Last Saturday I had the opportunity to race in one of my first Asian American Dragonboat Association sponsored events: the Bon Om Tuk Festival. The dragonboat race was at the Port of Commencement in Tacoma, WA. There were only 15 teams and my team was a combination of my team, Sundragons, our alumni team, Sundragons PLUS, and a few other teams from the Portland metro area called One Race Wonder. We took second place in both the mixed and open divisions behind Khmer Krom; the reigning champions of the venue. Despite the overpowering Cambodian soundtrack and deafening bass, the place wasn't that bad (I like a good bass, but 9 hours of this shit was too much). After seeing all of the Khmer Krom signs I decided to check it out.
Turns out the Khmer Krom are the indigenous people of Southern Vietnam who have been oppressed for decades both politically and spiritually (they practice a different form of Buddhism than the majority of Vietnam). Their struggle began when they lost a civil war in 1620 and were forced into the Mekong Delta. As time has progressed, their oppression has grown with the addition of the Khmer Rouge in 1976 who has been driving the Khmer Krom from their ancestral homelands. The Vietnamese government does nothing to help these people.
Now you know about the Khmer's struggle, so next time you see one of their organizations, Khmer in Action for example, help them out.
Here's some photos from the race.
P.S. Join us on the waterfront for the Portland Dragonboat Races on September 12 and 13.
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