Khmer (Cambodian) New Year in Wisconsin
Celebrating culture, faith and community
Celebrating culture, faith and community
Hundreds of Cambodian Americans celebrated New Year at the
Buddhist Temple in Oregon, Wis. on April 18, first with spirituals
(listening to the monk’s message & lighting candles and incense into
sand mounds representing Culamuni Cetiya-stupa where Buddha’s
hair and diadem were buried), followed by a community lunch and a
program that highlighted Khmer music and dances. Starting with a
“Wishing Dance” (led by Koeuy Mey) that welcomed and blessed the
audience, the program featured dances that signified life in Cambodia:
fishing, farming, celebrating good harvest, etc. The coconut dance, for
example, reflected the hard working folk in the rural areas. It was
performed by young boys and girls choreographed by Sarith Kong and
Rong Roun. Another dance,“Robam Khan,” is from Stung Treng
Province, which celebrates the bravery of Cambodian men. The Vinyean
Khmer Band provided live music onstage. There was a special Hip-Hop
group direct from Cambodia, “The Tiny Tune” whose leader entertained
with rap songs.
The next day’s (Apr. 19) celebration was exclusively for the elders,
when everyone showed respect and love to them by bathing them with
perfumed water, as well as for cleansing and bathing Buddha images.
— Heidi M. Pascual
Buddhist Temple in Oregon, Wis. on April 18, first with spirituals
(listening to the monk’s message & lighting candles and incense into
sand mounds representing Culamuni Cetiya-stupa where Buddha’s
hair and diadem were buried), followed by a community lunch and a
program that highlighted Khmer music and dances. Starting with a
“Wishing Dance” (led by Koeuy Mey) that welcomed and blessed the
audience, the program featured dances that signified life in Cambodia:
fishing, farming, celebrating good harvest, etc. The coconut dance, for
example, reflected the hard working folk in the rural areas. It was
performed by young boys and girls choreographed by Sarith Kong and
Rong Roun. Another dance,“Robam Khan,” is from Stung Treng
Province, which celebrates the bravery of Cambodian men. The Vinyean
Khmer Band provided live music onstage. There was a special Hip-Hop
group direct from Cambodia, “The Tiny Tune” whose leader entertained
with rap songs.
The next day’s (Apr. 19) celebration was exclusively for the elders,
when everyone showed respect and love to them by bathing them with
perfumed water, as well as for cleansing and bathing Buddha images.
— Heidi M. Pascual
