Khmer New Year: customs and traditions | Happy Chandara School

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SOKUNTHEA SON

04.28.2022

Traditionally, this festival is celebrated every year from the 14th until the 16th of April, which marks the end of the harvesting seasons, and the farmers can enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season. Usually, April is the most unpleasant month of the year, as it is the hottest and driest period of the year.

According to the Cambodian calendar, this year will be the year 2566 BE (Buddhist Era), the year of the Tiger. The twelve animals that identify the Cambodian year are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. These animals are named in Khmer as Jute, Chlov, Kharl, Thoh, Rong, Masanh, Mormee, Mormay, Voke, Rorka, Jor, and Kol. Names in Khmer are not translation words for each of the animals but are special names created for each year.

Cambodian years are not only represented by an animal but also by a goddess. This year we have received the 5th daughter of Kabil Moha Prum (the supreme god), named Keriny Tevy, she has a Mondeo flower tucked behind her ear, wearing emerald necklace and green clothes. She favors beans and sesames for food. In her right hand, she carries a harpoon and a gun in her left hand. She arrived on earth on Thursday 14^th, April at 10 am by standing on an elephant as a ride. It was kind of funny for most of the people, as goddesses don’t usually carry guns nor be standing on their rides.

Throwback to the last year of the tiger, in 2010, the goddess of that year’s favorite food was blood… And what happened that year wasn’t happy at all, especially following the event in Koh Pich (Diamond Island) for the Water Festival. Over hundreds of people were killed and injured! The whole country mourned for weeks!

CHUON Nitta (Promo 3) "For this year’s Khmer new year, I visit my grandparent’s house in Prek Thmey, and it was my first-time playing water battle with other people of my village. It was fun! I enjoy it a lot! So, I played on both the first and second day of Khmer New Year. But on the 3rd day, my mom didn't allow me to play anymore because she was concerned about my health… She was afraid that I would catch a cold or something."

TOCH Sophanmai “I had the best New Year! For the 1st day, I had prepared the house and food waiting to receive the angel. In the afternoon my family and I went to Kampot province, my mother’s hometown, to see our relatives. We had dinner and we enjoyed playing games there until the night. On the 2nd day, we came back home so we could go to the pagoda and in the afternoon, I played water and powder battle with my relatives. The next day I went to play this battle in Takmao with my friends because there was a big concert there.”

BY Muykea “After 2 years of lockdown because of covid19, I am finally able to celebrate Khmer New Year again! For these 3days I have had a good time with my family and cousin. In the morning we went to different pagodas to offer food to monks. In the afternoon we had lunch together with our families. For the night we went to the pagoda to enjoy the concert and dance traditional dances. The next day I went to Takmao to watch the concert and play water guns too on the 2nd day. This Khmer New Year was a happy one because I had lots of time to spend with my family.”

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Khmer New Year: customs and traditions

2022-04-28 11:26:00

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2022-06-13 05:51:03

2022-04-28 08:38:05

SOKUNTHEA SON

Happy Khmer New Year! – Soursdey Chnam Thmey (in the Khmer language) – is one of Cambodian’s major public holidays. It is a precious time for the locals to gather with family, friends, and their community for three days. It is celebrated throughout Cambodia and is rooted in Buddhist traditions.Traditionally, this festival is celebrated every year from the 14th until the 16th of April, which marks the end of the harvesting seasons, and the farmers can enjoy the fruits of their labor before the rainy season. Usually, April is the most unpleasant month of the year, as it is the hottest and driest period of the year.According to the Cambodian calendar, this year will be the year 2566 BE (Buddhist Era), the year of the Tiger. The twelve animals that identify the Cambodian year are rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and pig. These animals are named in Khmer as Jute, Chlov, Kharl, Thoh, Rong, Masanh, Mormee, Mormay, Voke, Rorka, Jor, and Kol. Names in Khmer are not translation words for each of the animals but are special names created for each year.Cambodian years are not only represented by an animal but also by a goddess. This year we have received the 5th daughter of Kabil Moha Prum (the supreme god), named Keriny Tevy, she has a Mondeo flower tucked behind her ear, wearing emerald necklace and green clothes. She favors beans and sesames for food. In her right hand, she carries a harpoon and a gun in her left hand. She arrived on earth on Thursday 14th, April at 10 am by standing on an elephant as a ride. It was kind of funny for most of the people, as goddesses don’t usually carry guns nor be standing on their rides.Throwback to the last year of the tiger, in 2010, the goddess of that year’s favorite food was blood… And what happened that year wasn’t happy at all, especially following the event in Koh Pich (Diamond Island) for the Water Festival. Over hundreds of people were killed and injured! The whole country mourned for weeks!CHUON Nitta (Promo 3) "For this year’s Khmer new year, I visit my grandparent’s house in Prek Thmey, and it was my first-time playing water battle with other people of my village. It was fun! I enjoy it a lot! So, I played on both the first and second day of Khmer New Year. But on the 3rd day, my mom didn't allow me to play anymore because she was concerned about my health… She was afraid that I would catch a cold or something."TOCH Sophanmai “I had the best New Year! For the 1st day, I had prepared the house and food waiting to receive the angel. In the afternoon my family and I went to Kampot province, my mother’s hometown, to see our relatives. We had dinner and we enjoyed playing games there until the night. On the 2nd day, we came back home so we could go to the pagoda and in the afternoon, I played water and powder battle with my relatives. The next day I went to play this battle in Takmao with my friends because there was a big concert there.”BY Muykea “After 2 years of lockdown because of covid19, I am finally able to celebrate Khmer New Year again! For these 3days I have had a good time with my family and cousin. In the morning we went to different pagodas to offer food to monks. In the afternoon we had lunch together with our families. For the night we went to the pagoda to enjoy the concert and dance traditional dances. The next day I went to Takmao to watch the concert and play water guns too on the 2nd day. This Khmer New Year was a happy one because I had lots of time to spend with my family.”