One Wedding and a Funeral (and New Year’s celebrations to boot)

After my holiday, I returned home to a busy social schedule. On Monday lunchtime (yes, really!), I was invited to the wedding party of the sister of Sovann, one of my colleagues. All the women who attended were dressed up to the nines in gorgeous traditional bright coloured silk gowns, big hairstyles, white make up and pointy shoes, making me feel a complete frump. None the less, the men all wanted me to dance with them (big white Western novelty that I am), which involved parading in a circle making bendy wrist movements! Great fun!

The mother of another colleague, Sopeap, sadly died at home at 2 a.m. on Thursday after a long illness. By 7 a.m. (only 5 hours later) I had joined the “wake” at the house. Breakfast of rice porridge was being served to around 35 people who had come to pay their respects, most of whom were already dressed in their funeral clothes. A PA system had been hired and set up, along with a canopy, tables, chairs, crockery and cutlery, and funeral paper, candles, incense, food and drinks had all been bought. I was amazed at the level and speed of organisation. Everyone helped in some way, either by cooking, serving the guests, shaving the men’s hair or collecting the monks from the wat. My contribution was to fold pieces of gold paper into cones, which would be thrown at the funeral procession the next day. Three monks arrived mid morning, and they led the assembly in a ceremony which involved a lot of chanting, bowing, giving offerings and throwing water.

Easter weekend marked the Khmer New Year, which is the biggest festival in Cambodia. CoDeC celebrated by holding a Buddhist New Year service in the office (see photo). We spent most of the day decorating the place with tinsel and flowers and preparing presents for the monks. Three monks led the service, which again involved lots of chanting, bowing, giving offerings and throwing water.