Khmer New Year New Year's festival is when Khmers clean and decorate their houses, make offerings and play traditional games. During the Khmer New Year Festival, youths gather to play popular traditional games such as Chaol Chhoung (throwing a ball) and Bas Angkunh (throwing brown seeds). The youths are normally divided into female and male teams to play these games.
In some parts of Cambodia, e.g. Siem Reap and Battambang, they play a game known as the "Trot Dance". Trot performers dance and ask for alms from house to house in their village. A man will ride on a long curved stick with a deer's head on one side and with a cluster of grass on the other side like the deer's tail. Two men pretend to be hunters and are armed with a crossbow. When they receive alms they will donate it for the benefit of the local pagoda.
In villages along the Mekong Riverinthe province of Kandal women gather to rowboats in front of the pagodas. This action is believed to appease the crocodiles. This custom originated long ago when many crocodiles lived in the river. In some villages, people trample on effigies to appease the ghosts that live in the trees near the pagodas and ask for happiness in the coming year.
The Khmer people will gather together and visit pagodas and temples on the occasion of the Khmer New Year. Each year many residents from other provinces visit Angkor Wat to worship to the powerful gods and trace their ancestors' heritage. Cambodia holidays do not get more special that Khmer New Year!
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Meak Bochea New Year's festival when Khmers clean and decorate their houses, make offerings and play traditional games.
Dak Ben and Pchoum Ben Bonn Pchoum Ben Day, Spirits Commemorations
for the spirits of the dead.
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Boon Kathen Bonn Kathen held after ..........................................
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Bon Om Took
It commemorates the great naval warriors of the past. It is also an occasion of thanks giving to the water. The Water Festival, which ushers in the fishing season and marks the reversing of the current in the Tonle Sap River, is a spectacle to behold. At the height of the rainy season, the water in the Mekong River flows with such power that it backs up into the Tonle Sap River, forcing the Tonle Sap to reverse its current. When the upstream flow subsides, the current then reverses again and flows downstream. Cambodia holidays usually draw a large crowd, and this festival draws tens of thousands of people to the riverbanks to watch long boat races, fireworks and a lighted flotilla of boats under the full moon.
Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal
Bonn Chroat Preah Nongkoal is the Royal Ploughing Ceremony that starts the planting season. It is performed by a man (King of Meakh) who leads the yoke and plough, and a woman (Queen Me Hour) who sows seeds. The sacred cows are led to silver trays containing rice, corn and other foods. Based on their choice, predictions are made for the coming year.
