Photo by MICHAEL DOHERTY / Observer-DispatchAbbott Chamreun Khorl, center, blesses the temple and those in attendance Saturday at the inaugural ceremony of the new Cambodian Buddhist Community Temple (Wat-Sotheathek-Uticaram) at
1552 Steuben St. in Utica.
Buddhists celebrate tradition
Local Cambodians bless Utica temple
By CHINKI SINHA
Syracuse University
Capstone Program
UticaOD.com
June 04, 2006
UTICA — It took Lina Pim about eight hours to cook shrimps she carried Saturday morning to the Cambodian Buddhist Community Temple on Steuben Street.
The occasion was the inauguration of a new statue of Buddha and the temple boundary, and local Cambodians cooked traditional food to celebrate the event.
Pointing to dishes set on mats on the floor, Pim said she was excited people liked her food.
"It is all gone. I don't see it here," she said.
Pim was one of several Cambodian women to cook for monks and other guests who gathered to pray and be part of festivities that continue today. The celebration began Friday afternoon with 26 monks — including two from Cambodia — gathering to bless the temple called Wat-Sotheathek-Uticaram.
Chanting drowned out the noise of the rain Saturday, while the smell of incense sticks overpowered that of wet grass. On a damp, gray afternoon, about 100 families gathered at the temple to inaugurate the temple boundary. Three flags — American, Cambodian and Buddhist — lent color as a band played outside the temple.
Leaning against the pole of a makeshift tent, Phuc Thach said he missed Cambodia. Thach came to United States in 1998.
"We have beautiful temples there, but everything is the same," he said, referring to the rituals of the religion.
There are about 365 Cambodians in the city, said Ioana Balint of the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, with most coming in the 1980s. Though Cambodians still continue to come, the numbers have dropped in the last five years — only eight Cambodians have come to Utica since 2001 — Da said.
For Cambodians fleeing war in their country, Utica is an attractive destination because of its low cost of living. Though many — like Lina Pim — still miss their homeland, the bonding with the community keeps them going, with gatherings like this helping local Cambodians connect with others and share their stories.
They came from as far as Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland. People sat in circles, eating, praying and chatting as women dressed in bright skirts and lace blouses passed food around.
Together, they threw dollar bills, pencils and books into nine square boxes to make wishes. Eight of these boxes surrounded the temple, pointing in different directions, while the ninth sat at the center of the temple.
A ribbon hung across the temple. The priests will cut it today, and people will tie the strands on their wrists to keep away evil spirits and bring good luck.
A large statue of Buddha made of Pursat stone from Phnom Kulen Mountains in Cambodia sat at the main temple. The statue cost around $2,500, said Tom Da, president of the Cambodian Buddhist community, who raised money to buy the statue and bring the two monks from Cambodia.
Da came to United States in 1974 with his father. He moved to Utica because of its inexpensive housing and is one of the founders of the temple. He thought the temple was necessary to teach children about their culture and religion.
"The monks will teach Buddhist religion to the people," he said.
Chinki Sinha is one of 14 Syracuse University Capstone Program master's students writing this spring and summer about nonprofit agencies and social-services issues for the O-D.
The occasion was the inauguration of a new statue of Buddha and the temple boundary, and local Cambodians cooked traditional food to celebrate the event.
Pointing to dishes set on mats on the floor, Pim said she was excited people liked her food.
"It is all gone. I don't see it here," she said.
Pim was one of several Cambodian women to cook for monks and other guests who gathered to pray and be part of festivities that continue today. The celebration began Friday afternoon with 26 monks — including two from Cambodia — gathering to bless the temple called Wat-Sotheathek-Uticaram.
Chanting drowned out the noise of the rain Saturday, while the smell of incense sticks overpowered that of wet grass. On a damp, gray afternoon, about 100 families gathered at the temple to inaugurate the temple boundary. Three flags — American, Cambodian and Buddhist — lent color as a band played outside the temple.
Leaning against the pole of a makeshift tent, Phuc Thach said he missed Cambodia. Thach came to United States in 1998.
"We have beautiful temples there, but everything is the same," he said, referring to the rituals of the religion.
There are about 365 Cambodians in the city, said Ioana Balint of the Mohawk Valley Resource Center for Refugees, with most coming in the 1980s. Though Cambodians still continue to come, the numbers have dropped in the last five years — only eight Cambodians have come to Utica since 2001 — Da said.
For Cambodians fleeing war in their country, Utica is an attractive destination because of its low cost of living. Though many — like Lina Pim — still miss their homeland, the bonding with the community keeps them going, with gatherings like this helping local Cambodians connect with others and share their stories.
They came from as far as Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Maryland. People sat in circles, eating, praying and chatting as women dressed in bright skirts and lace blouses passed food around.
Together, they threw dollar bills, pencils and books into nine square boxes to make wishes. Eight of these boxes surrounded the temple, pointing in different directions, while the ninth sat at the center of the temple.
A ribbon hung across the temple. The priests will cut it today, and people will tie the strands on their wrists to keep away evil spirits and bring good luck.
A large statue of Buddha made of Pursat stone from Phnom Kulen Mountains in Cambodia sat at the main temple. The statue cost around $2,500, said Tom Da, president of the Cambodian Buddhist community, who raised money to buy the statue and bring the two monks from Cambodia.
Da came to United States in 1974 with his father. He moved to Utica because of its inexpensive housing and is one of the founders of the temple. He thought the temple was necessary to teach children about their culture and religion.
"The monks will teach Buddhist religion to the people," he said.
Chinki Sinha is one of 14 Syracuse University Capstone Program master's students writing this spring and summer about nonprofit agencies and social-services issues for the O-D.
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