"Moving in an Endless Single Line": Memory, Exile and History I Cam Diaspora's Narrative Poems

Cam diaspora history in Southeast Asia spans over ten centuries. The earliest records of Cam migrations date back to the tenth century. However, Cam sources documenting Cam perspectives on their exilic experience remain largely unknown. This paper proposes to examine a set of late eighteenth and nineteenth century Cam narrative poems from Cambodia and southwestern Vietnam that provide a unique point of entry into the Cam exiles' history. In addition, the contribution of these narratives lies in their providing a window into the experience of exile and displacement, as well as Cam identity, memory and history.