The cambodian Water Festival (variously spelled in the
original Khmer as Bon Om Touk, or Bon Om Thook, or Bonn Om Teuk, or Bon Om Tuk)
takes place once a year, on the full moon of the Buddhist month of Kadeuk
(usually in November). It celebrates a major natural occurrence: the reversing
flow between the Tonle Sap and the Mekong River.
For
most of the year, the Tonle Sap empties into the Mekong River. However, when
the rainy season arrives in June, the Mekong rises, reversing the flow to dump
water into the lake, increasing its size ten-fold. When the rainy season ends
in November, the Mekong drops once more, allowing the current to reverse again,
emptying the excess waters of Tonle Sap back into the Mekong.
This
natural occurrence is celebrated in Cambodia with three days of festivals,
fluvial parades, boat races, fireworks, and general merriment.
An
Ancient Thanks to the River
Then
as now, Tonle Sap is a major focus of life for many Cambodians. It's a source
of livelihood for fishermen and farmers alike - it's rich in fish stocks, and
the silt deposits left by the floods fertilize the fields. No wonder Cambodians
have celebrated Bon Om Touk for centuries - it's a way to give back to the
river that's given them so much.
Bon
Om Touk dates back to the 12th century, to the time of the Angkorian King
Jayavarman VII. The Water Festival was celebrated by the King's Navy to kick
off the Cambodian fishing season - the fluvial festivities are meant to keep
the river divinities happy, ensuring a bountiful harvest of rice and fish for
the year to come. A competing story holds that Bon Om Touk was a way for the
King to prepare his navy for battle. At Bayon near Siem Reap, naval battles
have been carved into the stonework, depicting boats not that much different
from the boats that race on Tonle Sap today.
Three
ceremonies underpin the entire Bon Om Touk celebration:
Loy
Pratip: an evening fluvial parade, featuring beautifully-illuminated boats
lighting up the waterways. Government institutions sponsor each of the boats on
parade.
Sampeas
Preah Khe: the salutation to the moon. The full moon is supposed to be a
good sign for the coming harvest, which is why Cambodians make sure to give
thanks to it on Bon Om Touk, and pray for a bountiful harvest ahead.
Auk
Ambok: at midnight, celebrants gather at temples to eat ambok
("flattened rice"), a holiday rice dish. Ambok is simply rice
fried in the husk, pounded to remove the husk, and mixed with banana and
coconut.
Three
Day Celebration
People
come from far and wide to join the celebrations. School is closed, and most
workers go on vacation. Upwards of a million Cambodians gather at the river
banks to celebrate; those who can't find hotel rooms often just camp out along
the streets!
Certain
roads near the river are blocked against motor traffic, allowing the thousands
of celebrants to walk among the streets, sampling the festival's
entertainments.
Bon
Om Touk lasts three whole days. Many out-of-towners converge on Tonle Sap,
whole communities going en masse to enter their boats in competition.
The
colorful racing boats are arguably the main stars of the event. They have
bright paint schemes, often with eyes painted on the prow to protect against
evil. The biggest boats are over a hundred feet long, crewed with up to eighty
oarsmen.
Unlike
Western boat races, Cambodian boat crews face forward. Many boat crews are
complemented with a colorfully-costumed lady at the prow dancing to the beat of
the drums.
For
the first two days, races are run with two boats each, with the big race
happening on the last day, when all the boats take to the river to compete.
While
the contestants pair off to compete in the middle of the river, the river's
edge teems with boat crews practicing for their upcoming run, making for a
brilliant display with their colorful shirts festooned with their sponsors'
logos.
In
the evenings, the festivities continue with carnival rides, traditional music
performances, and dances.
A
wholesome carnival atmosphere prevails for the Water Festival's duration - food
and drink overflow in the streets, Khmer pop bands entertain the crowds, and
the riversides are packed to capacity with punters cheering their favorite
boats on.
