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Origin The Champa
Kingdom ruled from the North of Hue, in Annam, to the Mekong
Delta in Cochinchina for close to 12 centuries. Brutal and
bloody territorial struggles with a succession of Vietnamese
rulers lasted several centuries until the defeat of the Champa
in 1720. Many fled, along with their king, to neighboring
countries. This event marks the beginning of the Cham Diaspora.
Religion
Shaivism was practiced as a result of initial Indian influence.
The Spice Route allowed for exposure to Arabic culture and Islam
became the dominant religion by the 17th century. Today, the
majority of Cham people are Muslim, with a significant minority
of practicing Buddhists and Hindus. |
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Language comprised of
many, including; Malay, Vietnamese, Chinese, Khmer, Sanskrit, and
Arabic.
Arts Traditions of
prayerful singing and the telling of folktales. A Danang, Vietnam museum
displays Cham sculptures collected from temple relics.
Currently There are
Cham communities all over the world including Vietnam, Cambodia,
Thailand, Malaysia, Canada and the U.S.
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