Showing posts with label Cambodian-Americans in Tacoma. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cambodian-Americans in Tacoma. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Sunday, May 06, 2012
Kickboxing School Opens Near Seattle
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| The school currently has around 50 students, including whites, hispanics and Cambodian-Americans. (Photo: Courtesy of Srab Sroeuy) |
Sok Khemara, VOA Khmer | Washington, DC
“We want to show that we are leading in martial arts, too, in Southeast Asia.”
Cambodian-Americans in Tacoma, Washington, have started a traditional Cambodian kickboxing school.
Srab Sroeuy, who founded South Sound Martial Arts, told VOA Khmer he wants to showcase a traditional fighting style he learned from his grandfather.
“I want to tell other countries that Cambodians also have martial arts,” he said. “In the near future, I hope we’ll have boxers from Cambodia to help us and compete here at my place.”
Monday, August 17, 2009
Event brings together all things Cambodian
Khmer conference: Attendees share culture, learn about legal issues
08/16/09
JOYCE CHEN
The News Tribune (Washington, USA)
Cambodians from across the Puget Sound mingled with community leaders Saturday in Tacoma at the first statewide Khmer conference.
Highlights of the all-day conference included bilingual presentations on social services, women’s health, immigration and deportation processes, and several traditional dance performances. Among the guest speakers were Sen. Rosa Franklin, D-Tacoma.
Booths promoted everything from education programs to church groups, with tables covered with gold jewelry, ceremonial masks and cowhide-bound Bibles.
Cambodian Women’s Networking Association President Sok-Khieng Lim said that the conference arose from a need to “re-educate each other about Cambodian culture, religion and history.”
Tacoma was chosen as the host city because of the South Sound’s sizeable Cambodian population.
Lim said that one of the aims of the event was to bridge the gap between older and younger generations.
“Cambodian people are very religious, and the elders were concerned that the younger people didn’t understand,” Lim said.
More than 90 percent of Cambodians practice Theravada Buddhism, the state religion in Cambodia since the 1300s.
About 200 people attended the conference at La Quinta Inns and Suites hotel. Organizer Hak-Ry O’Neal said she was pleased by the cross-section of community members who attended.
“It’s wonderful to see people joining us from Oregon and California,” she said.
For those who couldn’t make the drive, the proceedings were broadcast live on the Internet.
Kayomi Wada of Federal Way said her favorite part of the conference was a public service panel discussing Asian Pacific Islander coalitions.
“I thought it was exciting to see so much programming on Khmer history and culture,” she said. She added that she particularly enjoyed the cultural dances.
Monthy Chea of Issaquah hoped that the conference would motivate younger Cambodians to get in touch with their roots.
Chea added that the event inspired her to teach her 11-year-old daughter more of the Cambodian language.
“I’ve been here 34 years, and there was a point growing up when I didn’t want to associate with being Cambodian,” she said. “When I got older, I started valuing the culture.”
Joyce Chen: 253-597-8426
joyce.chen@thenewstribune.com
08/16/09
JOYCE CHEN
The News Tribune (Washington, USA)
Cambodians from across the Puget Sound mingled with community leaders Saturday in Tacoma at the first statewide Khmer conference.
Highlights of the all-day conference included bilingual presentations on social services, women’s health, immigration and deportation processes, and several traditional dance performances. Among the guest speakers were Sen. Rosa Franklin, D-Tacoma.
Booths promoted everything from education programs to church groups, with tables covered with gold jewelry, ceremonial masks and cowhide-bound Bibles.
Cambodian Women’s Networking Association President Sok-Khieng Lim said that the conference arose from a need to “re-educate each other about Cambodian culture, religion and history.”
Tacoma was chosen as the host city because of the South Sound’s sizeable Cambodian population.
Lim said that one of the aims of the event was to bridge the gap between older and younger generations.
“Cambodian people are very religious, and the elders were concerned that the younger people didn’t understand,” Lim said.
More than 90 percent of Cambodians practice Theravada Buddhism, the state religion in Cambodia since the 1300s.
About 200 people attended the conference at La Quinta Inns and Suites hotel. Organizer Hak-Ry O’Neal said she was pleased by the cross-section of community members who attended.
“It’s wonderful to see people joining us from Oregon and California,” she said.
For those who couldn’t make the drive, the proceedings were broadcast live on the Internet.
Kayomi Wada of Federal Way said her favorite part of the conference was a public service panel discussing Asian Pacific Islander coalitions.
“I thought it was exciting to see so much programming on Khmer history and culture,” she said. She added that she particularly enjoyed the cultural dances.
Monthy Chea of Issaquah hoped that the conference would motivate younger Cambodians to get in touch with their roots.
Chea added that the event inspired her to teach her 11-year-old daughter more of the Cambodian language.
“I’ve been here 34 years, and there was a point growing up when I didn’t want to associate with being Cambodian,” she said. “When I got older, I started valuing the culture.”
Joyce Chen: 253-597-8426
joyce.chen@thenewstribune.com
Monday, February 11, 2008
Cambodia takes spotlight Asia comes to Tacoma
Denise Yin peeks through the curtain as Daravy Oum, Melinda Oum and Amie Yin, from left, wait for their troupe, Cambodian Classical and Folk Dance of Tacoma, to be called to the stage Saturday at the Asia Pacific Cultural Center’s annual New Year Celebration at the Tacoma Dome. (PHOTOS BY PETER HALEY/THE NEWS TRIBUNE)February 10th, 2008
STEVE MAYNARD; steve.maynard@thenewstribune.com
The News Tribune (Tacoma, Washington, USA)
Pat Walton enjoyed a plate of Korean kimchee and fried pork Saturday and watched Indian dancing, surrounded by hundreds of other people celebrating the Asian New Year in Tacoma.
Taking in the celebration for the first time, the 48-year-old Tacoman called it “spectacular.”
“I really enjoy the culture – and the food,” he said. “That’s part of the culture.”
A multicultural array of food, dance and music was among the attractions at the 10th annual New Year Celebration, organized by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center.
At least 4,000 people attended the all-day celebration at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, said Phil Chang, executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma.
They helped celebrate the new year, which began Thursday. This Asian New Year, based on the Chinese zodiac cycle, is the Year of the Rat.
Before sampling the Korean cuisine, Walton tried pot stickers and noodles prepared by members of the Chinese Christian Church of Tacoma.
Church member Ming Alwin of Fircrest watched the dancing with her 2-year-old daughter, Danni. Alwin said the celebration is a way for non-Asians and Asians to get to know the diversity of Asian cultures. Youths from her church demonstrated tai chi.
“We want to export our Chinese culture to the society,” Alwin said.
Asians make up 5.9 percent of Pierce County’s population, according to data from the U.S. Census and a 2006 survey cited in the celebration’s program.
The exhibition hall was lined with booths for non-Asian and Asian businesses. Up front, the backdrop for the stage was a giant image of Angkor Wat, the ancient temple in Cambodia.
Each year’s celebration highlights a different culture, and Cambodians enjoyed the spotlight this year.
At least 500 Cambodians attended from as far away as Everett, said Rong By of Olympia. The celebration included Cambodian bands and Cambodian folk and classical dances.
Cambodians want to make themselves known to the general population, said By, who helped emcee.
“The most important thing is that people over here know Cambodians exist as part of the melting pot,” he said.
That ethnic diversity was demonstrated when the Samoana Dancers from Stafford Elementary School in Tacoma took the stage.
The 45 girls, ages 5 to 11, include Cambodian, Russian, Korean, Latino, black and Samoan dancers, said teacher Ala Talo, who started the group four years ago.
They wore Samoan dresses with bright pink and blue flower prints. In four lines on stage, they swayed and stepped, performing Samoan dances and singing in Samoan before their largest crowd ever and for the first time at New Year Celebration.
Nadia Yun, a 9-year-old third-grader, said she likes Samoan dance.
“It’s nice and graceful,” she said.
Talo said the dance is “teaching them how to respect somebody else’s culture.” It also instills positive messages, “empowering the girls that they can do anything if they put their hearts into it,” she said.
“We are so nervous because this is our first year,” Talo said. “But they did good.”
Earlier, Mary Ohno presented Japanese dance and music from her Kabuki Academy for the 10th straight year.
Ohno’s seen the event expand and grow.
“The people start understanding,” she said, “and they’re more interested in other cultures.”
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
Taking in the celebration for the first time, the 48-year-old Tacoman called it “spectacular.”
“I really enjoy the culture – and the food,” he said. “That’s part of the culture.”
A multicultural array of food, dance and music was among the attractions at the 10th annual New Year Celebration, organized by the Asia Pacific Cultural Center.
At least 4,000 people attended the all-day celebration at the Tacoma Dome Exhibition Hall, said Phil Chang, executive director of the Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma.
They helped celebrate the new year, which began Thursday. This Asian New Year, based on the Chinese zodiac cycle, is the Year of the Rat.
Before sampling the Korean cuisine, Walton tried pot stickers and noodles prepared by members of the Chinese Christian Church of Tacoma.
Church member Ming Alwin of Fircrest watched the dancing with her 2-year-old daughter, Danni. Alwin said the celebration is a way for non-Asians and Asians to get to know the diversity of Asian cultures. Youths from her church demonstrated tai chi.
“We want to export our Chinese culture to the society,” Alwin said.
Asians make up 5.9 percent of Pierce County’s population, according to data from the U.S. Census and a 2006 survey cited in the celebration’s program.
The exhibition hall was lined with booths for non-Asian and Asian businesses. Up front, the backdrop for the stage was a giant image of Angkor Wat, the ancient temple in Cambodia.
Each year’s celebration highlights a different culture, and Cambodians enjoyed the spotlight this year.
At least 500 Cambodians attended from as far away as Everett, said Rong By of Olympia. The celebration included Cambodian bands and Cambodian folk and classical dances.
Cambodians want to make themselves known to the general population, said By, who helped emcee.
“The most important thing is that people over here know Cambodians exist as part of the melting pot,” he said.
That ethnic diversity was demonstrated when the Samoana Dancers from Stafford Elementary School in Tacoma took the stage.
The 45 girls, ages 5 to 11, include Cambodian, Russian, Korean, Latino, black and Samoan dancers, said teacher Ala Talo, who started the group four years ago.
They wore Samoan dresses with bright pink and blue flower prints. In four lines on stage, they swayed and stepped, performing Samoan dances and singing in Samoan before their largest crowd ever and for the first time at New Year Celebration.
Nadia Yun, a 9-year-old third-grader, said she likes Samoan dance.
“It’s nice and graceful,” she said.
Talo said the dance is “teaching them how to respect somebody else’s culture.” It also instills positive messages, “empowering the girls that they can do anything if they put their hearts into it,” she said.
“We are so nervous because this is our first year,” Talo said. “But they did good.”
Earlier, Mary Ohno presented Japanese dance and music from her Kabuki Academy for the 10th straight year.
Ohno’s seen the event expand and grow.
“The people start understanding,” she said, “and they’re more interested in other cultures.”
Steve Maynard: 253-597-8647
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