Natural Environment and Ethnic Cultural Practices of Khmer People in Southern Vietnam: A Case Study of Du Ke Theater and Phuoc Bien Worship

Abstract

This ethnographic study explores the relationship between natural environment and cultural expression among Khmer communities in Southern Vietnam, focusing on two emblematic practices: Du Ke theater and the Chrôy Rum Chêk sea blessing ritual. Drawing on participant observation, symbolic content analysis, and retrospective interviews with 40 elderly Khmer individuals in Tra Vinh and Soc Trang communes, the research reveals how ecological conditions shape ritual and performative traditions. The findings demonstrate that Khmer cultural forms are deeply embedded in environmental realities and reflect a unique synthesis of Theravāda Buddhist spirituality, subsistence-based adaptation, and communal participation. Comparative insights highlight distinctions between Khmer practices and those of ethnic groups, including Kinh, Hoa, and Cham communities, particularly in terms of religious orientation, spatial engagement, and cultural transmission. Despite pressures from industrialization and urbanization, Khmer communities continue to preserve and adapt their intangible heritage, affirming the resilience of cultural identity in the face of ecological and social transformation