HUY Meas was a
famous radio host and Lakhorn Niyeay (Modern Spoken Theatre) narrator and
singer in Cambodia. She was born on January 06, 1946 in Svay Por Commune,
Sangker District (Battambang Town now), Battambang Province. She was a youngest
child among three siblings; HUY Siyoeurn (1st brother) and HUY Saiyo
(2nd brother) who is now a teacher at Kork Banteay Primary School in
Kork Banteay Commune, Rolea Ba’ear District, Kompong Chhnang. Her father, HUY
Yoth, was an officer at Battambang Railway Station and her mother, BUTH Chin,
was a housewife. Since she was a child, HUY Meas would love to assist her
grandmother to pagoda for traditional ceremony. She usually contributed much
effort to help older in that occasion such as smotr (in Khmer: ស្មូត), Dharma memorizing (សូត្រធម៌), and storytelling for
illiterate old people with her tiny sweet voice. As ancestor told, HUY Meas was
believed to have golden voice since her simple speaking and singing different
during the public, so she was titled “Reach Thida Vohar Meas - រាជធីតាវោហារមាស”.
In early 1950s,
HUY Meas attended Sor Heur Primary School (Sor Heur Secondary School now). Some
radio researchers released the information that at home she just studied hard
without ever singing for her family, but during traditional ceremony at school
or pagoda she entertained the public with smotr, poem-telling, and storytelling
about Khmer Tales and Srey He To Borotes. In the end 1960, she attended the
women high school, Net Yorng. There she met PEN Rorn in the same generation and
IM Song Seum, her senior. Not only studying at school, she also took some extra
classes at her professor’s house for French Language, Mathematics, Ethics, etc.
According to KEO Chanbo whose father was HUY Meas’s professor, HUY Meas was
smart, tidy, and hard-working to be the most beloved student of her father, Prof.
BUN Thorng. HUY Meas, PEN Rorn, IM Song Seum, and other students were taught
not only school courses, but also music and singing since Prof. BUN Thorng was
also good at Mandolin, Chapey, and Drum playing, singing, and other kinds of
music. In the end 1962, ROS Sereysothea attended Net Yorng High School and
studied with HUY Meas, PEN Rorn, IM Song Seum and other students during the
extra hours. They became the beloved student group of Prof. BUN Thorng.
Being popular
among various ceremonies with Smotr, speech and Dharma memorizing, in early
1965 HUY Meas was called to assist her professor who was the committee of the
big three-day provincial ceremony, Sakmach Cheat. She showed her best ability in Smotr, singing,
poem-telling, Dharma memorizing, and storytelling; all audiences surprised and
admired her very much for both her voice and talent being well-known throughout
Battambang. Besides, her professor also advised to register the
singing contest in Sakmach Cheat. Being smart for entertaining people during
that occasion, she narrated immediate speech plus lonely solo singing and then
started singing “Reatrey Soma – Moon Night” of MAO Sareth, the original singer.
Receiving the 1st rank for women singer, her parents, professor, and
other classmates were so happy and admired for her best effort.
Unfortunately,
HUY Meas failed the first Diploma National Examination in mid 1965 and
disappointed to take the second Diploma National Examination, she gave up her
study and hid in the house not to meet anyone. Later, IM Song Seum went to meet
and encouraged HUY Meas to think on the positive side of life. Then he
introduced her to the Krosuong Khosana Kar in Battambang and sang for
provincial singing group; IM Song Seum, PEN Rorn, and HUY Meas started singing
together at Steung Khiev Bar (Sangker River Garden now) and later ROS
Sereysothea attended the singing group at this bar. For just a short period of
time, HUY Meas was so famous within Battambang and moved to Phnom Penh with PEN
Rorn and IM Song Seum in the end 1965. They sang for Krosuong Khosana Kar in
Phnom Penh as well as other restaurants and bars. They lived near each other in
Tuol Kork area. Then HUY Meas was introduced to work at the national radio as a
host in many programs such as culture, modern song, Lakhorn Niyeay, song
narration, etc. Her co-workers for every weekend Lakhorn Niyeay were YUOK Kem,
KHUN Pol, MEAS Kok, etc. As an example of her participation in the Lakhorn
Niyeay (Modern Spoken Theatre) is known as she got a role of Neary Phal in
Kompong Thom Chumrom Chit novel which her spoken voice was very soft and sweet
to listen. HUY Meas was also introduced to a famous lyricist and musician, MA
Laopi, and sang many songs written by him alone or with IM Song Seum since she
was cautious of danger to contact other men who usually followed her and asked
for love. According to KEO Chanbo, her father always bought all released songs
of HUY Meas after she came to Phnom Penh; sometimes he and Chanbo wrote songs
sending to Phnom Penh for HUY Meas to sing with some edition from famous
lyricists. HUY Meas also sang the song for showing the development of Cambodia
in Sangkum Reastr Niyum such as “Reatrey Phnom Penh” (Night in Phnom Penh),
etc.
Just few months
later, OUM Sophanoureak (called Yael), the best drum player at national radio,
asked her for marriage and went to request her parents traditionally in
Battambang. They got married legally
with the satisfaction for both side old people. Their three-year marriage gave
birth to a daughter OUM Somavattey (born in 1966 and now living in Switzerland)
who became a famous singer in 1990s. However, HUY Meas’s life became harder and
harder to survive since her husband being usually drunk and her mother-in-law
being greedy to ask her to buy a car for Sophanoureak according to KEO Chanbo. When HUY Meas visited her professor in Battambang; she was so upset for her
marriage. Her mother-in-law as well as relative-in-law usually spoke something
to judge her as a dishonest wife secretly saving her earning for her own family
without letting her husband know, but the truth was HUY Meas being so honest to
support her family-in-law as well as her own. Being ignored for the current
issue with her mother-in-law from her husband and his failure career of
drinking alcohol, HUY Meas could not bear any more and one night the family
conflict occurred. Her husband ordered her to say sorry to mother-in-law, but
HUY Meas could not take that pressure for she was right; her husband wanted to
commit domestic violence on her. HUY Meas was shocked and escaped in the night
to stay with someone she knew because she already heard the worst experience of
ROS Sereysothea with SOS Math. In the morning, she returned home and was told
by her husband to put down her body to the floor to say sorry to
mother-in-law. Who could do that when
they were not wrong? HUY Meas did not do it and was forced to leave the house
without letting her to see daughter once again. In fact, Sophanoureak expected
HUY Meas to return because her daughter was with him, but he was wrong since a
strong woman would never return to the cruel family like that. Later,
Sophanoureak wrote the songs such as Samleng Tro Khmer (OUM Sophanoureak),
Baksey Kangork Meas (MEAS Hokseng), Kakvey Chanh Snae and Chheam Anatha (CHEA
Savoeurn) to blame HUY Meas on the issue. In return, she wrote and sang the
songs like Pka Sla Rus Roy, Chet Khos Pi Mun, etc. Pka Sla Rus Roy also was
used by HUY Meas as a story for Lakhorn Niyeay on national radio. Until each
party got a new couple, the anger had been eliminated. Sharing her heart with
her professor’s family, HUY Meas used to say that in her life time being away
from her daughter and no chance to take care of her was her mistake and please
all the magic things in the world taking good care of her daughter.
In 1969, HUY
Meas was titled “Meas Metrey” at national radio during ROS Sereysothea got
title “Preah Reach Theany Samleng Meas” from King NORODOM Shihanouk. Later in
the same year, HUY Meas got married with VANLY Kesaro, a high-class police
officer. They lived together happy ever after and gave birth to two sons; VANLY
Daly and VANLY Dodo (both living in the United States now). HUY Meas was more and more successful with her
career in singing and radio hosting. Singing with IN Yeng, SIN Sisamut, SOS Mat, YANG Chheang (called Samneang Rithy), etc in Lon Nol Regime, she was also asked to
sing the patriotic songs like Sronoss Dey Khmer, Lea Pov Tov Bom Reu Cheat, Lea
Srey Tov Chbaing, 3 Siblings, Kong Commando, Chun Cheat Khmer, Lea Mae Tov Chbaing, Joun Por Tam Kyol and so on .
One day, HUY
Meas (Meas Metrey) invited SIM Touch, a famous singer from military force (Kong
Pul Thom Thmeur Cherng Ti 1) for interview in 30 minutes on national radio of
Khmer Republic. SIM Touch also had good voice for long breath singing,
especially sad songs. According to the interview, SIM Touch said that she was
born in Kratie Province and then came to live in Phnom Penh since she was 10
years old with her older sister, but her parents lived in the province. Her
favorite dessert was Chdov and best food for her was Trey Ang with Teuk trey
(grilled fish with fish sauce). She never got formal education and just studied
at home for both singing and Khmer Literature. She liked singing so much every
time; she heard the song somewhere she started singing. Later, she attended the
song contest in Sangkum Reastr Niyum Regime and got the 1st rank.
She said that she used to have a dream to be a singer, but she did not expect
to be famous as her at that time. As a singer for army of Lon Nol’s government,
she used to go to the fighting field singing for all soldiers. She said she
never got injured and usually made fun with soldiers. She was very pleased to
do so and likely to go to the forest area as her favorite. The most famous
songs of her were “Veasna Neang Phorp”, “Bopha Ruh Roy”, etc.
In Pol Pot
Regime, both of them were killed. They were the patriotic singers in Lon Nol
Regime, so they were targeted to death based on the principle of Khmer Rouge
officials while high ranking leader did not know clearly about real situation
of society under his control. HUY Meas and SIM Touch were forced to leave Phnom
Penh in different way on April 17, 1975 as other residents in Phnom Penh. VANLY
Kesaro was called to welcome King NORODOM Shihanouk on that day that meant he
was killed by Khmer Rouge. HUY Meas with her two sons rode the train to Moung
Russey District, Battambang Province. She hid her background and lived as
simple 17 Mesa people. However, during the second Khmer Rouge success
anniversary on April 17, 1977, her background was known to the Khmer Rouge
officials; she was forced to sing the songs during day time as a chance to sing
in the last time in life. At night, Khmer Rouge captured her quietly, took her
outside, and killed her. She is thought to be tortured before her death. Luckily,
her two sons were not killed and fled to the United States after this regime.
According to historical documents on Pol Pot Regime, the patriotic singer as
HUY Meas would be tortured in the image as cutting blood line on the leg,
cutting the tongue, etc. SIM Touch’s death was unknown. However, she is
believed to be tortured seriously before her death as HUY Meas. In short, there
is only the sadness for both of them and other Cambodian residents who faced
the bad luck living in Pol Pot Regime from early 1975 to early 1979. “Only leadership in the roof should be avoided;
leader should focus on what is happening in the low level of society,
especially for his officials!” “Experience of great artists in the past is the
lesson for next generation to focus and improve!”
(Source: Wikipedia Khmer Version on HUY Meas and Other Sources)
By:
POK Panhavuth
