Wednesday 14 April 2021
Phnom Penh, Cambodia
Happy Khmer New Year, y’all!
បុណ្យចូលឆ្នាំថ្មី or Choul Chnam Thmey which translate to Enter the New Year!
Here are some fun facts about Khmer New Year:
- It is a solar holiday and not a lunar one like many Asian new year days are. That means it is celebrated on the same days every year.
- It is 14 to 16 April. It is similar in other Hindu-influenced countries like India, Myanmar, Lao, and Thailand — culture flowed east out of India in this part of the world.
- The whole country shuts down and people usually travel to their ancestral home or their grandparent’s or parent’s house.
- This year the government has closed the provincial borders to try and control the 20 February Community Event, i.e. latest #COVID19 outbreak that is ravaging the country. Thanks Chinese prostitute!
- It marks the END of the harvest season. We’re tropical and subject to the monsoons off of the Indian Ocean, so the weather and seasons don’t coincide with those of North America or Europe.
- The rainy season usually begins in May and ends in November, but climate change makes it much less predictable. The idea was to party in that gap between the hard work of the harvest and the rains turning the whole country into a sea of mud.
- I’m guessing January is birth month in Cambodia! That’s nine months after April for all of us not wanting to do the math or count on our fingers.
- The three days are organized like this: 14 April, place fruit offerings to the gods in front of your house for blessings in the new year; 15 April, visit your parents or other close relatives, give gifts to your parents, and do something nice together like lunch or visiting some place; and 16 April, douse your statues of Buddha and your parents and grandparents — what you don’t have statues of your parents and grandparents?!? — in holy water (blessed by Buddhist monks) and ask forgiveness of past wrongs and bring long life and good health and all that good stuff not that the Buddha needs it, amirite?
So, there you have it. Khmer New Year, everybody. Have a good day!
Huzzah!
Jack
PS It is still Autism ACCEPTANCE Month! I’m still procrastinating on my next autism post! Thanks pathological demand avoidance!
While we struggle with our PDA demons, please enjoy these posts from years gone by:
With any luck, we’ll have the latest post on autism and PDA up in no time. Just don’t hold your breath.
Huzzah!
Jack
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