Cambodia: Farmers of Cambodian village set up a scarecrow armed with a stick, a floral-shirt with a plastic pot for a head and it stands guard in front of a rural Cambodian home, a sentry erected by superstitious farmers to ward off the coronavirus.
This structure known as “Ting Mong” often pop up in villages that have been hard-hit by infectious diseases like dengue or water-borne diarrhoea. “I’ve set up the Ting Mong to prevent the coronavirus from threatening my family,” says a farmer.
“It is our ancient superstition to set up Ting Mongs when there are dangerous diseases or to avert evil,” they tell. The majority-Buddhist kingdom has a strong strain of animism incorporated into the daily lives and rituals of Cambodians, with many believing that spirits are tied to places, animals and things. The Ting Mongs are meant to drive away evil spirits wishing to bring harm on an unsuspecting family by spreading disease.
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