Two men prepare to perform Chhayam, a lively call and response dance performance using primarily percussion instruments. The banner on the left has an image of the Buddha and reads Sua Sdey Chhnam Tmey (Entering the New Year). The banner to the right shows the New Year Angel. Each year a new angel arrives to protect and bring blessings to the people.
Khmer New Year celebration in Long Beach, CA. It is customary to build a quincunx of sand hills for the New Year, with a large center hill and four smaller hills at the four corners. The hills are decorated with flowers and flags. People light incense and candles while praying that the new year will bring good luck and good health. They place the lit items in the sand.
Khmer New Year celebration in Long Beach, CA. Pictured is a Trot dance troupe. They reenact the story of a young hunter who kills a golden deer that is so beautiful he decides to take it to the king who rewards the hunter by making him chief of a village.
Khmer New Year celebration in Long Beach, CA. A large tent has been set up for monks who have gathered from different area temples. The table is set with food offerings brought by attendees. The monks bless the food, which brings merit to those who brought it and their ancestors.
Cambodian New Year celebrations in Long Beach include performances of traditional dance and music. This photo is a close up of a Hanuman mask, the Monkey King of the epic poem, Ramayana (known as Reamker in Khmer). The story tells of the banishment, travels, and return of Prince Rama and his wife Sida. Hanuman gathers all the monkeys to help Prince Rama rescue his wife Sida from Ravana, the ogre king. Originating in India, the Ramayana is now found throughout Southeast Asia.
Two Chhayam performers with their bowed, string instruments, called tro. The sound box of the tro can be made from a variety of materials. The man in green is holding a tro made of coconut shell with a snake skin head. The man in blue and yellow is holding a tro made of blackwood and ivory with metal trim.
