In the Khmer district of Cambodia, people have erected sentry scarecrows called ‘Ting Mong’, hoping that it will ward off the virus. These scarecrows are dressed in a floral shirt, armed with a stick and a plastic pot for a head. They often pop up in villages that have been hard-hit by infectious diseases like dengue or water-borne diarrhoea.
The majority Buddhist kingdom has a strong strain of animism incorporated into the daily lives and rituals, with many believing that spirits are tied to places, animals and things.
In Sok Chany’s Trapeang Sla village, no chances are taken — an effigy is tied to the gate of nearly every home, though constructed with varying degrees of effort. Some are elaborately dressed in military uniform or floral pyjamas, while others simply have stuffed bags with sunglasses perched on them for a head.
Farmer Ton Pheang stuffs old clothing up the arm of his Ting Mong, which is dressed in a bright pink shirt and has a helmet for its head. “This is my second one — the first one broke,” the 55-year-old was quoted saying, adding that his scarecrow has been standing guard under sun and rain since April when the outbreak started spreading rapidly across Southeast Asia.