My beautiful New Year celebration culture
After six hours sitting in the car and putting on the music, I was on the way to celebrate Khmer New Year at Siem Reap province for the first time in a decade. Every year Siem Reap is well-known as the biggest gathering destination to celebrate Khmer New Year. Whatever, to me, the big crowd during the festivals is not my thing. It is only left the garbage and plastic everywhere afterward, crimes, gangsters, etc…. So I tended to avoid travel during this festive period for years-long plus I’m not adoring the dry season in April. But this year something triggered me to try a new thing like this big family gathering.
It was approximately 38–39c outside of the car’s window I was getting sick and tired of the long-hour drive (I should have stay home welcoming the Goddess instead). However, I looked out the window along the side of the road trying to get the countryside scenery which I only saw the silent road and the silent houses, DUH! That was making me pissed off so I just took a big air-conditioner breath and sleep out of the boredom.
Once I opened my eyes again, it was already dark outside. Suddenly, my eyes caught up with sparkling things outside, blink blink, the beautiful lights, with bright colors. Then I realized that was the light from each house and the sound of Khmer traditional songs, people started gathering under their woody houses.
Such a brilliant hidden culture was rare to see. That was when I crossed Kompong Thom province, each house had a Starlight lamp hunting in the front door, big and small. They had their own unique style of decoration; while some were putting more light to create the star shape or heart to make their house brighter as they pleased. Some put it around the Goddess-welcoming-table, and some hang on to the tree next to their houses creating beautiful scenery at night.
Neighbors started gathering, shared foods, and put on khmer traditional songs. It was completely different from the day-time where we can never find it in the city. It was so indescribable beauty that took my breath away. Such a cultural practice since our ancestors' era, people still practice very well nowadays.
Living in Phnom Penh, the capital city we never appreciate such beauty since we have electric city lights everywhere, crowded pubs, and clubs. People forget about how meaningful it is to have a sharing culture and the beautiful traditional practices like this. Instead, they treasure those modern entertainments and individualism.
Pulling myself back from the thought, I finally arrived in Siem Reap land where there were different styles of Khmer New Year decoration and celebration. Most importantly traffic behavior practices. We admire such practice in Siem Reap that people won the prize for the friendliest smile and kindest heart citizen, and I believe it should be more than that. This good behavior on the road and understanding. On the road, people driving carefully, obey the traffic law, and stay kind to each other, and some people come out naturally to help organized the car without asking for tips.
3 days of New Year went by happily and it felt like our hometown now.