Logo of Phnom Penh Post newspaper Phnom Penh Post - Female drum troupe defies gender norms

Female drum troupe defies gender norms

Medha performs during REPFest at Krousar Thmey Exhibition Hall in Siem Reap in October. Colin Grafton
Medha performs during REPFest at Krousar Thmey Exhibition Hall in Siem Reap in October. Colin Grafton

Female drum troupe defies gender norms

At Wat Reach Bo in Siem Reap, the sound of monks giving their afternoon prayer duels with the nearby pounding of drums.

Inside an old wooden building, which houses the NGO Cambodian Living Arts’ Heritage Hub, five women in their 20s are rehearsing with Khmer traditional drums, or skor. In the sweltering afternoon heat, sweat pours down the women’s faces as they strike the drums with either their bare hands or with sticks, and clap, dance and cry out. Their expressions are hard – even war-like – with smiles breaking out here and there.

Known as Medha, meaning “sagacity”, the band is taking on gender imbalance in traditional Khmer music – especially in the instrument perhaps seen as the most masculine.

Over the past five years, the Heritage Hub has been working to preserve various traditional art forms. However, for manager Song Seng the mission is not only to preserve the legacy from previous generations but also to create new forms of art to be passed on. That’s why last year he initiated a project to sponsor innovation among local artists.

“While outlining the project, we also considered the social issue related to art,” Seng said. “Then, the issue of domination by men in playing drums came up.”

According to the manager, a woman playing skor goes against the generally held conventions of their physical beauty.

“People believe that playing drums, either with sticks or hands, will cause a woman to grow muscle, and according the local stereotype, she will be considered unattractive,” Seng says. “Meanwhile, many think that women could not play drums well because the drums are too heavy for them.”


In early 2017, seven women with experience in other traditional arts volunteered for training under Sous Sopheak, a traditional drum master. They came up with the name, and composed their own music, which also includes other instruments like the sneng, a type of horn and the gong.

Despite pressure from their families discouraging them from playing, and the trials of learning an entirely new instrument, they picked a variety of types of drums.

Medha member Rithy Serey Panha, 23, says her husband has been trying to persuade her – unsuccessfully – to quit the troupe, and focus on being a housewife and singer.

Medha formed last year, with the support of Cambodian Living Arts, as a conscious effort to break the barrier for women in drumming. Cambodian Living Arts
Medha formed last year, with the support of Cambodian Living Arts, as a conscious effort to break the barrier for women in drumming. Cambodian Living Arts

“I love playing drums, and I will not stop even if my husband forces me to or I have to grow muscle,” Panha says. “I want to be famous and travel to places around the world with the band.”

In October last year, the group first gained positive acclaim at the international festival REPFest, held in Siem Reap, when it performed Soul of Victory Drum, which featured five different types of drums, including a pair of skortob, a type of Angkorian military instrument.

“The audience expressed delight about their performance,” Seng said. “It was something they’ve never seen before, and we felt Medha has a great future.”

At a rehearsal this week for Soul of Victory Drum, the two skortob players set the rhythm, pounding the drumheads with sticks. The other members, also drumming, show military postures, with severe facial expressions. At one point, the skortob pair shout out: “Struggle!”, “Brave!”, “Commit!” and “Strength” – the war cry of Medha, with each of the words echoed by the others.

So far they have given five performances, with another expected in May. Apart from helping them look for opportunities to perform, Heritage Hub gives them a place to rehearse every afternoon for three hours.

Despite being three months pregnant with her second child, band leader Saing Sreypich still comes to rehearsals. She has trained to be a traditional musician and dancer since her early childhood, but her master never allowed her to touch a drum, saying that it was taboo and would “ruin your soft body”. The warnings had the opposite of their intended effect – with Sreypich vowing to one day learn how to play the drums.

“I will not quit, and I will do whatever I can to prevent the other members from leaving the band,” she said. “We all have a dream of Medha receiving national and international recognition, and we want them to think of us when they want to listen to drum music.”

MOST VIEWED

  • Joy as Koh Ker Temple registered by UNESCO

    Cambodia's Koh Ker Temple archaeological site has been officially added to UNESCO’s World Heritage List, during the 45th session of the World Heritage Committee held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on September 17. The ancient temple, also known as Lingapura or Chok Gargyar, is located in

  • Ream base allegations must end, urges official

    A senior government official urges an end to the allegations and suspicions surrounding the development of Cambodia’s Ream Naval Base, now that Prime Minister Hun Manet has addressed the issue on the floor of the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78). Jean-Francois Tain, a geopolitical

  • Cambodia set to celebrate Koh Ker UNESCO listing

    To celebrate the inscription of the Koh Ker archaeological site on UNESCO’s World Heritage List, the Ministry of Cults and Religion has appealed to pagodas and places of worship to celebrate the achievement by ringing bells, shaking rattles and banging gongs on September 20. Venerable

  • CP denied registration documents by ministry

    The Ministry of Interior will not reissue registration documents to the Candlelight Party (CP). Following a September 21 meeting between ministry secretary of state Bun Honn and CP representatives, the ministry cited the fact that there is no relevant law which would authorise it to do

  • Cambodian diaspora laud Manet’s UN Assembly visit

    Members of the Cambodian diaspora are rallying in support of Prime Minister Hun Manet’s forthcoming visit to the 78th UN General Assembly (UNGA 78) in the US’ New York City this week. Their move is an apparent response to a recent call by self-exiled former

  • After three deferrals, Capital Gains Tax to take effect Jan 1, 2024

    The General Department of Taxation (GDT) will implement the Capital Gains Tax starting January 1, 2024 to after being deferred three times as industrial players warn that the implementation might have some negative impact on the property market growth, which is down due to the economic downturn.