Happy Khmer New Year 2011! (សួស្តីឆ្នាំថ្មីខ្មែរ ពុទ្ធសករាជ ២៥៥៥!)

Every year Khmer people all around the world, especially in Cambodia always celebrate the Khmer New Year in the mid April. Before 1970s, there was always the Khmer New Year celebration with the big ceremony in Phnom Penh as many people marched along the road in Phnom Penh near the Royal Palace to show traditional cloth for different provinces such as Siem Reap, Battambang, Pailin, Kompong Chhnang, and other Cambodia’s provinces, but today this kind of celebration disappears in Cambodia, and we just can see this ceremony remained in previous Khmer province in Thailand like Oubon Reachtheany (Changvat Oubon Ratchathany) in which there is a big community of Khmer people living there. There is a hope for this celebration to appear again since it is very advantageous for Khmer nation to keep everyone eye on traditional cloth of each Khmer province. Additionally, there was a good memory of all Khmer artists before Pol Pot Regime who celebrated the Khmer New Year every year with the sweet traditional music and new year songs they created by themselves. Those songs with special traditional music still remain in Khmer society today and seem lively for New Year season. All famous singers for Khmer New Year songs are SIN Sisamut, ROS Sereysothea, HUY Meas, PEN Rorn, CHHUN Vanna, CHEA Savoeurn, SO Savoeurn, MEAS​​ Samorn, CHHUON Malai, IM Songseum, etc.

As this Khmer New Year 2011, from now on all Khmer people have been starting going to their hometown in the purpose of meeting their family. Also, most family now are preparing to clean their house and going to market to buy new materials such as new cloth, kitchen equipment, and other materials for welcoming New Year day which will arrive in a few days later. Furthermore, each family usually has a plan for travelling to natural resorts or cultural sites in order to do the picnic within the family happily. More importantly, most of people who came from provinces will leave Phnom Penh during this season for their hometown such as Battambang, Siem Reap, Pursat, Preah Shihanouk, Banteay Meanchey, Takeo, Kompong Thom, etc. However, before leaving Phnom Penh, they often ask each other what their plan is for Khmer New Year and share happiness with each other at universities, work place, etc. Everyone hope for new thing that is good to happen in the next new year, especially wish for success in everything they do. As the Cambodian citizen, I wish everyone get healthier, wealthier, safer, more intelligent, more successful, and stronger with commitment and willingness to struggle for future life. I also wish Cambodia and the world to be in peace forever in which everyone around the world shows smile on their face as the happiness in life.

By: POK Panhavuth