 |
| Cartoon by Sacrava (on the web at http://sacrava.blogspot.com) |
Showing posts with label Chrot Preah Nongkoal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chrot Preah Nongkoal. Show all posts
Monday, May 14, 2012
Sacrava's Political Cartoon: The Hungry Ox
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Too much oppression in Nambodia, the royal oxen refuse to predict rice harvest for the dictatorial regime anymore?
 |
| Cambodia's annual royal plowing ceremony marks the beginning of the kingdom's planting season (AFP) |
Saturday, May 21, 2011
AFP
PHNOM PENH — Cambodia's royal oxen shunned rice grain on Saturday during an ancient ceremony to predict the country's agricultural fortunes -- prompting fears of a poor rice harvest among superstitious farmers.
King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the ritual in a park outside the palace where thousands of people watched royal astrologers observing the animals' behaviour.
After a symbolic ploughing of a portion of the field, a pair of oxen were led to seven dishes -- rice, corn, beans, sesame, grass, water and alcohol -- laid out on trays.
They were seen eating only corn and beans, allowing the palace's chief astrologer Kang Ken to declare that this year's corn and beans harvests will be bountiful.
Sunday, May 02, 2010
Cambodia Holds First Royal Plowing Ceremony Near Angkor Wat Temple in 4 Decades
2010-05-02 (Xinhua) - Cambodia on Sunday held the first Royal Plowing Ceremony at Lean Chul Damrei near Angkor Wat Temple in more than four decades.
Chea Kean, deputy secretary general of Committee for National and International Festivals said that such Royal Plowing Ceremony was held for the first time in 1967 under then King Norodom Sihanouk, and the ceremony held here on Sunday was the second.
The Royal Plowing Ceremony is held annually at Veal Meru near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, but Chea Kean said this year the government decided to hold it in Siem Reap's province as a link to the first Buddhistic tourism event during Visakh Bochea Day that was held on April 27-29 in this Bayon Temple area.
Presiding over the ceremony was King Norodom Sihamoni, son of retired King Norodom Sihanouk, and participated by many government officials including Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, other senior officials and diplomats and at least 100, 000 holiday goers from various parts of the country including foreign tourists.
Prince Sisowath Vochiravuth, and Princess Norodom Rasmei Pornita were acting as the main plowers at the ceremony on Sunday and accompanied by Sou Phirin, governor of Siem Reap province.
The ceremony is to mark the start of rainy season that begins in May and to end in October.
As the procession of the ceremony began Sunday morning, seven trays with rice, sesame, water, corn, beans, grass, and rice wine are put ready for two royal oxen and an astrologer makes predictions based on what and how much amount of the foods and drink taken by the two oxen.
As two oxen ate only corn and bean, Korng Keng, chief of royal astrologers predicted for the year 2010 that Cambodian farmers will enjoy good harvests with corn and bean and as well with other crops.
Each of the seven foods and drink has different meaning and most of them have good sign as long as those two oxen had eaten or drunken, except rice wine and grass that signify bad prediction.
Rice wine means theft, and robbery and grass means insects will disrupt crops.
Cambodia is an agrarian country with rice and other crops as the main exporters to other countries.
Chea Kean, deputy secretary general of Committee for National and International Festivals said that such Royal Plowing Ceremony was held for the first time in 1967 under then King Norodom Sihanouk, and the ceremony held here on Sunday was the second.
The Royal Plowing Ceremony is held annually at Veal Meru near the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh, but Chea Kean said this year the government decided to hold it in Siem Reap's province as a link to the first Buddhistic tourism event during Visakh Bochea Day that was held on April 27-29 in this Bayon Temple area.
Presiding over the ceremony was King Norodom Sihamoni, son of retired King Norodom Sihanouk, and participated by many government officials including Heng Samrin, president of the National Assembly, other senior officials and diplomats and at least 100, 000 holiday goers from various parts of the country including foreign tourists.
Prince Sisowath Vochiravuth, and Princess Norodom Rasmei Pornita were acting as the main plowers at the ceremony on Sunday and accompanied by Sou Phirin, governor of Siem Reap province.
The ceremony is to mark the start of rainy season that begins in May and to end in October.
As the procession of the ceremony began Sunday morning, seven trays with rice, sesame, water, corn, beans, grass, and rice wine are put ready for two royal oxen and an astrologer makes predictions based on what and how much amount of the foods and drink taken by the two oxen.
As two oxen ate only corn and bean, Korng Keng, chief of royal astrologers predicted for the year 2010 that Cambodian farmers will enjoy good harvests with corn and bean and as well with other crops.
Each of the seven foods and drink has different meaning and most of them have good sign as long as those two oxen had eaten or drunken, except rice wine and grass that signify bad prediction.
Rice wine means theft, and robbery and grass means insects will disrupt crops.
Cambodia is an agrarian country with rice and other crops as the main exporters to other countries.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Royal Oxen Predict Fair Harvest for Year
By Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer
Original report from Phnom Penh
23 May 2008
Original report from Phnom Penh
23 May 2008
If the royal oxen are to be believed, Cambodia will see fair harvests of rice, corn and beans in the upcoming year.
In the annual royal plow ceremony Friday, which marks the beginning of the rainy season, the oxen chose those three staples following three rounds of plowing, foregoing water, grass and wine.
Their crop prediction also indicates the Cambodian people will be spared calamity, disease and natural disaster, royal astronomer Kang Ken said.
The royal ceremony was attended by King Norodom Sihamoni, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and other dignitaries. Not in attendance were Prime Minister Hun Sen and Senate President Chea Sim.
“I am very happy for the result of the royal plough ceremony,” said Meas Kunthea, a farmer from Svay Rieng province.
“I am very happy because my home village plants rice, corn and bean and will have fair production in this year,” said Kratie province farmer Koa Top. “I’m not concerned about my agricultural crops.”
The high price of rice did cast a pall over the royal ceremony, he said. “The rice price is high. I am not happy, but if I have high rice production, I will be.”
In the annual royal plow ceremony Friday, which marks the beginning of the rainy season, the oxen chose those three staples following three rounds of plowing, foregoing water, grass and wine.
Their crop prediction also indicates the Cambodian people will be spared calamity, disease and natural disaster, royal astronomer Kang Ken said.
The royal ceremony was attended by King Norodom Sihamoni, National Assembly President Heng Samrin and other dignitaries. Not in attendance were Prime Minister Hun Sen and Senate President Chea Sim.
“I am very happy for the result of the royal plough ceremony,” said Meas Kunthea, a farmer from Svay Rieng province.
“I am very happy because my home village plants rice, corn and bean and will have fair production in this year,” said Kratie province farmer Koa Top. “I’m not concerned about my agricultural crops.”
The high price of rice did cast a pall over the royal ceremony, he said. “The rice price is high. I am not happy, but if I have high rice production, I will be.”
Friday, May 23, 2008
Royal Plowing Ceremony 2008
The royal plowing ceremony in Phnom Penh. Cambodia's royal cows performed an ancient ceremony on Friday, predicting the country will have a "quite good" rice harvest this year (AFP/Tang Chhin Sothy)
Cambodia's royal oxen participate in the annual ploughing ceremony in Phnom Penh May 23, 2008. The oxen will have to choose between seven bowls including rice, corn, green beans, grass, sesame, water and wine to predict the future of the farming season. The tradition, which is hundreds of years old, is followed closely by the nation's estimated 14 million people, the majority of whom are farmers. REUTERS/Chor Sokunthea 
Cambodia's royal oxen eat corn during the annual ploughing ceremony in Phnom Penh May 23, 2008. The oxen have to choose between seven bowls including rice, corn, green beans, grass, sesame, water and wine to predict the future of the farming season. The tradition, which is hundreds of years old, is followed closely by the nation's estimated 14 million people, the majority of whom are farmers. REUTERS/Chor SokuntheaRoyal cows signal 'quite good' rice harvest
23 MAY 2008
AFP
AFP
Cambodia's royal cows performed an ancient ceremony on Friday, predicting the country will have a "quite good" rice harvest this year, despite global concerns over supplies of the grain.
King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the country's Royal Ploughing ceremony in a park outside the royal palace. Thousands of people watched on as royal astrologers observed what the cows ate to signal the coming year's harvests.
After a symbolic ploughing of a portion of the park's field, a pair of royal cows were led to seven dishes -- rice, corn, beans, sesame, grass, water and alcohol -- laid out on trays.
"Based on what the royal cows ate, the rice harvest will be quite good," chief astrologer Kang Ken declared before the crowd of onlookers.
He also said the corn harvest would be good, but the bean crop would be average.
The traditional ceremony marks the start of the planting season in the kingdom.
Farmers who joined the ceremony hailed the prediction.
"This means that we will not face rice shortages in the coming year," said 58-year-old Kao Tob, a rice farmer in Kampong Chhnang, some 90 kilometres (55 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh.
Even if the harvest is strong, Cambodians face soaring food prices. Inflation reached double digits late last year and now hovers around 11 percent.
Good-grade rice -- Cambodia's staple food -- has nearly doubled in price this year.
It now costs nearly 0.90 dollars per kilogramme (41 cents per pound), deepening the poverty of the one-third of the population who live on less than 50 cents a day.
World rice prices have soared this year, a trend blamed on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, the loss of rice farmland to biofuel plantations, and price speculation.
King Norodom Sihamoni presided over the country's Royal Ploughing ceremony in a park outside the royal palace. Thousands of people watched on as royal astrologers observed what the cows ate to signal the coming year's harvests.
After a symbolic ploughing of a portion of the park's field, a pair of royal cows were led to seven dishes -- rice, corn, beans, sesame, grass, water and alcohol -- laid out on trays.
"Based on what the royal cows ate, the rice harvest will be quite good," chief astrologer Kang Ken declared before the crowd of onlookers.
He also said the corn harvest would be good, but the bean crop would be average.
The traditional ceremony marks the start of the planting season in the kingdom.
Farmers who joined the ceremony hailed the prediction.
"This means that we will not face rice shortages in the coming year," said 58-year-old Kao Tob, a rice farmer in Kampong Chhnang, some 90 kilometres (55 miles) northwest of Phnom Penh.
Even if the harvest is strong, Cambodians face soaring food prices. Inflation reached double digits late last year and now hovers around 11 percent.
Good-grade rice -- Cambodia's staple food -- has nearly doubled in price this year.
It now costs nearly 0.90 dollars per kilogramme (41 cents per pound), deepening the poverty of the one-third of the population who live on less than 50 cents a day.
World rice prices have soared this year, a trend blamed on higher energy and fertiliser costs, greater global demand, droughts, the loss of rice farmland to biofuel plantations, and price speculation.
Cambodian oxen predict peace and good harvest ahead
May 23, 2008
DPA
DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodians stopped for the annual Royal Ploughing Ceremony Friday, intently watching what two royal oxen would eat for clues to the upcoming rice season - and the answer was good, royal astrologers said.
Presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni in the royal field next to the Cambodian royal palace, the lavish ceremony saw dignitaries parade three times around the area's perimeter with the animals symbolically ploughing.
The oxen were then led to a range of seven bowls to eat from.
Cambodians believe how much corn, soy beans, sesame, rice, grass, water and rice wine the animals consume can predict the future.
The two deep-brown beasts, decked out in gold and crimson livery, devoured almost all of the corn, also nibbling on rice and soy beans.
They apparently decided it was too early to tipple at the morning ceremony, however, which is a good sign as if they drink rice wine it is believed to predict war and turmoil ahead.
Royal astrologers told the king that the animals' choices meant there would be corn in abundance, a better than average rice crop and a fair soy bean harvest.
The event was attended by around 1,000 spectators and simulcast on every television station in the nation.
Presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni in the royal field next to the Cambodian royal palace, the lavish ceremony saw dignitaries parade three times around the area's perimeter with the animals symbolically ploughing.
The oxen were then led to a range of seven bowls to eat from.
Cambodians believe how much corn, soy beans, sesame, rice, grass, water and rice wine the animals consume can predict the future.
The two deep-brown beasts, decked out in gold and crimson livery, devoured almost all of the corn, also nibbling on rice and soy beans.
They apparently decided it was too early to tipple at the morning ceremony, however, which is a good sign as if they drink rice wine it is believed to predict war and turmoil ahead.
Royal astrologers told the king that the animals' choices meant there would be corn in abundance, a better than average rice crop and a fair soy bean harvest.
The event was attended by around 1,000 spectators and simulcast on every television station in the nation.
Saturday, May 05, 2007
Cambodia stops to watch royal oxen predict the future
May 5, 2007
DPA
DPA
Phnom Penh - Cambodians celebrated Royal Ploughing Day Saturday, with thousands watching with baited breath to see what foods two royal oxen would choose in a colourful ceremony designed to predict the future of the new farming season.
The result was mixed as the two fractious beasts, bedecked in red head cloths and golden silk rugs, turned their noses up at the majority of the seven golden dishes laid out before them, signaling a lean if mostly peaceful year ahead for the overwhelmingly agricultural country.
Six oxen ceremonially ploughed a field located adjacent to the Royal Palace, watched intently by thousands of Cambodians and some of the most important people in the land in a ceremony presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni and carried live by every national television station.
Two chocolate brown oxen were finally brought forward to choose from a feast including fresh grass, wine, water, corn, rice and sesame, but one refused to eat altogether and the other ate just 45 percent of a dish of corn before turning his back on the proceedings.
If they had eaten the grass or drunk the wine, Cambodia would have braced itself for war, chaos and turmoil. However their refusal to touch the water signals scarce rains for the coming rice season, according to palace Brahman priests present for the ceremony.
Corn growers will enjoy an average season, but the untouched dish of rice sends an ominous sign of tough and mostly dry times ahead for a nation which relies heavily on paddy rice as its staple crop, soothsayers predicted.
The ancient ceremony is held annually and signals the end of the dry season and the time to begin preparing the fields for the rains which herald the new rice season.
It was reintroduced by former king Norodom Sihanouk after his return from exile in 1993 as part of an effort to return Cambodia to its cultural history after years of civil war and the destruction of so many ancient traditions under the brutal 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rouge regime.
The result was mixed as the two fractious beasts, bedecked in red head cloths and golden silk rugs, turned their noses up at the majority of the seven golden dishes laid out before them, signaling a lean if mostly peaceful year ahead for the overwhelmingly agricultural country.
Six oxen ceremonially ploughed a field located adjacent to the Royal Palace, watched intently by thousands of Cambodians and some of the most important people in the land in a ceremony presided over by King Norodom Sihamoni and carried live by every national television station.
Two chocolate brown oxen were finally brought forward to choose from a feast including fresh grass, wine, water, corn, rice and sesame, but one refused to eat altogether and the other ate just 45 percent of a dish of corn before turning his back on the proceedings.
If they had eaten the grass or drunk the wine, Cambodia would have braced itself for war, chaos and turmoil. However their refusal to touch the water signals scarce rains for the coming rice season, according to palace Brahman priests present for the ceremony.
Corn growers will enjoy an average season, but the untouched dish of rice sends an ominous sign of tough and mostly dry times ahead for a nation which relies heavily on paddy rice as its staple crop, soothsayers predicted.
The ancient ceremony is held annually and signals the end of the dry season and the time to begin preparing the fields for the rains which herald the new rice season.
It was reintroduced by former king Norodom Sihanouk after his return from exile in 1993 as part of an effort to return Cambodia to its cultural history after years of civil war and the destruction of so many ancient traditions under the brutal 1975 to 1979 Khmer Rouge regime.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
