourism Forum and Fair 2026 as part of efforts to promote local tourism and strengthen Cambodia’s image as a welcoming destination for Muslim travellers.
The event also promoted cultural exchange and closer relations among ethnic communities under the shared message, “We are the One”, emphasising tourism’s potential to bring communities together.
Cambodia is home to a significant Cham Muslim community whose religious practices, food, clothing and cultural traditions form part of the country’s diverse social fabric.
The Cham silk exhibition demonstrates how community-based cultural products could become part of the country’s Muslim-friendly tourism strategy, allowing visitors to engage with Cham history while supporting local livelihoods.
The initiative said a comprehensive campaign, strategic planning and active collaboration among government institutions, communities, tourism operators and other stakeholders would be needed to realise the full potential of Muslim-friendly tourism.
Such cooperation, it added, could attract more Muslim visitors while strengthening Cambodia’s reputation as a diverse and welcoming destination.
For the women rebuilding the endangered weaving tradition, however, Cham silk is also an act of remembrance.
Each reconstructed thread carries knowledge preserved by survivors and passed on after a period in which an entire community and its cultural traditions faced destruction.
Nearly five decades after the fall of the Khmer Rouge regime, that knowledge is now finding a place not only in historical preservation, but also in community tourism and sustainable enterprise.
Through Cham silk, memories once at risk of disappearing are being woven into a new economic opportunity — while ensuring the history behind the fabric is not forgotten. - The Phnom Penh Post/ANN
