Our Ancestors Are Still Singing
Synopsis
A meditation on intergenerational resilience within Indigenous communities, exploring how ancestral wisdom continues to guide contemporary struggles for sovereignty and cultural preservation in the aftermath of the Cambodian genocide.
Through intimate portraits of two Khmer women rebuilding life a generation after the Khmer Rouge genocide, this documentary examines how Indigenous knowledge systems adapt and thrive despite generational adversity. The film challenges static representations of Khmer cultures, showcasing instead a dynamic process of cultural revitalization, healing, and becoming.
Themes Explored
Featured Voices
Cindy
Cornell Student Graduate, daughter of Cambodian and Vietnamese immigrant parentsMy travel companion to Cambodia for a month-long documentation project. This was Cindy's first time visiting Cambodia, a journey that would transform her understanding of her heritage and identity.
In the Film:
Opens up about growing up disconnected from her Cambodian roots, having only identified with her Vietnamese heritage for most of her life. She reflects on how certain teachers helped her articulate her identity as a Cambodian-Vietnamese woman, especially as she learned about her father's survival of the Khmer Rouge camps and discovered the beautiful aspects of Cambodian culture - the food, dancing, and temples.
Hannah Phan
Cornell Senior Lecturer in Asian Studies, Khmer Rouge Genocide survivorMy Khmer language instructor who taught me basic Khmer for a semester before I traveled to Cambodia. Hannah guided me through not just language learning, but understanding the deeper cultural context I would encounter.
In the Film:
Shares her family's experiences in the camps, her journey to the United States, and the profound meaning she finds in teaching today - reconnecting both Cambodian and non-Cambodian students with the Khmer language and helping them understand their heritage.
Research Context
This work builds on my broader research into intergenerational trauma and resilience within Indigenous communities, connecting Khmer experiences to parallel movements fighting for cultural survival and land rights.
Director's Statement
This documentary emerged from my research on Indigenous resilience and cultural renewel in the aftermath of systematic violence. The film honors the radical evolution of cultures that refuse to be frozen in time through the stories of two women, thriving through dynamic processes of reclamation and renewal.
Production Notes
Filmed in collaboration with The Bophana Center and the Center for Khmer Studies (CKS) in Cambodia, this project prioritized community partnership and reciprocal storytelling. Every interview and clip filmed was conducted with full consent and editorial input, ensuring their stories remained authentic to their lived experiences.
Supported By
Community Impact
This film serves as both documentation and advocacy, supporting ongoing efforts by Khmer communities to preserve their cultural heritage while challenging external narratives that tokenize indigenous cultures as relics of the past.
Community Partners
Related Research
This documentary connects to my broader research on Indigenous resilience and intergenerational healing. It builds on previous work documenting Zapotec linguistic preservation in Oaxaca, Mexico, and informs ongoing research with Indigenous communities exploring epigenetic trauma recovery.