Young Cambodian women are playing a game of dusting each other with talc powder on 14 April 2007 (Photo: AFP)14 April 2007
By Keo Pech Metta
Radio Free Asia
Translated from Khmer by KI-Media
Since morning, in the capital Phnom Penh as well as in the provinces, a large crowd of people are heading to the market to buy fruits, incenses, candles, cakes to offer to the New Year Tevoda (angel). Others are buying fishes and meats to cook food to bring to the pagodas.
Among the numerous shoppers at the Thnol Toteung market, located in Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, Mum Pon is carrying a big bag of longans. He told RFA that he is from Svay Oddam village, Somroang Leu commune, Ang Snuol district. He took the occasion to come to the market today to buy fruits to bring back to his parents during the New Year: “I bought fruits, meats, cakes to take to my parents during New Year. I do this very year to thank them.”
On this Cambodian National holyday, besides the large crowd of people who go to the market to buy flowers, fruits, etc…, along the houses, people are decorating them. In Phnom Penh where people have more money, some houses are decorated with multicolored paper flowers, and banners reading “Happy New Year.”
Other people are decorating their homes with flashing lights set on a table. The tables, placed in front of their houses, are filled with cakes, several kinds of fruits: watermelon, pineapple, banana, longan, etc… these are offerings for the New Year Tevoda. However, for those who are not too well off, their tables are mainly decorated with a small amount of fruits and flowers, as a sign to their greetings to the New Year.
Sok Pov, is a Cambodian woman from Lompeng Preah Ream village, Trapeang Korng commune, Somroang Torng district, Kompong Speu province. She is preparing offerings to the New Year Tevoda in front of her house. She told RFA with a happy face that even though she is not very rich, she is following the Cambodian tradition of making an offer to the New Year Tevoda as the Cambodian’s ancestors used to do in order to obtain peace and prosperity: “It is our tradition, we must greet the Tevoda like this, even if it is small, we must have something … we are asking [the Tevoda] for happiness for everybody…”
This year, the first day of the year will start at exactly 12:48 PM. At that time, Cambodian people, especially the aged ones, are burning incenses and candles to ask the New Year Tevoda to protect their families and relatives, and that they may find happiness and prosperity. On that occasion, TVs and radios are also broadcasting pictures and sounds to mark this occasion as well.
On this first day, in addition to the preparations to greet the New Year, a number of Cambodians are also heading to the pagoda to offer foods to the monks during these festivities. The food offering is also a commemoration to their departed parents and ancestors, and also to ask for happiness in the upcoming year.
Srey Lot, a woman from Thnol Toteung, Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, said that besides selling fruits at the market, she must make time to hurry and go to the pagoda on this first day of the New Year: “I have to [go to the pagoda] to make an offering for my parents, we are indebted to them, we must be grateful to them…”
On this first day of the pig year, not many people are playing the traditional games (Boh Ang-kunh, Choal Chhoung, rope pulling) in the streets of the capital as well as in the provinces. Most of them are instead playing loud music to dance, while young men and women are playing a game of dusting talc powders on each others.
An older man from Khva village, Sangkat Cheung Ek, Dangkao, Phnom Penh, is watching the music and dance. He said that during the New Year, the youth in his area do not like to play traditional games, but they rather put on loud music and dance instead. As an older person, he is not very pleased by this situation, but there is nothing much he can do since not many people want to encourage others to play traditional games: “It’s difficult for me, I have short breath, I cannot do it anymore because I am too old, I cannot get involved with the [traditional] games, I can only look at them … I am afraid that we lose [our Khmer traditional games], but I don’t know what else to do…”
Man Chhoeun, the Phnom Penh city hall cabinet chief, said that on the occasion of the Khmer traditional New Year, the city hall is requesting the local authorities to organize traditional games also, in order to preserve Khmer traditions. The city is also asking for a strengthening of safety and order during the festive occasion which will last between 14 to 16 April.
Man Chhoeun added also that, nevertheless, Phnom Penh city is not too crowded during the New Year because the majority of people are traveling to the countryside for sightseeing or are returning to their homes in the provinces to visit their parents and relatives once a year.
Among the numerous shoppers at the Thnol Toteung market, located in Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, Mum Pon is carrying a big bag of longans. He told RFA that he is from Svay Oddam village, Somroang Leu commune, Ang Snuol district. He took the occasion to come to the market today to buy fruits to bring back to his parents during the New Year: “I bought fruits, meats, cakes to take to my parents during New Year. I do this very year to thank them.”
On this Cambodian National holyday, besides the large crowd of people who go to the market to buy flowers, fruits, etc…, along the houses, people are decorating them. In Phnom Penh where people have more money, some houses are decorated with multicolored paper flowers, and banners reading “Happy New Year.”
Other people are decorating their homes with flashing lights set on a table. The tables, placed in front of their houses, are filled with cakes, several kinds of fruits: watermelon, pineapple, banana, longan, etc… these are offerings for the New Year Tevoda. However, for those who are not too well off, their tables are mainly decorated with a small amount of fruits and flowers, as a sign to their greetings to the New Year.
Sok Pov, is a Cambodian woman from Lompeng Preah Ream village, Trapeang Korng commune, Somroang Torng district, Kompong Speu province. She is preparing offerings to the New Year Tevoda in front of her house. She told RFA with a happy face that even though she is not very rich, she is following the Cambodian tradition of making an offer to the New Year Tevoda as the Cambodian’s ancestors used to do in order to obtain peace and prosperity: “It is our tradition, we must greet the Tevoda like this, even if it is small, we must have something … we are asking [the Tevoda] for happiness for everybody…”
This year, the first day of the year will start at exactly 12:48 PM. At that time, Cambodian people, especially the aged ones, are burning incenses and candles to ask the New Year Tevoda to protect their families and relatives, and that they may find happiness and prosperity. On that occasion, TVs and radios are also broadcasting pictures and sounds to mark this occasion as well.
On this first day, in addition to the preparations to greet the New Year, a number of Cambodians are also heading to the pagoda to offer foods to the monks during these festivities. The food offering is also a commemoration to their departed parents and ancestors, and also to ask for happiness in the upcoming year.
Srey Lot, a woman from Thnol Toteung, Ang Snuol district, Kandal province, said that besides selling fruits at the market, she must make time to hurry and go to the pagoda on this first day of the New Year: “I have to [go to the pagoda] to make an offering for my parents, we are indebted to them, we must be grateful to them…”
On this first day of the pig year, not many people are playing the traditional games (Boh Ang-kunh, Choal Chhoung, rope pulling) in the streets of the capital as well as in the provinces. Most of them are instead playing loud music to dance, while young men and women are playing a game of dusting talc powders on each others.
An older man from Khva village, Sangkat Cheung Ek, Dangkao, Phnom Penh, is watching the music and dance. He said that during the New Year, the youth in his area do not like to play traditional games, but they rather put on loud music and dance instead. As an older person, he is not very pleased by this situation, but there is nothing much he can do since not many people want to encourage others to play traditional games: “It’s difficult for me, I have short breath, I cannot do it anymore because I am too old, I cannot get involved with the [traditional] games, I can only look at them … I am afraid that we lose [our Khmer traditional games], but I don’t know what else to do…”
Man Chhoeun, the Phnom Penh city hall cabinet chief, said that on the occasion of the Khmer traditional New Year, the city hall is requesting the local authorities to organize traditional games also, in order to preserve Khmer traditions. The city is also asking for a strengthening of safety and order during the festive occasion which will last between 14 to 16 April.
Man Chhoeun added also that, nevertheless, Phnom Penh city is not too crowded during the New Year because the majority of people are traveling to the countryside for sightseeing or are returning to their homes in the provinces to visit their parents and relatives once a year.
3 comments:
Cambodians please stop immitating Thai tradition. In 1960's and 1970's there were no such game during Khmer New Year. We have our own tradition to observe.
Because of Ah Hun Khen Khvack Khvev Shit rules the country for too long, that's why Cambodians had no more their own traditions.
I don't know if you guys noticed
in siem reamp: not only that they
play Thai games, but they also
speak with a bit of Thai like
accent, not to mention the
favorite music style derived
from Thai country music. A good
example of this is Oun SreyMom.
I think she's somewhere in Canada
now. Go check her out. She such a
cute baby, money back guarantee,
hehehe.
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