Topic: Water Festival
The people around the world have their own culture and traditions that are passed on to future generations. People usually believe that they should adhere to these traditions.
Today, I would like to talk about a traditional festival that is celebrated in my country, Cambodia called the “water festival”.
I’d like to divide my presentation into three main parts:
1. Timing and reason for the festival
2. How to organize it,
3. What people do on the day as enjoyment.
First of all, let me begin with my first point “Time and Reason for the festival”. It is a traditional festival celebrated over the years. It is celebrated between the 24th to 26”“ of November every year. It marks the beginning of the fishing season and also marks the reversing of the current in the Tonle Sap River. This is a very popular festival and attracts many people both foreigners as well as locals who come to watch the longboats races on the Tonle Sap River.
On the other hand, the water festival has three meanings in the religious beliefs of the King and the people of Cambodia. It is held as a
1. Tribute to the water.
2. Ok Ambok (in English it means the pounding of the rice)
3. Sampeah Preah Khai (in English it means to mark the full moon prayers)
Now, I’d like to pick up each point to explain them to you with a brief description so that you will understand the festival better. Well, the Tribute to the water gods refers to water as being an important source for the farmers who occupy the lowlands and need the water for their rice crops. 80% of the Cambodians are farmers; moreover, the tribute to water also represents the victory of King Funurn era between the 3"I to the 6‘” century when King Jayavarman VII won the victory over the Cham fleet in 1181. He built the incredible Angkor Wat temple as a sacrifice to protect the land from invading enemies who came overland as well as through the waterways The second meaning refers to OK Ambok (pounding the rice). It stems from Buddhist mythology about a female. giant who could predict the weather. Farmers honor her power each year and at the residences of the people and Royal Palace, the pounding the rice is reflected by lighting 12 candles that symbolize the 12 months in a year for predicting the events of the weather from the first month to 12th months.
The 3rd meaning the“ Full moon prayers " are dedicated to the powers of a rabbit that took its own life in a tire to serve as food for the god, who visited earth as an emaciated old man. According to Khmer or Cambodian mythology, the rabbit symbolizes fidelity, justice, and honesty. Many celebrants say they can see its form traced in the full moon by the god.
This very popular festival attracts many people both foreigners and local people who come to watch the longboats racing along the Tonle Sap river in Phnom Penh, the fireworks display, and the lighted flotilla.
Now I’d like to move on to the second part that talks about “How to organize it”. Well, all the residences are decorated with different colored lights. A table is placed in front of the house and on it are placed Ambok, Bananas, Candles, Water, and incense for praying to the god. Anyway, the authorities in the provinces and the people prepare boats to join the competition along the Tonle Sap river. The King of Cambodia or the Senior government officials will present the prize to the winner during the two-day boat race. A total of about 300 boats participate in these competitions every year.
Let's now go to the third part about “what people do on that day ?". People in both Phnom Penh and the countryside or provinces always gather along the banks of the Tonle Sap river to encourage the rowers of the boats from the afternoon to the evening and they wear beautiful clothes and wait until 8 to 9 to watch the fireworks launch, that explodes with booms and pops that mix with cheers of awe and joy from the children and adults. Enormous balloons are “fed to the moon” and “fairy boats” outside by lightships gracefully flow along the river in the dusk light.
Inculcation, That completes my presentation. I’ll briefly summarize the main issues, first timing and reason, second how to organize, and third what people do?. I would like to leave you with the following thought about the water festival because it is symbolic of the culture of the nation and I hope that you will have gained an insight into my culture! Thank you.
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