Mrenh Gongveal: Chasing the Elves of the Khmer

Mrenh Gongveal: Chasing the Elves of the Khmer Mrenh Gongveal: Chasing the Elves of the Khmer is a photo essay that delves into a common, but lesser understood, belief of the Cambodians.

While learning about the culture and customs of Cambodia, Keith Kelly’s adopted home of 10 years, he was especially fascinated by their folklore. One particular type of shrine dedicated to the Mrenh Gongveal, Elves of the Khmer, caught his imagination. As a personal project he started documenting the more interesting “houses” he came across during his travels. While talking to people, most could g

ive little explanation for the houses other than they “brought luck.” Wanting to know more lead the author upon a 5 year journey collecting photos and information, which is presented in this book. Order online, or ask your local book store or library.

978-0-9961355-0-4 Paperback
978-0-9961355-1-1 eBook (The dual language portion of the eBook in Khmer script requires KhmerOS fonts)

HAPPY MARDI GRAS Y’ALL! and Happy Lunar New Year to those celebrating!
02/17/2026

HAPPY MARDI GRAS Y’ALL! and Happy Lunar New Year to those celebrating!

01/24/2026

“The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command.”

01/01/2026

Another year ticked away. Where does the time go. Happy New Year y’all!

“In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the country and interview its leader, Pol Pot—but after ...
06/10/2025

“In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the country and interview its leader, Pol Pot—but after a picture-perfect arrival, cracks begin to emerge in the murderous regime’s facade of respectability. For Cambodian-born Rithy Panh, the damage inflicted upon his homeland by the Khmer Rouge has fueled a lifetime of innovative work...”



In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the country and interview its leader, Pol Pot—but after a picture-perfect arrival, cracks begin to emerge in the murderous regime’s facade of respectability.

Looking forward to this!
04/11/2025

Looking forward to this!

Registration is now open to New York City’s first ever book launch of “Remnants of the Past: A Filmography of Early Cambodian Cinema” by LinDa Saphan and Nate Hun. Join us for a live reading and conversation with LinDa as we celebrate films of Cambodia that survived the Khmer Rouge genocide and continue to influence southeast Asian cinema to this day.

Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, April 30th
Time: 6PM - 8PM
Location: The People’s Forum 320 W 37th St, New York, NY 10018
RSVP here: https://bit.ly/MekongApril30

Please note that registration is REQUIRED due to limited capacity! The event is FREE and open to the public.

Q&A with Rithy Panh and Elizabeth Becker on March 7“In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the c...
02/11/2025

Q&A with Rithy Panh and Elizabeth Becker on March 7

“In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the country and interview its leader, Pol Pot—but after a picture-perfect arrival, cracks begin to emerge in the murderous regime’s facade of respectability. For Cambodian-born Rithy Panh, the damage inflicted upon his homeland by the Khmer Rouge has fueled a lifetime of innovative work in the vein of 2013’s The Missing Picture, which reconstructed the period’s events in part through clay-figurine dioramas. This real-life journalistic excursion, based on true events detailed in Elizabeth Becker’s nonfiction book When the War Was Over: Cambodia and the Khmer Rouge Revolution, is brought to life thanks to exemplary lead performances from Irène Jacob, Grégoire Colin, and Cyril Gueï, meticulously conjuring the sights and sounds of 1978 Cambodia with the assistance of archival footage and more clay figurines. The result is a unique admixture—historical horror paired with a rich meditation on the impossibility of portraying it—that only Panh could make.”



In 1978, three French journalists arrive in Cambodia to survey the country and interview its leader, Pol Pot—but after a picture-perfect arrival, cracks begin to emerge in the murderous regime’s facade of respectability.

Solar Eclipse Monday April 8, 2024☀️🌜🌝
04/08/2024

Solar Eclipse Monday April 8, 2024
☀️
🌜
🌝

02/13/2024

⚜️💜💚💛⚜️
HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

This really brings back some memories!!! Christmas in Cambodia was such a sensory explosion. Vastly different than anywh...
11/30/2023

This really brings back some memories!!! Christmas in Cambodia was such a sensory explosion. Vastly different than anywhere else my family celebrated, the memories still hold a special place in our hearts! Love that Jet Odrerir created this.

One year I couldn't be in Cambodia for Christmas, so I wrote a song about my fond memories of the many I had. I tried to write it like a Sinn Sisamouth song ...

Finally getting my first chance to play with the Adobe AI Generative Fill. Used a dry season photo of Neak Poan near Ang...
05/30/2023

Finally getting my first chance to play with the Adobe AI Generative Fill. Used a dry season photo of Neak Poan near Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
👏
🤟
🙏
Adobe Adobe Creative Cloud Adobe Photoshop

05/18/2023

Invest in our Libraries! Don't cut their funding!
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📖
🗽
New York City Council Brooklyn Public Library NYPL The New York Public Library Queens Public Library

04/13/2023

Soursdey
Chnam Thmey!
🙏

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New York, NY

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