Leak Kan Saeng popular game for Khmer citizens on New Year Day

Khmer New Year Day is coming soon on the middle of April in this year so most Cambodia citizens prepare themselves to welcome new angel in new year. Leak Kan Saeng (hide scarf game) is a very popular and famous traditional game for Khmer citizens all around the country. So this is a reason that I take this game to tell you.

Of course, Leak Kan Saeng is a perfect and popular game in Cambodia. People always play it on special Khmer New Year day and after working hard on holiday. This game has become a very important and special game in Cambodia since old generation until nowadays. Do you wonder why Cambodia citizens love it and keep it as a traditional game ? The reason is because it really offer so much fun for players.

How to play Leak Kan Saeng game :

First of all, We must find 6 to 7 players or up (Be remember more players more fun too). Players must sit down in a circle line put both of your hands on your knees in a pretty big playground or any places that are possible.

Secondly, players must find one small scarf and roll it tightly and keep a bit hem in other to easy to hold it while you are playing. This game is assuming that have one player (I call 1st player) stand up and walking quickly surrounded the circle hold the rolling scarf and then put it behind the back of a player (I call 2nd player) who is sitting in a circle line that you like ** remember that do it very quickly and don’t let 2nd player know that you put scarf behind him/her. This game isn’t let any players look at their back if possible they might close their eyes for fair. 1st player who hold the scarf run surrounded the circle where another players sitting 2-3 times look at the player who sit without looking or interest at the scarf holder or 1st player this is the golden chance for 1st player to put the scarf behind him/her back and then run as fast as you can to sit in a place in the circle that you put the scarf (2nd player sit place) because if 2nd player know that 1st player put the scarf behind him/her back 2nd player will run follow 1st player and hit 1st player as much as he/she can do (when 2nd player run after 1st player, 2nd player sit place will empty so 1st player must run to sit at there). If 1st player did it he/she is win and the scarf holder or 2nd player who run after 1st player will walk and find new player as a 3rd player and do like the way of 1st player just do. If any player don’t know or notice about the scarf behind their back is a loser and will hit by scarf from other player who take the scarf fastest. And then keep on their playing until the night has come. Sometimes, some players never come to play because they always don’t know or notice about the scarf at their back and always hit by other players.

Sound like fun right ? If you want to play please do it on Khmer New Year Day or on your holiday. For foreigners you should come Cambodia if you want to play or know much more about this game. Cambodia always welcome you with very bright smile every time, every place. This game can make you run more faster and have high careful feeling and more stronger too.

[Continue reading...]

Entertaining by riding classic cow carts in Siem Reap of Cambodia

   Aranh village is about 10 Km from Siem Reap city that has maybe 20 families live in. Those citizens arrange tourist classic cow carts for make service to tourists who want to entertaining themselves by riding this special cow carts and learning to know about Cambodia cultures also know about those citizens standard of living.

   Sitting on tourist cow carts in very slow speed and a little bit shake can make tourists feel so strange and excited especially tourists will get “Hello” for welcome word from children who are live there.

   Every day Cambodia classic cow carts attract so many tourists riding on it especially American tourists who always go to ride Cambodia special carts in Aranh village, Siem reap commune, Siem reap district, Siem Reap province about 10 Km from Siem Reap city.

   Riding time start from 7 am. The villagers park their classic cow carts sort in line by the small track along the river in village. Classic cow carts are lay down by a mat with a mattress for tourists sitting easily and more comfortable. These classic cow carts are not decorate include red and white cows. These cow carts contain only 2 people riding on it include the owner of cow carts. When tourists come on the carts already it start to go ahead in line slowly across small track of Aranh village. Sound of cow cart tires and cows Jong Krong (maybe necklace) make tourists feel so happy and rich. On their way, tourists look at villagers houses nearby street and most of them take photos from those view. Moreover, citizens and children who stand by that road use their body languages and say hello to tourists. Even it a little bit shake while riding cow carts but it make tourists feel so special and riding with their smile.

[Continue reading...]

Features of the marriage of the Khmer people

   After engaged, wedding ceremony must celebrate according to Khmer’s tradition by agreement from the laws. Wedding ceremony is a ceremony which celebrate to marry two people (boy and girl) to each other. In Cambodia, new couple always get many good advices from wise men, parents, neighbors, and old people from both of their family members. Those advices are focus on every day standard of living for increasing new couple living happiness.

   *Why we are married?
 So now let’s see the reasons with me. All of us are married for :
- creating a family by agreeing from laws, tradition, and society
- give birth and raise children for continue own lineage
- to fulfill the demand of biology like a life mate
- make our lover happy, feel safe, love, and feeling
- has a own independent life without depend on parents

   But we are married can be in different reasons and for the most necessary point that we all must remember is “ legal living with together of a boy and a girl as a couple ”..

   Married is so important because it’s a sign to start a new family’s life with lover. All obligations that a couple must do such as :
- keep good relationship of whole family to be happiness
- prepare and apply family’s plan carefully
- have experiences in other to easy to find job
- take care house to be clean and hygiene
- keep good relationship and be understanding with all siblings-in-laws
- take care family’s health and welfare
- respect, Responsible, love, and take care of family all the times.

[Continue reading...]

What Khmer citizens do on three days of Khmer New Year's Day?

Cambodian people celebrate Khmer New Year’s for 3 days and usually on the middle of April every years. The ways of celebrating are follow own custom since old generation up to nowadays. So let’s take a look at any activities that they do while that special 3 days.

    At the 1st day : In the morning, simply Khmer people bring their foods to offered to the monks at pagodas. At the evening, most people bring sand in other to build any sand mountains around the church or Daempothi (is a kind of trees that mostly grow and plant in pagodas) in the pagodas. And then they offered many drinks to the monks and start to prayer and expressed sermon.

   At the 2nd day : Children give clothes, foods, and any money to their parents and grandparents, etc. Sometimes, charity people give any things to poor people or servers. At the evening, they go to pagodas and build sand mountains again include making praying and invite monks making prayer at stupas in other to dedication good things for their relatives and ancients who dead.

At the 3rd day : In the morning, people invite the monks to dedicate the sand mountains. At the evening, the monks take a bath for statues of the Buddha (this activity is according to some popular of the people).

   After take a bath for Buddha’s statues, some areas people invite the monks to take a bath too. They also celebrate watering ceremony. They change their clothes by wearing scarf or sarong sitting and waiting the monks come to watering them. At many houses, children also watering to their beloved parents and their relatives to show their love and respection.

[Continue reading...]