The Cambodian solar 12 months marks the fiftieth 12 months of the survival of Diaspora

Thousands of Cambodian and ethnic Khmer people from the Bay Area and beyond have made their solution to Stockton Wat dhammararam Buddhist temple, The largest within the state, for a 3 -day New Year's celebration on the weekend. This 12 months, a certain severity accompanied the enjoyment in one among the most important Cambodian communities within the state.

In the center of the celebrations of Chnam Thmey, which was traditionally related to the top of the rain and the sweet break after the travel harvest had survived the Southeast Asian district on the age of fifty after a campaign of the Völkermme.

Sovandy Hang, who lived in San Lorenzo, was 5 years old when the communist dictator Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge Phnom Penh took over. Up to three million People – 1 / 4 of the country's population – died from the regime, which expressly tried to wash artists, scientists, musicians, writers and freelance thinkers from society.

As much as he tried to bury the horror, things never really went away. “Yes, I remember,” said Hang, social employee from Santa Clara County.

Like a lot of his co -refugees, Hang got here to California and arrived in Oakland in 1984 on the age of 14.

When an increasing number of refugees made the United States, the state authorities planted in line with the Refugee settlement law of 1980 Said and believed that an abundance of low -qualified agricultural workplaces and space in agricultural agricultural work could accommodate them in lots of.

The pride of Cambodian community, which inspired themselves with Khmer games, activities, dances and foods, which was played in Stockton volleyball within the late Nineteen Eighties. In 1996 he founded Oakland Khmer Angkor Dance, A Traditional dance force for young people.

He continued to go to Stockton and met his wife Neary through a schillding when he danced within the rain on the temple place in one other 12 months of the Solar 27 years ago. The tree is now large and protects multi -folder families from the sun on the sting of the identical place, where shiny concentric circles under rustling garlands promote the Romvong -circular dance.

The visit of other cities is common for the scattered cities North California Cambodian and Khmer community. More than 15,000 of the roughly 123,000 Cambodian and Khmer people live in your entire Bay area. About 15,000 live in San Joaquin County. In addition, tons of come from Khmer Krom -ethnic Khmer, who at the moment are coming from the country throughout the Vietnamese borders – in San Jose. The Wat Khmer Kampuchea Krom, the primary temple that serves this community, expects to open in the subsequent spring.

More and more cities are giving the diaspora the chance to circle this 12 months – Long Beach, during which the most important Cambodian community within the USA is at home, organized their legendary parade and their festival early so that folks could also participate in events in Stockton.

Stockton's Cambodian Americans kept greater than the genocide. In 1989, a racially motivated shootout in Cleveland Elementary killed 4 Cambodian children and a Vietnamese descent, all children of refugees.

The Cambodian New Year helps people collect strength from the past before plowing ahead. The Buddhist tradition in Brahman and Theravada is Moha Songkran, who’s derived from Sanskrit Sangkranti, for movement or passage. The second day, Wan Nao, represents the transition between the brand new and the old. Wan Thaloeng Sok, the last day, starts a brand new era or a 12 months.

Stockton Wan Thaloeng Sok on Sunday was greeted by a full moon the night before and collapsed with Moha Songkran in Cambodia's time zone.

The Cambodian people from Stockton and the bay got here along with 98-year-old from Long Beach and Mönchen, who flew from Cambodia to bind and spend bracelets on wrist.

“There is a feeling of pride – this year it will only be different,” said Hang. “I am in a place where I can present the arts and culture in contrast to 50 years.”

The 30 -hectare temple area on the convergence of Stockton industrial, rural and residential areas that reinforce something with colours and decorations 90 statues which are expanded from the pinnacle Monk Kong Tith over 10 years.

The whole weekend, before sunrise, older volunteers in old wood houses next to the temple. Before cocks could crow, they steamed sticky rice in bamboo baskets, crushed coconut meat and pagated pandan leaves.

The nostalgic cyclo bike rickshaw was waiting for the motive force and driver on the promenade. Provider ground sugar cane and able to serve lemon grass beef sticks, Kathiew Ochse-noodle soup and banh yes' Neuk, mung bean paste-filled rice balls in ginger, coconut milk and palm sugar bath.

Business showed Krama, multi-sexual checkered textiles, thick silk dresses, printed sarong skirts, jerseys with Cambodian and Khmer-Stolz and 5 dollar parasols, which looked like enlarged cocktail screens.

When the primary cars arrived, the speakers blew up the chants of the old ensemble and programs of monks from a pavilion, during which people offered rice and money to feed their ancestors and reduce their hands in prayer. In a separate area, other faux bouquets were on high dirt hills, cleaned their thoughts from past sins and gave positive wishes for the longer term.

Erika Mey, who traveled to Stockton together with her mother from Los Angeles, said that this was the most important New Year's celebration of her life in Khmer and the possibility to seek out latest friends and meet with family members. It was particularly moved that folks come together from different areas of life to preserve culture and traditions, to support the community and to indicate one another love.

“To think that we lost almost everything 50 years ago – today we grow, rise and build up and build up as a people and community,” she said. “This will be one of the best years!”

Originally published: April 14, 2025 at 17:13 PDT