Pchum Ben Photos

We hope you had a good weekend - we certainly did! Here are some photos from our weekend.

Preparing the Cambodian rice and pork cakes for cooking

It rained a lot obviously!

Preparing the Cambodian rice and banana cakes and then cooking them - the fire must
keep burning otherwise the rice won't cook properly!

We took a trip to the Pagoda to remember
our deceased family and friends

Afterwards we went to relax with our friends and family
by a local lake

Pchum Ben

This weekend sees the climax of Pchum Ben, a Cambodian festival that remembers the dead. The festival lasts for 15 days where families visit Pagodas (place of worship) across Cambodia to make offerings of food to the chanting monks. It comes to a climax in the final 3 days, this year on the 3rd, 4th and 5th of October.

Offering food to the monks in turn feeds the ghosts of the dead and benefits any deceased family member. The ghosts of the dead are the souls that have been sent to hell for how they lived their previous life, they are able to be free for one day when the gates of hell open up. Occasionally families will throw balls of rice around the fields of the Pagoda in hope of feeding these ghosts directly, rather than through the monks.

A glimpse of Cambodia

Cambodia has a rich history that has shaped the country into what it is today.

In this post, a talented student Mao Sokim writes about different aspects of Cambodia.

"In Cambodia there are a lot of celebrations such as the water festival, Khmer New Year, Chinese New Year, Bon Pchum Ben and Katten festival. Before Khmer New Year people prepare food, clean their houses, buy new clothes and so on. However the people in the countryside make traditional cakes called Nam Ousom and Nam Pum. The first day of Khmer New Year is called Mohasang Kran. The second day is named Vilak Vanabouth and the third day is called Virak Loeung Sek. The people always go to the pagoda to meet each other and playing traditional games.

Khmer food includes things such as korko, amok, Khmer cheese, curry and Cambodian noodle.

Most women in Cambodia are farmers who work very hard all day in the fields.

The climate in Cambodia is always changing. Sometimes it’s sunny, sometimes it’s raining. Sometimes it’s windy, misty and cloudy.

My favourite thing in Cambodia is Khmer New Year and Bon Pchum Ben. I like the food Korko but I dislike curry. I like the kind Cambodian people. My favourite place in Cambodia to go for a walk is Angkor Wat because there are a lot of people and I like to visit Angkor Wat."

For more information about us visit www.khmerchild.org