ANA Highlights Women’s Key Role in Conservation of Ancient Temples

Phnom Penh, August 18, 2023 --

The APSARA National Authority (ANA) has highlighted the essential role of women in the conservation and restoration of ancient temples.

At the restoration site of Trapeang Lpeou Temple in Siem Reap province, many women and men are busy with their work as temple repairers. One of the workers, Ms. Men Roeun, a 43-year-old resident of Nokor Krao village, Sangkat Kork Chak, Siem Reap provincial city, has been working for the ANA since 2000 as a tourism agent at the temple. In 2013, she was transferred to a brick temple restoration team. She said that when she first started working as a temple repairer, she had a hard time because she had no previous experience in this field. At first, even mixing mortar was not easy. She thought to herself that she had no idea how far she could do this work, but because of her love, she had been working to repair the temple for 10 years and has been involved in repairing the Kork Chak Temple, Kravan Temple, and currently Trapeang Lpeou Temple.

For the past 10 years, Ms. Men Roeun has been proficient in many skills, such as the technique of repairing brick temples, how to make lime mortar, cleaning the site, repairing, sealing, strengthening bricks, and learning to sketch the temple layout, etc.

Another worker, Ms. Che Dy, who lives in Thnal Toteung village, Banteay Srei district, joined the ANA in 2004 as a tourism agent before taking part in the temple restoration in 2013. She has helped repair Phnom Bakheng Temple, Kork Chak Temple, and finally Trapeang Lpeou Temple. Over the past 10 years, Ms. Che Dy has had as much experience as the rest of the team on the techniques of repairing the brick temple and other tasks assigned by the site manager. Despite her tiring work, she keeps persevering for future generations.

Both Ms. Men Roeun and Ms. Che Dy expressed their excitement as the team, both men and women, worked together to repair the dilapidated brick temple. This also makes their family proud.

As the temple repairers, they want every Cambodian to know that there are repair marks in ancient temples, which proves that this generation of Cambodians has taken care of the restoration and conservation. Therefore, in the future, the next generation would continue the work.