The Dragon's Dance: The Traditions of the Lunar New Year in Cambodia

The Dragon's Dance: The Traditions of the Lunar New Year in Cambodia
Chapter One: The Festival of Red Lanterns: Celebrating the Lunar New Year in Cambodia Each year, typically in late January or early February, a vibrant wave of red and gold washes over the cities and towns of Cambodia. The air fills with the sharp crackle of firecrackers and the rhythmic beat of drums. This is the celebration of the Lunar New Year, known in Khmer as Chaul Chnam Chen (ចូលឆ្នាំចិន). While it is not the official national new year for all Cambodians, it is the single most important festival for the large and influential Sino-Khmer, or Cambodian-Chinese, community. Over the centuries, its joyous atmosphere and its powerful traditions for welcoming good fortune have been so widely embraced that it has become a major, beloved festival for the nation as a whole, a brilliant testament to Cambodia's rich, multicultural fabric. The Heart of the Celebration: The Family Reunion Above all else, the Lunar New Year is a festival centered on the family. It is a time for reunion, for …