About 2 weeks before the actual new year dates, things started mysteriously closing, tuktuk drivers started wanting a higher fare - the reason for this... Khmer New Year was upon us!
The actual date for Khmer New Year was the 13th, it is a festival in Cambodia and last for three days. Since we took the 3 days off to go to Thailand we stayed in the Group Home with the kids to experience a proper Khmer New Years!
About half the children had gone home to stay with relatives in their provinces which made everything a lot calmer, but it was strange atmosphere the house being so empty!
Our activities over New Year mainly resolved around the 'Wat' or pagoda where on the first day we went, the main worry was what to wear!! Some of the kids were in their school uniform whereas some were merely in their 'smart' clothes. (i.e their tops were tucked into their shorts). Upon getting there we saw that everyone was wearing a white top. Gwen was wearing white and I was wearing cream, so I think we just about got away with it!
Here we sat down in the Wat with all the kids while the ma's gave their offering of food to the monks and they did some chanting... I think more people were looking at us than the the monks so I'm not sure if it actually pleased Buddah or not.
Next it was a stroll around the grounds where the kids gave 100 riels to different statues, pouring water over their (and our ) heads as a cleansing ritual. After this was over we waited around to play some 'Traditional Khmer Games'.
This game consisted of being blindfolded then given a big stick. You are walked towards an overhead hanging pot, you then touch it with the stick and walk back three paces and are spun around 3 times. Your mission (should you choose to accept it) is to walk back towards the pot and with one almighty whack hit the pot and break it! Needles to say this game was only for adults (or older children) and 4 of us from the Group Home tried, and miserably failed. (The name of the game translates to English simply as 'Break the Pot'.!)
We thought the pagoda antics were over for the day, but that night as we were going to bed (at 6.30) a knock came on the door. 'Ma dow Wat?'. We exchanged glances and decided to join in the banter as the kids seemed so excited, plus we had been brushing up on our Khmer dancing earlier in the day. About 12 of us went in all, however when we got to the pagoda the scene was not at all what we expected!
The music playing as we walked over was a version of 'Put your f****** Hands Up', playing at full volume. All the youth of Takh Mao were there dancing around a tree and all the Monks were standing around looking as though they wanted to join in. It was really rather funny. We were soon in the spirit with our hands up and the ma's looked like they were enjoying themselves as well. The girls (aged 12 up) were also having an absolute ball! The music soon started to jump between traditional Khmer dance music and rave music, and when the Khmer music came on my girls all formed a line and danced so beautifully, making me feel like a proud mother. A man even came over and gave them free coke for it!
After a few hours we withdrew from the party and collapsed straight into bed!
The same routine happened every night through the New Years, though Gwen and I went for 2 nights and stayed in for two nights. The second night we were we even got recognised by a few people from the Mormon english class we attend which was lovely as they came over to say hi!
On the last day of the Khmer New Year we were again back at the temple during the day but this time we headed into the main temple which was packed full of Khmer people all wearing white. We weren't, nor were our kids so we were quite the colourful spectacle as we edged our way into the corner of the room. Soon a procession of monks walked into the room and it seemed custom to part down the middle of the hall and bow to them as they walked in. So this is what we did. They took their position at the front of the room and there were more prayers and chants and hand movements. I just picked someone who looked like they knew what they were doing and mimicked their actions.
After this service we were told to follow them outside where a monk sat in a really high chair and everyone splashed him with water, cleaning him and the statue of Budda. Loads of people then went to sit on the steps leading up to the Wat and soon the monks came with a hose and bucket of water and he soaked them all. Some even brought their bars of soap so they could really have a good wash! This again was all part of the cleansing process, and symbolises a clean fresh start for the new year.
Over the Thursday and Friday following the new years the children started returning to the group home one by one and its crazy how much you actually miss them when they go!
