The MOST POPULAR GAMES PLAYED DURING KHMER NEW YEAR

Khmer New Year or Bon Chol Chnam Thmei is a 3-day festival and one of the greatest traditional festival and national holiday in Cambodia. During these 3 days, some popular Khmer games have been played such as following:

- Bos Angkunh:

Bos Angkunh is a popular game played in Khmer New Year day by two groups of boys and girls. To play this game, one group places their Angkunh three to five on the ground in a semicircle. One other group, standing a few meters away, throws their Angkunh to hit the master Angkunh planting on the ground. You are the winner if your Angkunh is knocked over. The winners must knock the knee of the losers with the two Angkunh. If the knocking fails to produce a clack sound, you will be knocked your knee.
Angkunh is a fruit that grows on the trees found in the province of Stoeung Treng and Kratie, which look like the knee bone.

- Leak KanSeng:

Leak KanSeng is also the most popular game played in Khmer New Year day. To play this game, Krama (scarf) or KanSeng (towel) tied as Chhoung and a group of adults setting in a circle. One player take KanSeng and walks or runs around the circle behind the others players by singing a song “Leak KanSeng Chhmar Kham Kheng Or lorng Or lorng”. He/She drops secretly KanSeng behind one other player. If that player realizes what is happening, he/she must pick up KanSeng and beat the player setting next to him or her or the player who should have been hit will pick up the KanSeng and hit the unfortunate player whom it was dropped behind with it instead.

- Chol Chhoung:

To play this game, two groups of boys and girls are needed with Chhoung tied like a ball with a loose edges to grip and throw it. Around 10 or 20 people comprise each group, standing in tow rows opposite each other. One group throws the Choung to the other group. When it is caught, it will be rapidly thrown back to the first group. If someone is hit by the Chhoung, the whole group must dance to get the Choung back while the other group sings. And vice versa.

- Teagn Prot:

Teagn Prot is a tug-of-war game with teams of boys and girls pitting their strengths by pulling on the rope. Boys and girls form two groups. Group of boys and girls are chosen to stand at each end of the rope. A referee shouts “yak-or” and the players reply “ho-yerr”three times to ensure everyone is ready, them the referee rings a bell as each group pulls until he sees which one has been pulled over the line drawn in the dirt by the opponent. That group is the loser.

Sva Don Derm Slek Cher:

Sva Don Derm Slek Cher is also popular Khmer game. It takes two groups for this game. When a member of each group hears their number called, they have to quickly grab the slek cher (a bunch of leaves) before the other group, and run as fast as possible back to their places.

- Chab Kon Kleng:

A game played by imitating a hen as she protects her chicks from a crow. Adults typically play this game on the night of the first New Year's Day. Participants usually appoint a person with a strong build to play the hen leading many chicks. Another person is picked to be the crow. While both sides sing a song of bargaining, the crow tries to catch as many chicks as possible as they hide behind the hen.

PCHUM BEN DAY

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Pchum Ben Day or festival of the Death is one of the most important culturally significant festivals of Cambodia. Based on the lunar calendar, this festival is usually held between late September to mid-October for 15 days but the exact date defers year to year as determined by the lunar calendar. Cambodian people celebrates from generation to generation and never misses it in commemoration of the spirits of the dead.

What does Pchum Ben Festival mean in Buddhism?

Pchum Ben is a very big ceremony for Buddhist. In the Khmer language, Pchum or Brochum means “a meeting or gathering”. Ben means “a ball of something”, such as rice or meat. The Pchum Ben festival originated in the Angkorian era when people followed animism, before Braham or Buddhism. Both Buddhism and animism reflect Khmer respect and remembrance for their ancestors.

During Pchum Ben, Cambodians bring food to the pagodas for the monks. They believe that offering of food brings merit to their ancestors and the food they bring is directly transferred to their ancestor’s bellies through the monk that eats the food or by throwing snacks like rice balls into a field. Monks receives the food and then bless the soul of the deceased in return.

During 15 days of Pchum Ben, it is believed that the poorest spirits among the ancestors, called Preth, were released from the spirit world look to find their living relatives or to visit living members of the family — these can be spirits that have bad karma or those that have died a violent or unexpected death. During the year, they are the prisoners in hell and released once a year to look for their surviving relatives and receive the donations. Departed souls are said to be searching in up to seven pagodas for their relatives. It is believed that if the relatives do not offer a gift to the spirit of a relative or close friend then that neglected soul would torment the miser and bring bad luck.

The first 14 days of the Khmer month Pheakta Bot are called Kan Ben. The 15th day is called Brochum Ben or Pchum Ben Day. During Kan Ben, people give Buddhist monks gifts of food and candles. At night Buddhist monks recite a protective prayer. Cambodian artists play traditional music such as yike and lakhon basac. Pchum Ben Day is the biggest celebration. Villagers come from all around to prepare the pagoda of their village the night before the celebration. Pchum Ben is when the villagers gather to celebrate in their villages.

What is Bay Ben?

Bay Ben (balls of rice) are offered to ghosts at dawn. People believe ghosts with heavy sins cannot receive food during the day. Bay ben is made from sticky rice and sesame. Sometimes people add coconut cream to make it more delicious.

Ghosts or Hungry Ghost

There are four kinds of ghosts: those eating pus and blood, burning ghosts who are always hot, hungry ghosts and the Pakrakteaktopak Chivi, who can receive food through the monks. The others cannot receive food from their relatives until their sins are reduced to the level of Pakrakteaktopak Chivi.

If you’d like to visit a pagoda during Pchum Ben, show up early and dress respectfully. This means no shorts and tank tops. If you want to fit in, wear white.

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