khmer sources

Cambodia'sBiggest Festival (4 in 1)

Ceremonies that pay respect to nature’s four elements; earth, wind, fire and water, are extremely important in Khmer culture. The Water Festival, Bon Om Touk, is for water, although the Fire Festival, Bandet Pra-tib, is celebrated during the same period (Nov 4th to 6th). Ork-Am-bok, a prayer to the moon dating back to prehistoric times, also takes place at the same time. The Kite Festival, Pithy Bonghos Kleing, pays respect to the wind and is celebrated in November or December, usually one month after the water festival. The Royal Ploughing festival pays respect to the land and is celebrated in May.

Bon Om Touk – The Water Festival

Every year, when the northward flow of Tonle Sap River into the Tonle Sap Lake reverses, flowing south into the Chatomukh junction, people celebrate in a riotous three day festival. Millions of Khmers take part; people flock to Phnom Penh from every village throughout the kingdom. The focal point for Bon Om Touk, Bandet Pra-tib and Sampaeh Preah Khe, is the front of the Royal Palace, the heart of Phnom Penh and, historically, the centre of the kingdom.

The river is crowded with around 300 pairs of Touk Ngor and Touk Moung (Khmer racing boats) colourfully decorated in traditional Khmer style. Each carries nearly 100 rowers who travel to the city to compete in races. The ceremony starts in the early afternoon and lasts until midnight. Literally millions of people swarm into every nook of space near the river front, all jostling to catch a glimpse of the races. They linger until evening to watch the Bandet Pratib, fireworks that tear the sky asunder, briefly illuminating the seething multitudes. The Water Festival is celebrated in some form across most of Asia, said H.E. Chuch Phoeun, Secretary of State of Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts. Originally it was to respect the water Nata (spirit) that brings prosperity and fertility during the rainy season. The Cambodian version does differ from neighbouring countries, however.

"Our ancestors blended the water Nata concept with our own history and legend, and merged the ceremony with others, making the Khmer Water Festival totally unique," said Phoeun.
H.E. Sim Sarak, Director of Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts said water is very important in the Khmer mind, as it brings prosperity. Through it, fertile silt is given to farmers, and an abundance of fish is given to fishermen. Most importantly, all kinds of animals (humans included) can quench their thirst. "Water allows humanity and wildlife to live. It gives stability to nature," Sarak said. "The Water Festival is the Khmer ceremony to worship water."

"The Water Festival is a kind of water worship," agreed Phoeun. "It serves as a kind of apology to water. People want to tell the Nata, they have used water in a good way. If they are wasteful with the water, or use it without permission, the Nata may become angry, and cause droughts or floods.

We perform this ceremony, both to excuse our wastefulness, and to appease the water spirit. This is the reason the festival has a Kat Proat (finally cut line) ceremony. This ceremony is meant to open the door for the water spirit to return back to its home in the sea. The river’s change in direction was seen as the water Nata returning to the sea. The ancient Kat Proat was later combined with commemoration of the Khmer navy’s historic victory of over the Cham giving us the Water Festival we celebrate today."

Meach Ponn, 72, ex-Professor at the Buddhist Institute of Cambodia, elaborated on the changing focus of the festival. "In the Angkorean period, the Water Festival was to pay respects to the Khmer navy of the great King Jayavaraman VII," he said. "We can see representations of this force on temple bas reliefs and read about it in inscriptions. According to carvings in the Bayon and in Banteay Chhmar temple, there was a procession of Khmer troop boats. In some scenes we see the king commanding his navy during battles and vanquishing the Cham."

For Jayavaraman VII, the festival was a symbol of victory; the worship of deceased naval soldiers was the event’s focal point. The processions however, also served as practice manoeuvres, giving valuable experience to the younger members of the navy.

According to Ros Samphal, director of the Department of Culture and Fine Arts of Preah Vihear province, before Jayavaraman VII defeated the Cham, the king hid his army in Bakan (Preah Khan) temple. There, Jayavaraman VII operated training courses for his cavalry, elephant troops and navy. Adjacent to Preah Khan temple is a large natural lake. The king further extended this, making it a kind of naval practice field.

"Gradually, the soldiers increased their strength and skill through training," said Samphal. "The king set up practice battles on a strict timetable. Eventually, with his experienced army, Jayavaraman VII expelled the Cham soldiers from Angkor. These naval training manoeuvres have become part of the water festival, and are a testament to the might of the ancient Khmer navy."

According to the book ‘The Game of Boat Racing’, written by Thach Pen, Professor of Sub-Buddhist Institute of Cambodia, based in Bassak province (now in South Vietnam), in 1528, during the reign of King Ang Chan, a loyal governor named Punhea Tat was appointed to lead the people of Kampuchea Krom (the Mekong delta).

Punhea Tat kept control over the delta with three distinct types of naval army. The first group were technically skilled fighters in fast, narrow boats, precursors of the racing Touk Ngor of today. The second group, the assistant naval army, were a reserve. This group carried war equipment in more sturdy vessels which Touk Moung are descended from. The third group, the Bassak navy, though still able to fight, were focused more on supplying food and other essentials to the first two groups. This third group used Bassak boats; large with roofs, walls and towers. Now known as Pok Chay, these boats still transport goods on Cambodia’s waterways.

Bandet Pra-tib – The Fire Parade Ceremony

According to a Balinese book called ‘Tea-thhavongs’, after the Buddha died, his Chang-kom Kev (four main teeth) were each sent to a different place. The first was kept in Trai-Treng (heavenly third paradise), the second was kept in Dragonair (the kingdom under the sea), the third in Kunthearak (an Indian kingdom) and the fourth in Tuant-borak (a kingdom in Nepal).
Meach Ponn, ex-Professor at the Buddhist Institute of Cambodia, said that the Bandet Pra-tib ceremony is to show respect to the Buddha’s tooth that is kept in Dragonair although "another aspect of Bandet Pra-tib is to show respect to the fire spirit we cook with."

"This is why, during the nights of the Water Festival, we parade fire lights along the river," said Ponn. "These are also called Bandet Pra-tib. Seeing the Pra-tib procession illuminating the Khmer art, pictures and ministerial insignia that follow is breathtaking."

Every year during the water festival there are around ten Pra-tib that parade from 6 pm until late in the night. The Pra-tib vary in style; each ministry has a design relevant to its work.

H.E. Chuch Phoeun recalled that, in days gone by, the second night of the Water Festival saw thousands of tiny Pra-tib called Loy Pra-tib or Loy Kra-thong floating in the river. These miniature floating lanterns were votive offerings to apologise to the water and to the Buddha. "These small Pra-tib, we called Pra-tib Roy (a hundred Pra-tib)," he said. "It was part of the khama-tous (excuse ceremony), an apology and prayer for good fortune. Young people would also pray to find true love using Loy Kra-thong."

Nowadays, Pra-tib Roy are falling out of fashion. They remain popular only in rural areas.

Sapeah Preah Khe – The Moon Prayer Ceremony

According to Meach Ponn, Ex-Professor of the Buddhist Institute of Cambodia, the Sam-Peah Preah Khe (moon prayer ceremony) is to show respect to the Lord Buddha in his incarnation as a rabbit.

Legend says, before being incarnated as the Enlightened One, the Buddha lived as several different animals, one of which was a rabbit. Wishing to be reborn as the Buddha, the Pre-Awakened Buddha (in the form of a rabbit) offered to sacrifice his life. Anyone in need could take his flesh for food, and his skin for clothing

One day a tevada (angel) heard of the rabbit’s plan. The tevada transformed himself into an aged starving hunter and went to test the rabbit. The old hunter said to the rabbit, "I’m so hungry. I haven’t eaten for so long that, if I don’t get something to eat now, I will die."

"I will gladly sacrifice my life if I can help you," said the rabbit. "You make a fire, and I will jump into it to cook myself, so you can eat me to continue your life."

The hunter agreed and built a blazing fire. The rabbit jumped into the flames, but because of his fearlessness and honour, he was unharmed. Seeing the miracle, the hunter quickly transformed himself back into a tevada, carried the rabbit off to the moon and drew his image there, to forever remind all humanity of the Buddha’s selfless kindness.

Ponn argued that, through mimicry of the rabbit’s diet, food like Am-bok (crispy fried rice from the new crop), and banana fruit, ancient Khmers combined the Sam-peah Preah Khe ceremony with Ork-Am-bok by eating banana fruit, drinking coconut milk, and staring up at the moon on the 15th night of the month of Kakek. The moon is traditionally worshipped by many hunter-gatherer societies, as its light allows nocturnal hunting forays. Many believe that the myth about Buddha’s incarnation as a rabbit is the incorporation of prehistoric animist traditions into Buddhism.

Pithy Banghos Kleing – The Kite Festival

Millennia ago, the Khmers flew their kites during the harvest season. Before the Founan period, the Khmer believed in Neak-ta (animistic spirits) leading to the celebration of a Pithy Sen Neak-ta (spirit festival) at the beginning of the rainy season.
im Sarak, Director General of Administration in Charge of Copyright and Co-Author of ‘The Khmer Kite Book’, said this celebration was to invoke the rain spirits. During the harvest season, Cambodians performed the ceremony of kite flying to express their gratitude to their ancestors for ensuring sufficient rains. Kite-flying ceremonies are inescapably linked with the agricultural practices.
"At the beginning of the dry season, as well as asking for rain, the kite flying festival served to express gratitude to Preah Peay (wind spirit) for bringing dry weather to ripen crops," said Sarak. "Through a stone inscription dated AD 972, we know that Khleng (harvest kites) were sacred objects during the Angkorean period. Hard bamboo was used for making kite skeletons and woven tree-leaves for covering the kite bodies. Thus, kite flying was linked with agriculture through the construction of the kites themselves."

Though today the kites are called Khleng Ek, their original name was Khleng Pnorng or Khleng Mer-Kon (mother-baby kite). In the early 8th century, kite flying, as a religious ceremony disappeared due to instability resulting in the fragmentation of the kingdom.

The Khleng Ek is special because it is equipped with the Ek, an instrument which produces varied tones as the kite flies, its height, direction and speed changing the pitch of the note.

"The kite festival is an entertainment enjoyed by everyone regardless of age or social standing," said Sarak. "Cambodians come together at this time without divisions, to enjoy the hard won freedoms of peace."

Rural Khmers still fly assorted kinds of kites in the open field after their harvest. Laughter and shouts of delight ring out as children joyfully pilot their Khleng Kandong (kites without a tail), Khleng Kantaung (pouch kites) Khleng Prabao (pocket kites) and Khleng Kloh (parasol kites) across the sky. During the night Khleng Pnorng and Khleng Kaum (lantern kites) would be flown in the open fields. Villagers return to their houses accompanied by the eerie lights and haunting wails of the kites. Once home, they enjoy the fruits of the harvest, chatting with family and friends over baked potatoes and glutinous rice."

Traditionally, Khmer kite flying ceremony is celebrated on 7th, 8th and 9th of December. The Kite Show at the Angkor – Gyeongju World Culture Expo will show kites from 16 countries to an inernational audience. On the 7th and 8th kites from all countries will be displayed and, on the 9th, traditional Khmer kites will feature.