SIEM REAP: Kor Chuk is an ancient coming-of-age ceremony in which an adolescent’s head is shaved completely to mark the beginning of adulthood. Believed to have originated during the Angkorian period, the tradition entails parents shaving their child’s head every month or every holy day, from the age of one, leaving only one piece of hair (chuk or kampoy) at the top. When the child is 12 or 13 (before puberty) a ceremony is held in which the chuk is shaved off to commemorate their new stage in life.

The ceremony is solemn and requires a lot of resources. It lasts two days and one night and usually involves multiple adolescents. The total number of participants must be an odd number according to tradition.

Archaeologist and Head of the APSARA Authority's Research and Training Department, Im Sokrithy, said that the shaving ceremony is a coming-of-age ceremony that emphasizes the important stages of life for each person. The ancient Khmer held this ceremony for all boys and girls to illustrate the evolution of the human life cycle.

He said that the tradition is a sign of growing up which inaugurates members into society in accordance with traditional roles. The ceremony separates the men from the women, after which men are expected to study and gain knowledge, while women go in to home economics and learn how to run and manage a family.

Nowadays, this tradition is extremely rare, probably due to the high cost of the ceremony. Although some versions of the shaving ceremonies are still alive, the celebration exists closest to its full form in the Angkor region. In late April 2023, a family living near the foot of Bok Hill in the Banteay Srei District organized a shaving ceremony for their 11-year-old daughter.