Catch me if you can

11 June 2026Photos and text: Carine Barret18 images

01 / 18 · 11 June 2026Carine Barret / Collectif DR

A large communal fishing event livens up the village of Bangkoang, in Siem Reap province, Cambodia. Rooted in an ancestral tradition of the Angkor communities, this festival takes place every year in March, on the eve of the ceremony marking the end of the rice harvest season.

True to custom, the fishing day takes place in an ancient pond and precedes the spiritual rites dedicated to local guardian spirits. The whole village takes part in this event, where traditional Khmer fishing methods are used.

The elders pass on the techniques and the children learn by watching. This fishing is not only about food. It is considered an ancestral heritage of the Angkor region. The economy of the Khmer Empire relied on reservoirs and ponds. Some collective fishing traditions may date back to this ancient organization of water.

The event strengthens local identity, social ties and collective memory.

Story available to the press, on commission or through the photo library.Request a license

The story

18 images