Each sunrise in a Khmer village brings the mingled scent of incense and fresh jasmine, as households tiptoe between Buddhist devotion and age-old folk traditions. A small altar by the front door often hosts both a Buddha image and tiny statues of neak ta, the local guardian spirits believed to watch over fields and families. Before uttering the morning “buddho” chant, water is gently sprinkled around the home—an act meant to appease unseen water spirits who might otherwise stir up mischief, especially during the recent flood season that’s kept communities on high alert.

At neighborhood wats, lay worshippers circle the main chedi with offerings of banana leaves and marigolds, while quietly slipping a bit of sticky rice or a coin into wooden spirit houses tucked under ancient trees. This double devotion reflects the sense that Buddhist merit-making and folk propitiation go hand in hand—a partnership rather than a tug-of-war. In Phnom Penh’s bustling markets, small stalls now sell hand-painted amulets blending lotus motifs with protective animal figures, a nod to both the Eightfold Path and the Khmer reverence for forest guardians.

Even midweek rituals carry folk echoes. Chanting sessions often segue into the soft recitation of mantras borrowed from pre-Angkorian magic, believed to ward off illness—a belief that saw a resurgence during the Covid-19 era. Community elders might then lead a brief ceremony, drumming out negative energy, while younger devotees snap photos to share on social media, tagging it #SpiritBlessed.

Khmers weaving silk at home will pause their shuttle as they whisper a blessing for the weaving goddess to keep their patterns straight and colors true. By nightfall, a simple candle flickers before a door-jamb shrine, its tiny flame symbolizing both enlightenment and protection from wandering spirits. In modern Cambodia, folk faith doesn’t dilute Buddhism; rather, it seasons it, offering a richly layered spiritual practice that feels as alive today as it did along the Tonle Sap banks centuries ago.