Meaningful Khmer New Year

It has been a long while since I was back in the villages and I certainly miss seeing all my friends, families, students and teachers.  In fact, this is the longest 14 months that I have been away from the community I serve and the people I care deeply about. 
 
I like April as it is one of the most festive months of the year where the Cambodians celebrate their New Year.   I was fortunate enough to share a few New Year celebrations in the past hence the curiosity to dig a bit deeper to understand the customs behind and how things have evolved over the years.

This year, the Khmer New Year is from 14th to 16th April and in the middle of a 2-week school holiday.    Khmer people form the dominant ethnic group in Cambodia with 97% presentation of the country’s 15.9 million population, hence it is commonly called Khmer New Year.  In the Khmer language (the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language), it is called 'Chaul Chnam Thmey' (ចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី) and that means 'Entering the New Year'.   
 
Majority of the Khmer People follow Theravada (Hinayana) Buddhism, which is also the country official religion.  Khmer New Year is based on the traditional solar new year, that was observed in parts of India and Asia.  It falls on either April 13th or April 14th each year depending on the dictates of an ancient horoscope reading.  In Cambodia, it also marks the end of the harvest before the beginning of the rainy season. ​​ 

​Khmer New Year is full of traditions and rituals and it is commonly celebrated over 3 days and interestingly, each day of the festivity has a special significance: ​

Day 1 - Moha Sangkran 
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First day of the New Year and it is the day of creation.  “Moha Songkran” - the day that the sun moves into Aries on the zodiac or the last day of the old year.  According to Khmer tradition, the earth was created by angels, people light candles and burn incense in their honour.   On this day at a particular time, it is said that a new god or angel is appointed to protect the world for the upcoming year.  To welcome them, people clean and decorate their houses, prepare new clothes to make sure that the New Year does not start with bad luck or unhappiness.   
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I still remember Teacher Sarith telling me, “There are 12 female angels that will rotate to come to the earth each year but those won't come in order.  It depends on the day of each New Year.”.   Student KongNov also reminded me that, “This year, the  angel will come down to earth at 4 am.” 

Like a competition, each home does its best to welcome the new god or angel by offering a table filled with diverse fruits, a cake with candles, incense sticks together with flowers, and flashing light chains to make sure all family members are protected throughout the year.  One of my favourite things to do before the New Year’s Day is to purchase a couple of the star lanterns and decorate the home together with a few children. 
 
People dress up in white and light candles and burn incense sticks at shrines, where the members of each family offer thanks for the Buddha's teachings by bowing, kneeling and prostrating themselves three times in front of his image. For good luck, people wash their face with holy water in the morning, their chests at noon, and their feet in the evening before they go to bed.

Day 2  ( Veareak Vanabat) 
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I was a little bit surprised to learn that the second day of the New Year is the ‘Day of Giving’, which is to show appreciation for the people in your lives.  In my eyes, the Khmer people are mild, gentle and generous.  Having said that, I just haven’t experienced such specific custom during the New Year when I was in the village. 
 
According to our research and similar to many other cultures, parents buy new clothes for their children.  What makes the Khmer people different is their children present gifts to their parents and grandparents on this special day of giving.   People cook delicious foods for their parents and also bring to offer the monks at the pagoda in their hometown. They ask the monks to dedicate their good deeds to their relatives who have departed.  They believe that some relatives’ spirits could have gone on to live in the hell because they had committed sins while they were alive.  Some wealthy people give presents to the poor families as their form of good deeds.  

​The pagoda courtyards also become playgrounds for the Khmer people, who play traditional Khmer games during this time of year.  A game called ‘Bos Angkunh’, for example, is the simple style consists of just throwing the Angkunhs (inedible nuts) to hit the target Angkunhs. ​

Day 3 (Veareak Laeung Sak)  
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The last day of the New Year is the day for ‘cleansing’. To ensure prosperity in the year to come, the Khmer people dedicate this day to the washing away of sins. Images of the Buddha are washed with perfumed water.  Bathing the Buddha images is a symbolic practice to wash bad actions away like water clean dirt from household items. It is also thought to be a kind deed that will bring longevity, good luck, happiness and prosperity in life.  
 
Another unique tradition is for the children to bath (or shower in these more modern days) their parents and grandparents.   In return, they receive best wishes and good pieces of advice to live their lives for the rest of the year.  Please note that this tradition is performed in PUBLIC and in GROUPS!    

As a senior (not by age but by status 😉) in the village, I was offered to be bathed by a group of my students and children.  For sure, I was embarrassed at first as I haven’t had a public shower before nor being bathed by anyone but my own parents!  But I felt very at ease quickly as I absolutely can feel the well wishes and intent, not to mention the fun of splashing water at one another. 
 
In addition to these traditions during the 3 days of the New Year celebrations, there are also some very special customs.  For example, there are sand hillocks mounded on the grounds of the pagoda which represent the stupas of the Buddha's favourite disciples. 
 
Nowadays, the most common game is anything to do with water!  Without any exceptions, you  get completely soaked if you happen to be in Siem Reap city during the New Year.  As many of the Khmer people love to line up on the streets with their blessing (WATER) ready to throw at anyone passing by with their water pistols or even just buckets! 
 
Khmer New Year is also a time to prepare special dishes and one of the typical food eaten at New Year is ‘Kralan’, a cake made from sticky rice, beans, and coconut milk.  When it comes to Khmer dishes, my favourites are Beef Lok Lak with Kampot Pepper Dipping Sauce and Banh Chev (Khmer Savoury Pancake). 
 
I long to return to the village and experience the authentic beautiful Khmer culture again.  Let me know if you have that desire too? ​