Chinese New Year in Prey Veng
On our February visit to Prey Veng, we were fortunate to share a special day of celebration with the staff and children. Chinese New Year is celebrated in Cambodia as enthusiastically as in other countries where there are nationals with Chinese heritage. New Year in Cambodia is more than just a party. For Cambodians it's a deeply spiritual experience and is time spent with family. During the three days of chaul chnam thmey, or the New Year celebration, many people flock to the temple each day where they spend their time praying, playing and eating.
FDCC's resident Australian Youth Ambassador Khim Ung generously invited all of the children, staff, volunteers and visiting Directors to celebrate the occasion at her home in Prey Veng, which meant that more than 50 of us trooped over there on the Wednesday morning. Arrangements for the catering had begun in earnest on Tuesday, with trips to the market to purchase decorations, the small red envelopes (Ang boa), photo-copied money and sheets of 'gold' paper. US dollars were exchanged for brand new crisp riels (local currency), in line with the tradition of giving children small gifts of new money. Our cook and cleaner shopped in earnest at the market on Wednesday to buy the food for our special celebration, and then it was all hands on deck with the older children helping the staff with food preparation.
Khim gave the children a short lesson on the history and traditions of Chinese New Year, and then we burned substitute cloth, the gold paper and fake money in a metal bowl, for the spirits that had passed before us. The small red envelopes were given as gifts to each child with the traditional wishing of "Xinnián kuàilè" and then we shared a special Chinese New Year lunch in the garden. After lunch we all danced, the children demonstrated more of their dancing skills, some energetic children continued dancing and then traditional games were played. We eventually drifted home - tired and very satisfied after a wonderful celebration.
~Di Willis and Marie O’Sullivan