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Happy Cambodian New Year
Year of the Dog
Khmer Connections: Building Bridges at Khmer New Year 2006
 In
the foyer, guests were welcomed by smiling Khmer ladies, dressed in beautiful
silks, offering the sompeah, the traditional Khmer greeting. Bringing their
hands together and nodding slightly, the ladies invited both new and familiar
faces to cross the threshold, underneath an overhang of huge banana tree leaves,
into the bustle of activity beyond. Once inside, the scents of plumeria and
pikake flowers merged with those of savory Khmer dishes. The sounds of traditional
Khmer music mingled with the hip-hop rhythms of Khmer-American youth. Glancing
across the room, one observed elders in conventional Khmer dress exchanging
words with young visitors in blue jeans from Waikiki . Indeed, the event was
a true representation of the blend of old and new, tradition and change that
is our local culture. On April 15, 2006, through music, song, dance, and story,
the Cambodian Community of Hawaii shared pieces of its heritage with the public,
adding to the multicultural mosaic of Honolulu.
 Attended by more than 500 people, including federal and state officials, artists, Cambodian community members, and visitors, the 2006 Khmer New Year celebration was a remarkable success. Through the efforts of dedicated family and friends, for a few hours the cafeteria of Puuhale Elementary School in Kalihi became a theatre, mini-art gallery, and gourmet ethnic bistro. The evening program featured guest speakers, classical and folk dance, educational presentations, and other activities designed to help to build bridges between Cambodians and others in Hawaii.
After an elegant and moving Hawaiian oli (chant) by Mr. Cavin Castaneda, the program was introduced by Mr. Sochet Tang Vitou, an architect, and Dr. Christine Su, a faculty member at the University of Hawaii, the emcees for the event.  The agenda brought many familiar faces to the stage: first, CCH was extremely fortunate to host Congressman
Ed Case, who spoke of the importance of sharing, of building bridges by reaching
out to others in the community. State
Senator Suzanne Chun Oakland presented
a beautiful framed certificate to Mr. John Keat Yin, CCH Vice-President, on behalf of the entire Hawaii senate, thanking
CCH for its cultural contributions to the state. Mr. Jay Ishibashi, on behalf
of Mayor Mufi
Hannemann, declared April 15, 2006, Khmer New Year Day in the
city and county of Honolulu.
 Senator
Daniel K. Akaka spoke of the importance of maintaining a sense of cultural identity in today’s fast-paced world, of remembering that while bridges indeed need to be built, globalization need not mean homogenization.
 Governor
Linda Lingle honored the community with a proclamation pronouncing April
15th Khmer New Year Celebration Day in the State of Hawaii, accepted by Mr.
Savouth Richard Chea, CCH President. All in all, the enthusiasm and energy
of all of the officials present confirmed to Cambodians that neither their
struggles nor their successes have gone unnoticed, and that their presence
in the islands has not only been recognized, but will continue to be celebrated.
 Beautiful
dances by the Cambodian Students of Brigham Young University of Hawaii, glamorous
displays of fashions by CCH members, delectable Khmer food, homemade by community
members. Dr.
Mark Silliman of the University of Hawaii presented, "Telling the Khmer
Story" (English
version or Khmer
version), a talk on the importance of culture for the young generation
of Khmer. MSgt
Sarun Sar spoke of his experiences as a soldier in Afghanistan and of
how one can be both American and Khmer, and true to both identities. The
upbeat tempo of the Khmer
Rainbow Band rounded out the evening. Indeed, the events of the program
will not soon be forgotten by those who were there to witness the true pride
of the Khmer people, and to share in their spirit. And, moreover, the words
of Mr. Savouth Richard Chea, President of the Cambodian Community of Hawaii,
will continue to resonate with all who attended the event: “We are dreaming
big,” said Chea. “We are so lucky to live in a state in which diversity is
not merely tolerated, but supported and encouraged. We can learn much from
other ethnic communities here, and so we want to share our stories with you,
but also, we ask you to share yours with us. Doing so will be a true honor.”
From all of us in the Cambodian Community of Hawaii, we wish you a year filled with peace, prosperity, good health and happiness, and of course, aloha.
 Building Bridges:
CCH: Building Bridges
The theme of our 2006 Khmer New Year is “Building Bridges.” In 2005, the Cambodian Community of Hawai’i (CCH) publicized its celebration widely for the first time. While Khmer New Year has always been open to the public, until last year the event has generally attracted CCH families and close friends. Thus for many of the hundreds who attended in 2005, that event was their first experience with things Khmer. For a few hours, they were introduced to our food, our dance, our music, and our spirit. For many of us, members of CCH, too, the event was our first experience truly reaching out to the Honolulu community. While Cambodians have lived in Hawai’i for decades, ours has been a quiet participation.
While honoring our identity amongst ourselves, we have watched from the periphery
as other ethnic groups have blossomed—honoring their traditions publicly by
engaging in parades and festivals, developing culture-based curriculums, and
building community centers. Years of war and political repression, during which
our beloved arts and even our words were banned, rendered us hesitant to share
the stories which we had so long hidden deep within our hearts. Now, however,
we set off on a new journey. While continuing to contribute as members of the
local community, we also wish to emphasize our distinctiveness, our identity
as Khmer. During the upcoming year, we seek to make connections and strengthen
bonds with our counterparts in the Hawai’i community by teaching about our
Khmer heritage, and by learning about the diverse traditions of our multicultural
state. We want to share our stories with you, and ask you to share yours with
us. It is our hope that in so doing—in building these bridges between individuals
and communities— our relationships will shift, from strangers, anonymous
neighbors, and acquaintances, to brothers
and sisters, colleagues, and friends.
Year of the Dog:
What can we expect from the upcoming year, the Year of the Dog?
According to Buddhist legend, Buddha asked all of the animals to come to meet him before he departed from Earth. Only twelve animals came, and in return for their loyalty he named a year after each of them: the Rat, the Ox, the Tiger, the Rabbit, the Dragon, the Snake, the Horse, the Goat, the Monkey, the Rooster, the Dog, and the Pig. The cycle repeats itself every twelve years. It is said that the actions and events of the year associated with each animal will reflect some of that animal’s characteristics. This year is the Year of the Dog, and so we can expect to see some of the characteristics common in Dog years.
The general character of the Dog is one of fidelity and honesty. Dogs are known for their enduring friendship, their ability to listen, and their great compassion for others, often to the neglect of their own needs. They are good and steady workers, and are intensely defensive of family members and friends. Dogs are both stalwart guardians and resourceful scavengers, and they do like to hold on to things and people. In fact, they can be quite stubborn. While Dogs themselves may be reluctant to place their trust in just anyone, however, once they do, their loyalty makes them the best business partners and leaders.
Accordingly, for each of us this will be a year dedicated to family, to the renewal of ties with friends, and for a new look at old loyalties. Compared with the global turmoil and instability of the previous year, the Dog year should usher in a climate of justice, relief, harmony, and peace. The Dog is an ethical and idealistic sign, and the year that bears its name will also bring increased social awareness and interest in society's less powerful members. Any tendencies to take, take, take will be replaced by a widespread sentiment of generosity and selflessness. New initiatives could lead to peace talks resulting in amicable settlements, nationally and internationally. This year will see a lot of new construction and building of infrastructures through cooperative efforts.
In general, we will all be imbued with the Dog's keen sense of right and wrong. The Dog Year is all about community, sharing experiences and finding kinship with others, remembering what is important in life, and letting go of old grudges in our circles. Individuals should spend quality time with loved ones, but also remember to take time for themselves. In all, the Year of the Dog should be very auspicious.
New Year Traditions/Games, click
here.
To read "The Legend of Cambodian New Year," click here.
Traditional
Cambodian Dance:
Khmer music and dance can be divided into two broad categories:
1) classical
or “court” ensembles, which were traditionally performed for royalty, and
2) “folk” or village ensembles, performed for local celebrations or ceremonies.
Classical Dance:
Blessing or Wishing Dance
A traditional dance, performed at the beginning of a ceremony to welcome
and bless the audience, originally performed only for the King and other members of the Royal Family, the leaders of the country and their official guests.
Robam Phuong Neary
This classical dance describes the beauty of the Khmer woman. The music and the melodic song narrate her uncompromising beauty and compare it to a golden flower. Although she is practical and strong, she is also admirable and soft. This dance brings out Khmer women's true beauty
Folk dance:
Robam Trot (Trot Dance)
This folk dance originates from Siem Pol Som Oeurn who conducted research in Siem Reap and Battambang Provinces, and in Battambang Province, this dance is performed on New Year's Day to purge away the bad spirits, and to wish for rain.
Robam Kuos Tralork (Coconut Shell Dance)
The coconut dance is a routine that Cambodian people traditionally perform
after working hard in the fields and on occasions such as Khmer New Year
and sometimes at weddings. This dance, originally from Svay Rieng
province, stages a ritual harvest celebration, when all the rice paddies
are cut. It is highly rhythmical and punctuated with shouts and the rapping
of coconuts.
Robam Khmer Leu
Robam Chrot Srov Thom(Good Crops Dance)
This traditional dance depicts the daily farming activity of villagers collecting rice during the harvest period.
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Thank you for your support and generosity!
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