Mrenh Gongveal: Chasing the Elves of the Khmer by Keith Kelly

Author:Keith Kelly
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Khmer (Cambodian) Culture — Photo Essay — Cambodia — Kampuchea — Travel — Supernatural — Spirit House — Folklore — Folk-tales — Mythology — Elves — Art — Decorative — Home Decor — Photography — Photojournalism
Publisher: Keith Kelly
Published: 2021-12-15T00:00:00+00:00

Mrenh Gongveal can deliver messages to mystics, who can inscribe or craft objects to be worn for blessing or protection.

The driver of this bus told me this offering was to encourage a Mrenh Gongveal to ride with him to keep him safe on the roads. I liked that fact that the red “clothing” appeared to be crash resistant.

At Play, Mischief, and Tales

In physical appearance the Mrenh Gongveal have a small stature; I’ve been told they stand as short as half a meter (1.64 feet) tall up to around one meter (3.281 feet) tall. Mrenh means “tiny” (the equivalent of dwarf). Gongveal means protector (an antiquated word not commonly used in modern Khmer language). These elven creatures are not necessarily young but they possess the qualities of youth, with child-like facial features and soft, high-pitched voices like that of a child, and the disposition of children. To complement their features, these mischief-makers are playful and easily distracted as is the nature of children. They generally do not make their presence known to people. They are thought to be boys of a wiry, physically fit build. They dress in red wrap trousers of the traditional Khmer style with no shirt. Other accessories worn or carried are also usually depicted as red. Their heads are clean-shaven, with exception of a “top knot” or 2 long ponytails at the back of their head. I have observed a few houses that display silk clothing in other bright colors other than red. Only on a couple of occasions have I found a house that has cut out figures in the shape of a girl, with a dress form instead of shirt and trousers.

Mrenh Gongveal are said to sometimes come to play with the village children who often are the human guardians of domestic animals, such as buffalo. You could even say that they mirror each other across the supernatural plane. Khmer believe children are still considered part of the spiritual world because they have not passed the rites of adulthood. This can be especially true for children in remote villages, where their water buffalo are released to graze freely at water sources, usually on the edge of the forest. These domesticated animals are often released for an extended period of time and are believed to be watched over by the Mrenh Gongveal as much as by the children. Since children usually are the ones to keep an eye on roaming animals, and the fact that children are of a similar size and nature, increases the chance of children meeting the Mrenh Gongveal. The poem “The Elves Conceal My Buffalo and My Son” (The Iowa Review, Vol. 25, No. 3 - Fall, 1995), by U. Sam Oeur and Ken McCullough speaks of a child being made invisible while playing with his elven friends and even a water buffalo that temporarily becomes invisible while being ridden by a Mrenh Gongveal.

One game that Mrenh Gongveal like to play is Bos Angkunh. It is one of the most popular games

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