After some Cambodians posted claims that at the wedding of Nadech Kugimiya and Yaya Urassaya the foot-washing ceremony for the groom before entering the house and the seated conch shell water pouring ritual are traditional Khmer ceremonies, many Thais who saw these posts responded with numerous comments to counter the Cambodian claims.
Recently, Thairath Entertainment contacted directly Father Ae Rabiap Watthasilp to ask his opinion on whether the groom's foot-washing and seated conch shell water pouring ceremonies are traditional Khmer customs.
Father Ae said clearly that they are not. These traditions are authentic to Isan, and he believes Cambodians claim them because their country borders ours, so there are similarities. It's like a shared culture among Laos, Cambodia, and Thailand that connects us. He asked back, "What is there that Cambodians don't claim from us?"
The wedding of Nadech and Yaya follows Isan traditions, but some Cambodians claim that the foot-washing ceremony for the groom is originally Khmer?
"This tradition has been around for a very long time. Since I can remember, I've always seen this. The foot-washing is done by the bride's side, either her older or younger sisters. As for why the feet are washed, from what I've learned, some families use a stone slab, others use a rubbing stone to wash the feet.
The meaning is to test the groom’s endurance because stepping on stones hurts the feet. It also washes away bad luck from where the groom has walked before entering the family as the new son-in-law. The feet must be cleaned before entering the house. This foot-washing before entering the home is a pure Isan tradition."
Father Ae also said he thinks Cambodians claim this because their country borders ours, so there are similarities. It’s like a shared culture among Laos, Cambodia, and us. They have temples like we do and monks like us, though they may chant in a different language. It’s unclear when exactly this tradition began historically.
When asked about Cambodians saying that normally the conch shell water pouring is done sitting on chairs, but at Nadech-Yaya’s wedding it was done sitting on the floor, so we copied them, Father Ae questioned whether it’s because Nadech and Yaya are celebrities, causing Cambodians to focus on famous people. Normally, whether ordinary people or celebrities, if the wedding is held in a hotel, the ceremony is more formal with tables and chairs for the water pouring. But the Isan tradition, which is a folk custom, includes parading the bridal procession through the silver and gold gates, foot-washing, and tying wristbands, depending on the bride’s family’s arrangements. If held at home, sitting on the floor is common. A traditional home wedding would always have people sitting on the floor.
We definitely didn’t copy them. If you asked people born before my generation, you’d likely get the same answer. And what is there that Cambodians don’t claim from us? Even the Mor Lam folk singing has been claimed, though they can’t develop it further since it is a stage performance. Our culture is similar to Laos’s, but Cambodia’s version is a stage play. They perform it on stage and claim it as Mor Lam. Our culture is ours, and it’s likely been passed down for over 100 years.
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