Do all the countries in the world celebrate their
own new year?
Yes, they do.
When do Cambodian organize their own new year?
People all of the race usually celebrate their own
New Year. They set the time of celebrating according with the life, customs and
traditions. Khmer people have also held their New Year since ancient time.
According to Khmer customs and traditions. Cambodian
people celebrate New year in three days. Usually from 14th to 16th
of mid-April or Khmer month called “Khe Chet” every year. Because they relax
from hard work on the farms. Moreover, this period is the dry season but there
are floods in some parts of the country.
The Khmer new year is one of the major celebration
in Cambodian culture. It is based on the lunar calendar and it is celebrated in
mid april, Which is the time for farmers to enjoy the fruits of their harvest
and relax before the rainy season begin again, an astrologer determines the
exact time for which the celebration will be held.
The celebration last for three days during that
time. Several people take works off to commemorate the New Year. They spent
their time for visiting their families and friends as well as the Buddhist
temple. The Buddhist religion plays as major role in many of the celebration
activities.
Depending on the legend , once upon the time there
was a King called “Kabel Mohaprom” He was jealous of a wise son of the village
rich man. The King gives three riddles to a boy that is called “ Thormabal
Koma” The boy was very cleaver and very famous with his wise brain.
So what were their conditions?
Is that, The King promise and agree to cut his head
if “Thormabal Koma” could answer his riddles. Although the boy finished his
study in “Trey Vet” and could speak many languages even animals languages, but
he could not find out the answers.
At last, what happened?
The boy heard conversation of male and female eagles
talking about the answers. Then he happily answered to the King “Kabel
Mohaprum” of the three happiness that:
Happiness in the morning is on the face, so we
should wash our face in the morning.
Happiness in the afternoon is on the chest, so we
should wash our chest in the afternoon.
Happiness in the evening is on the feet, so we
should wash our feet in the evening.
The King failed in the bed. So the King cut his own
head and he ask his seven beautiful daughters to put his head on the tray and
travel around the mountain of “Preh Somer”.
Khmer people prepare a medium-round tables with of
these:
Five candles
Incenses
Five lotus
Five bowls for putting husk and rice
One-five class Baysey
A couple of Baysey
A couple of Sla-Thor
A flag of betel and areca-nut plus cigarette
A jar of flowers
Kinds of fruit and various food
Khmer people usually collect all members in their
house to sit down in front of the table to bow to greet the New fairies and
worship their study, passing exam, obtaining good jobs, high position and big
income to pray the Buddha help them.
There are three days for Khmer New Year and called
the following
The first day (Mahasangkran)
It is the
entry into New Year signaled by the drum or bell of the Buddhist temple with
the sounding, It’s believed that New Angle arrives.
Through hour the day, the people participate the ceremonies and games one of
these activities are the building of a small sand mountain. Each piece of sand
that is added, believed to produce more health
and happiness to their living.
A few hour before “Teveda Chnam Thmey” arrives the
people normally arrange many things such as fruits, drinks, cookies, five
flowers, candles, five joss sticks and other things to pray for all the best
like happiness and property for their families . On the first day morning,
people like offering to go to temple for the monks and pray for souls of their
ancestors and out the temple they set the bowls of five sand mountains, some
people bring traditional food such as peanut, curries, noodles and tree
mushroom, some people decorate them with incenses and flag as they do this
because they want to wish for good luck and happiness for themselves and their
families.
The second day (Virak Vanabath)
On
the second day, people do the same as the first. They go to the temples and
play games. On the other hand, it is the day that children offer new clothes,
cake, food or money to their parents, teachers, elders, or grandparents in
order to pay respect and gratitude to them. They also give money or to their
servants and poor people. Cambodian offer charity to the less fortunate,
participate in service activities and
forgive other of misdeeds that may have been done to them.
The
people continue to add to their sand mountains.
The
third day (Virak Leung Sak)
The
final day is called “Virak Leung Sak” on this day the monks bless sand
mountain. In the morning people invite the monks to inaugurate the sand
mountains. In the afternoon is an important ceremony is performed because it’s
the ceremony to clean the Buddha. This is also the day for clean Buddha statue.
The people wash their statues with perfume water. Some people carry the Buddha
statue outside the temple and they then take bucket filled water is mixed with
lotus flowers, jasmines and perfumes. This kind of the ceremony is called “Piti
Srong Preh” their home which means washing the Buddha that offer good luck,
long life, and happiness for them.
In
Khmer New Year is the Khmer culture That we can understand by the ceremony
characters, gesture, or “Sampeas”. Khmer situation shows that: Traditional
Khmer people greet each other by Sampeas. As you are aware Sampeas is Khmer
traditional way to greet to each other.
Sampeas
Expression
To
greet to each other
Play
an important role in Cambodian society today
To
break the ice when they meet the first time
To
respect
To
apologize
To
gratitude
To
create an atmosphere of friendship and peace
Khmer
New Year is the long standing tradition. It is important to Cambodian people.
They perform this religious celebration to identify and maintain this ceremony forever.
The
paths also symbolize hope for rainfall for the rice harvest. The Khmer New Year
is observed in other countries including
the United State and by many Cambodian immigrants in the United State. The
celebration only last for two days. Many of the same ceremonies and activities
planned for participating in. This can allow to remember their culture and
share with their children.
On
the occasion of Khmer New Year at everywhere especially Phnom Penh which is the
heart of nation and significant center for economy and tourism industry. Look
more beautiful and animated than ever the town’s streets are adorned with flags
and streamers carry inscription “Happy Khmer New Year” “Long Life Kingdom of
Cambodia” and every temples, houses and state institutions are also decorated
with flags, flowers, color papers, amusement parties, art performance, music
concerts are run at the parks and the public places from the morning until
night. There are trade fair and national exhibition.
During
of this period, most Khmer people enjoy playing popular games and dancing with
Khmer songs. Some people take this opportunities to strengthen the relationship
among their family members who live in different parts of the country and they
play a lots of traditional games in Khmer New Year such as King’s love,
dancing, throwing games, gush water, beat, strinkle, as well as merry making
parties. I’m going to explain you about how to play some of that game. Take a
look the following:
The
name of the seven daughters of Kabel Mohaprom:
1. Tongsa
Tevy
2. Koreakeak
Tevy
3. Raksa
Tevy
4. Momdear
Tevy
5. Kereny
Tevy
6. Kemera
Tevy
7. Mohotherak
Tevy
The
twelve year of birth in Cambodia custom:
1. The
year of rat
2. The
year of ox
3. The
year of tiger
4. The
year of rabbit
5. The
year of dragon
6. The
year of snake
7. The
year of horse
8. The
year of goat
9. The
year of monkey
10. The
year of rooster
11. The
year of dog
12. The
year of pig.
Chaol
Chhong (Knotted Scarf Throwing)
It
is the entry into the New Year signaled by the drum or bell of the Buddhist
temples with the sounding. It believed that the New Year angle arrived.
Bohs
Angkunh
To
play this game two groups of players get together, a boy’s team and a girl’s
team, team take the Angkhunh and place three to five on the round.
Leak
Kansang
To
play this game there are about ten people both girl and boy sit on the circle.
They don’t allow to turn around look behind them. One person take a tie
(Kansang) and run around the circle behind the players. He or she drop the tie
(Kansang) behind one person of the circle then if that person hit player next
to them in the direction the runner is going in.
Teang
Proart
Proart
is a leather rope or line Team mean to pull. Both boy and girl form of two
teams The boys and the girls are chosen to stand at each end of the robe. A referee
shouts and the game can be played. The referee then rings a bell or as each
players pull until he sees which one have been pulled the line drawn in the
dirt by the opponents. And players are the losers.
