The S'aoch of Cambodia: An ethnic minority on the brink of extinction

In the remote corners of southwestern Cambodia, the S'aoch, an ethnic minority numbering fewer than 110 people, face the imminent extinction of their language, culture, and identity.

Indigenous community in 1894 - Author unknown

Confined largely to the village of Samrong Loeu, near Sihanoukville, the S'aoch are one of Cambodia's most marginalized groups, with their ancient Austroasiatic language now only spoken fluently by a dozen or so elderly villagers.

A language in decline

The S'aoch language, known as chung by its speakers, is a distant relative of Khmer and Vietnamese. Once spoken in coastal areas of Cambodia and parts of Thailand, it is now classified as “critically endangered.” The decline of the language has been accelerated by historical trauma and constant social pressures. There are no more than ten speakers who are fluent in the language,” says linguist Jean-Michel Filippi, who has spent years documenting the language in a race against time. Everyday use has virtually disappeared, and the younger generation sees no point in learning or preserving the language, which they associate with poverty and social exclusion.

Historical trauma and displacement

The S'aoch's plight is rooted in centuries of upheaval. After the fall of the Khmer Empire, the group maintained a semi-autonomous presence along the coast, but in the 1830s, many were captured and forcibly resettled in Thailand following a Siamese military campaign. In the 20th century, the Khmer Rouge regime dealt them a near-fatal blow: the S'aoch were uprooted from their land, forbidden to speak their language, and forced into labor camps. The survivors lost not only their homes but also much of their cultural identity, as their animist beliefs were deeply connected to the land they no longer had access to.

Social and economic pressures

Today, the S'aoch live in poverty, often aspiring to the lifestyle of their Khmer neighbors, whose language offers better economic and social opportunities. This situation has led to a rejection of S'aoch customs and language, accelerating their disappearance. “When you are in a position of economic inferiority, you tend to reject your own culture,” observes Mr. Filippi. The S'aoch themselves acknowledge that they only use their language in private and switch to Khmer in public and with strangers.

Preservation efforts

Despite the dire situation, efforts are being made to document what remains of the S'aoch culture. Filippi has compiled thousands of words and is working on a grammar of the language. However, minority language education programs in Cambodia do not provide official support for S'aoch, and the S'aoch themselves have little desire to revive their traditions, so the prospects for survival are not encouraging.

A unique worldview in peril

The extinction of the S'aoch language would mean more than the loss of words: it would erase a unique worldview and centuries of oral history. As Filippi points out, “When a language disappears, a worldview disappears.” For the S'aoch, time is running out, and with each passing year, the echoes of their ancient language grow fainter.