Lesson 9 Holidays, Customs, and Cultural Traditions

ézábNu ü TMen[mTMlab´ nig vb|Zm(RbéBNI thngai bon tom-niam tom loab ning vāpāk thor bropeinei

This lesson will introduce you to: - How to read dates - How to use ordinal numbers - Names of the months - Holidays, customs, and cultural traditions of Cambodia. -

Cambodia celebrates many holidays. About half of these holidays are based on Buddhist holy days, as Buddhism is the predominant religion in Cambodia. The following shows the holidays that Cambodia celebrates: - January 1st – International New Year’s Day. - January 7th – Commemorates the fall of the Genocidal Khmer Rouge Regime. - February 13th – Meak Bochea day. It is held for a Buddhist ceremony in which Cambodians will gather to listen to, and learn about, Buddha’s preaching from Buddhist monks. - March 8th – International Women’s day. - April 14th -15th -16th – Cambodian New Year’s Day. - May 1st – International Labor day. - May 12th – Bonn Visaka Bochea, which commemorates the birth of Buddha. - May 14th – Cambodia’s reigning king’s birthday. Note: this holiday will depend upon the birthday of the current Cambodian king. - May 16th – Royal Plough day, this celebrates the beginning of sowing and planting season. - September 21th -22th -23th – Bonn Phchom Ben or the Spirit Commemoration Festival. Cambodians offer food and offerings to the spirits of their ancestor on these days. - September 24th – Constitution day, this celebrates the day that the Cambodian constitution was drafted. - October 29th – Royal Coronation of the current king. - October 31st – Royal Birthday of the former king, Norodom Sihanouk. - November 4th, 5th, and 6th –Water and Moon Festival. Probably the most extravagant festival in the calendar in which Cambodians pray to the Water and Moon gods by offering bananas and ambok (flattened-rice). This is also the time when Cambodians - hold a boat racing competition that captivates the interest of most Cambodians. - November 9th – Independence day. - December 10th – United Nations Human Rights day.

147

This photo was taken on Meak Bochea day. Cambodians gather and listen to Buddhist monks preaching about Buddha’s messages on this day.

The pictures above were taken on the same day. In them, Cambodians gathered at a Buddhist Pagoda to celebrate the upcoming Water and Moon festival.

148

In this picture, contestants in a boat race are preparing for a once a year race during the Water and Moon festival.

Grammar note: In Cambodian, you add the word “TI-ti” in front of regular numbers for ordinal – .” numbers. For example “first” is “TImYy ti muay

1. Listen and repeat after the speaker. Follow along in the workbook.

1 one muay 1 mYy first ti muay TImYy 2 two pi 2 BIr second ti pi TIBIr 3 three bei 3 bI third ti bei TIbI 4 four boun 4 bYn fourth ti boun TIbYn 5 five brām 5 R:M fifth ti brām TIR:M 6 six brām muay 6 R:MmYy sixth ti brām muay TIR:MmYy 7 seven brām pi 7 R:MMBIr seventh ti brām pi TIR:MBIr

149 8 eight brām bei 8 R:MbI eighth ti brām bei TIR:MbI 9 nine brām boun 9 R:MbYn ninth ti brām boun TIR:MbYn 10 ten dohb 10 db´ tenth ti dohb TIdb´

2. Fill in the blanks to complete the sentences. Use the words located in the box. Check your answers with the Answer Key.

TIR:M TIBIr TImYy TIR:MmYy TIbI TIR:MBIr TIbYn TIR:MBIr ti brām ti pi ti muay ti brām ti bei ti brām ti boun ti brām muay pi pi

1. ézác&nÞCaézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai chan jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

2. ézáGg

3. ézáBuZCaézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai pudh jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

4. ézáRBhs|t*ÞCaézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai prohoeh jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

5. ézásuRkCaézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai sok jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

6. ézáesAr*Caézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai sao jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

7. ézáGaTitüCaÞ ézá______enAkñúgs:þh*. Thngai ātit jia thgnai ______nau khnong sābuhdā.

3. Listen to the ordinal numbers 11 through 19 and repeat after the speaker. Follow along in the workbook.

11 eleven dohb muay 11 db´mYy eleventh ti dohb muay TIdb´mYy

150 12 twelve dohb pi 12 db´BIr twelfth ti dohb pi TIdb´BIr 13 thirteen dohb bei 13 db´bI thirteenth ti dohb bei TIdb´bI 14 fourteen dohb boun 14 db´bYn fourteenth ti dohb boun TIdb´bYn 15 fifteen dohb brām 15 db´R:M fifteenth ti dohb brām TIdb´R:M 16 sixteen dohb brām muay 16 db´R:MmYy sixteenth ti dohb brām muay TIdb´R:MmYy 17 seventeen dohb brām pi 17 db´R:MBIr seventeenth ti dohb brām pi TIdb´R:BIrM 18 eighteen dohb brām bei 18 db´R:MbI eighteenth ti dohb brām bei TIdb´R:MbI 19 nineteen dohb brām boun 19 db´R:MbYn nineteenth ti dohb brām boun TIdb´R:MbYn 20 twenty muh-phei 20 émÖ twentieth ti muh-phei TIémÖ

4. Practice saying the following ordinal numbers in Cambodian.

11th, 13th, 15th, 17th, 19th, 12th, 14th, 16th, 18th

5. Listen to the ordinal numbers 20-30 and repeat after the speaker.

20 twenty muh-phei 20 émÖ twentieth ti muh-phei TIémÖ 21 twenty-one muh-phei muay 21 émÖmYy twenty-first ti muh-phei muay TIémÖmYy 22 twenty-two muh-phei pi 22 émÖBIr

151 twenty-second ti muh-phei pi TIémÖBIr 23 twenty-three muh-phei bei 23 émÖbI twenty-third ti muh-phei bei TIémÖbI 24 twenty-four muh-phei boun 24 émÖbYn twenty-fourth ti muh-phei boun TIémÖbYn 25 twenty-five muh-phei brām 25 émÖR:M twenty-fifth ti muh-phei brām TIémÖÖR:M 26 twenty-six muh-phei brām muay 26 émÖÖR:MmYy twenty-sixth ti muh-phei brām muay TIémÖR:MmYyÖ 27 twenty-seven muh-phei brām pi 27 émÖÖR:BIM r twenty-seventh ti muh-phei brām pi TIémÖÖR:MBIr 28 twenty-eight muh-phei brām bei 28 émÖÖR:MbI twenty-eighth ti muh-phei brām bei TIémÖÖR:MbI 29 twenty-nine muh-phei brām boun 29 émÖÖR:MbYn twenty-ninth ti muh-phei brām boun TIémÖÖR:MbYn 30 thirty sām sib 30 samsib thirtieth ti sām sib TIsamsib 40 forty seih sib 40 Essib fortieth ti seih sib TIEssib 50 fifty hā sib 50 hasib fiftieth ti hā sib TIhasib 60 sixty hok sib 60 hku sib sixtieth ti hok sib TIhuksib 70 seventy chet sib 70 citsib seventieth ti chet sib TIcitsib 80 eighty peit sib 80 Eb¨tsib eightieth ti peit sib TIsib 90 ninety kao sib 90 sib

152 ninetieth ti kao sib TIsib 100 one hundred muay roy 100 mYyry one hundredth ti muay roy TImYyry

6. Listen to the names of the months and repeat after the speaker.

January mākrā mkra February kom-phiak kumÖH March mik-nia mina April mesā emsa May uksakphia ósPa June mik-thok-nā mizuna July kākdā kk,da August seihā sIha September kāgn-gnā kJa¦a October tok-lā tula November vij-chik-kā vicäika December thnoo ZñÚr

7. Look at the picture and say the dates and days of the week in Cambodian. Practice the different dates, days, and months through the year.

Model: Today is the 15th of April, 1999. It is Thursday.

ézáenHCaézáTI15ExemsaqñaM1999. vaCaézáRBhs|t*. Thngai nis jia thngai ti dohb brām kheh mesā chnām muay poan brām boun roy kao sib brām boun. Via jia thngai prohoeh.

153 8. Listen as the speaker reads the following years. Repeat after the speaker.

1925-nineteen twenty-five muay poan brām boun roy muh-phei brām 1925- mYyBan´R:MbYnryémÖR:M 1900-nineteen hundred muay poan brām boun roy 1900-mYyBan´R:MbYnry 2004-two thousand four pi poan boun 2004-BIrBan´bYn

9. Read the following years in Cambodian. Note: Cambodians use the form dd/mm/year to write or say a date.

2001 1987 1960 1945 2000 1700 1516

10. Listen to the names of Cambodian holidays and repeat after the speaker. Follow along in the workbook.

th 1. Bonn Visaka Bochea – the 12 of May – buNüvisaxbUCa ézáTI12ExósPa

Bonn Visaka Bochea – thngai ti dohb pi kheh uksakphia th 2. Independence Day – the 9 of November – TivabuNüÉkraCüCati ézáTI9Exvicäika

Tivia bon ekriaj jiat – thngai ti brām boun kheh vij-chik-kā th 3. Meak Bochea Day – the 13 of February. – maXbUCa ézáTI13ExkumÖH

Miak bochia – thngai ti dohb bei kheh kom-phiak

154 11. Listen to the speakers talk about their dates of birth. Follow along in the workbook.

1. When were you born? 2. When were you born? 3. When were you born?

Toe niak koet nau pel nā? Toe niak koet nau pel nā? Toe niak koet nau pel nā?

etIGñkekItenAeBlNa/ etIGñkekItenAeBlNa/ etIGñkekItenAeBlNa/

I was born on the I was born on the I was born on the 11th of June, 1936. 31st of July, 1960. 23rd of January, 1987.

Khgnom koet nau thngai ti Khgnom koet nau thngai ti sām sib Khgnom koet nau thngai ti dohb muay kheh mik-thok-nā muay kheh kākdā chnām muay poan muh-phei bei kheh mākrā chnām muay poan brām boun brām boun roy hok sib. chnām muay poan brām boun roy sām sib brām muay. roy peit sib brām pi.

xM\eú kItenAézTIá 11ExmizunaqñaM1936. xM\úekItenAézáTI31Exkkk,daqñaM1960. x\úMekItenAézáTI23ExmkraqñaM1987.

12. Work in pairs or in small groups. Ask your partner when he was born. Use the model below.

Model: A. I was born on the 15th of February, 1982. When were you born?

A. xM\úekItenAézáT15EI xkumÖHqñaM1982. etIGñkekItenAeBlNa/ Khgnom koet nau thngai ti dohb brām kheh kom-phiak chnām muay poan brām boun roy peit sib pi. Toe niak koet nau pel nā? B. I was born on the 4th of September, 1979.

B. xM\úekItenAézáTI4ExkJa¦aqñaM1979. Khgnom koet nau thngai ti boun kheh kāgn-gnā chnām muay poan brām boun roy chet sib brām boun.

155 13. Look at the picture below and imagine that this is your family. Describe each member. Use the model below. You can use real pictures of your family.

Model:This is my brother. His name is… He is …years old. He was born on the …of…19… … … … … … enHCabgRbusrbs´xM\ú. eQµaHrbs´Kat´KW Kat´manGayu qñaM. Kat´ekItenAézá Ex qñaM19 Nis jia bong bros robs khgnom. Chmos robos kort koe … Kort mian āyuk …chnām. Kort koet nau thngai …kheh … chnām muay poan brām boun roy …

14. Read and translate the following text into English. Answer the questions below in English. Check your work with the Answer Key.

eQµaHrbs´xM\úKWvibul. xM\úmkBIRbeTskm¬úCa. xM\rsú ´enAkñúgextþes[mrab. xM\manRú KYsarZMmYy; RbBnÆmYy Chmos robos khgnom koe Vibol. Khgnom mork pi prohtes Kampuchea. Khgnom ros nau khnong khet Siem Reab. Khgnom mian kruasā thom muay: prohpun muay

kUnBIr nig ÓBukmþayrbs´xM\ú. eyIgrs´enAkñúgpÞHZMmYy. RbBnÆrbs´xM\úmanGayu30qñaM. nagekItenA Kone pi ning aoupuk muh-dāy robos khgnom. Yoeng ros nau khnong phtias thom muay. Prohpun robos khgnom mian āyuk sām sib chnām. Niang koet nau

ézáTI23ExvicäikaqñaM1970. nagCaevC¢bNÐitnigeZVIkarenAÉmnÞIreBTü. kUnrbs´xM\úCanisiSt. Thngai ti muh-phei bei kheh vij-chik-kā chnām muay poan brām boun roy chet sib.

BYkeKer[nenAsala. kUnRsIrbs´x\MúekItenAézáTI26ExemsaqñaM1992. kUnRbusrbs´xM\úmanGayu8 Pouk ke rian nau sālā. Kone srei robos khgnom koet nau thngai ti muh-phei brām muay kheh mesā chnām muay poan brām boun roy kao sib pi. Kone bros robos khgnom mian āyuk brām bei

qñaM. vaekItenAézáTI1ExósPaqñaM1996. mþayrbs´xM\caú s´Nas.´ Kat´manGayu78qñaM. Kat´ Chnām. Via koet nau thngai ti muay kheh uksakphia chnām muay poan brām boun roy kao sib brām muay. Muh-dāy robos khgnom jās nās. Kort mian āyuk chet sib brām bei chnām. Kort

ekItenAézáTI22Exvcäii kaqñaM1926. ÓBukrbs´xM\úmanGayu79qñaM. Kat´ekItenAézáTI25

156 Koet nau thgnai ti muh-phei pi kheh vic-chik-kā chnām muay poan brām boun roy muh-phei brām muay. Aoupuk robos khgnom mian āyuk chet sib brām boun chnām. Kort koet nau thngai ti muh-phei brām

ExsIhaqñaM1925. BYkKat´Gt´eZVIkareT. BYkKat´Ganes[vePA emIlTUTsSn¾ ß elgCamYy Kheh seihā chnām muay poan brām boun roy muh-phei brām. Pouk kort ot thvoe kā te. Pouk kort ān sievphau moel tootos roe leng jia muay

kUnrbs´eyg.I x\MmanRKú saY rlÁmYy. Kone robos yoeng. Khgnom mian kruasā luh-oh muay.

1. Where does the family live? 2. How old is the wife? 3. When was she born? 4. What is her occupation? 5. Where does she work? 6. How many children do they have? 7. How old is the son? When was he born? 8. How old is the daughter? 9. When was she born? 10. How old is the grandmother? 11. When was she born? 12. How old is the grandfather? 13. When was he born? 14. What do the grandparents do?

Cultural note: Cambodia was a French colony for over a century, so proper etiquette for a guest in someone’s home is very similar to that of the French. For example, a guest will sit or stand where the owner indicates and at the same time the guest would be served a drink. It is also proper etiquette for a guest to take his or her shoes off upon entering someone’s home. Cambodians don’t usually celebrate birthdays, but if someone were to celebrate one, it would be similar to a birthday party in America. Cambodian weddings and funerals however, are very similar to Indian weddings and funerals. This is because, between the 7th and 10th centuries, many Indian missionaries came to Cambodia and taught Cambodians about their culture.

15. Listen to the following conversation between two people and repeat after the speakers, as you follow along in the workbook. Answer the questions that follow, and then check your work with the Answer Key.

A. sYsþIsM. manCb´el[gézáxYbkMeNIt enAézáTI6ExósPa. xM\úGeJaI¢jGñkmkelgRKYsarrbs´xM\ú. Sour sdei Sam. Mian job liang thngai khuab komnoet nau thngai ti brām muay kheh uksakphia. Khgnam āgn-joegn niak mok leng kruasā robos khgnom.

B. GrKuNsuPa. etIem¨agb¨unµan/ Ohrkun Sophea. Toe mong pun-mān?

157 A. em¨agR:M ß R:M samsib. Mong brām roe brām sām sib.

B.etIGas&ydÆanrbs´GñkenAÉNa/ Toe ā-sāy-thān robos niak nau eh nā?

A.xM\úenApÞHelx 301 vizIsIusUvtS. Khgnom nau phtias lek bei roy muay vithei Sisovath.

B.etIxM\úeTAenaHedayy¨agNa/ Toe khgnom tou nus douy yang nā?

A.ebIkLaneTATisxageCIgenAelIvizIZMedmI |IeTAvizIsIhanukehIybt´eqVg. Boek lān tau tis khāng joeng nau loe vithei thom doembei tau vithei Sihanouk hoey boht chveng.

B.ebIkLantamvizIsIhanukBIrRbelaHehIybt´sþaM. Boek lān tām vithei Sihanouk pi brolos hoey boht chveng.

A.pÞHrbs´xM\úKWpÞHTIbIenAxagsþaM. Phtias robos khgnom koe phtias ti bei nau khāng sdām.

B.etIxM\úGacnaMGImk/ Toe khgnom āj noam ei mohk?

A.Gt´GIeT. GrKN.u Ot ei te. Ohrkun. B.GrKuNsMrab´karGeJaj¢I . Ohrkun somrab kā āgn-joegn.

1. What is the occasion for the invitation? 2. What is the date? 3. What time should he arrive? 4. What is the address? 5. What directions is he given to get there? 6. What should he bring?

16. Work with a partner and invite him/her to your house to celebrate a holiday. Give him/her directions how to get to your house. Use the dialogue above as a model.

158 End-of-Lesson Tasks

1. Say in Cambodian the date when:

- you were born - you graduated from high school - your wedding was - your child was born - you joined the military

2. Give the names of Cambodian holidays and say when they are celebrated (in Cambodian).

3. Invite your roommate to a Christmas party and give him/her directions how to get there.

159 Vocabulary List first Ti muay TImYy second Ti pi TIBIr third Ti bei TIbI fourth Ti boun TIbYn fifth Ti brām TIR:M sixth Ti brām muay TIR:MmYy seventh Ti brām pi TIR:MBIr eighth Ti brām bei TIR:MbI ninth Ti brām boun TIR:MbYn tenth Ti dohb TIdb´ eleventh Ti dohb muay TIdb´mYy twelfth Ti dohb pi TIdb´BIr thirteenth Ti dohb bei TIdb´bI fourteenth Ti dohb boun TIdb´bYn fifteenth Ti dohb brām TIdb´R:M sixteenth Ti dohb brām muay TIdb´R:mYyM seventeenth Ti dohb brām pi TIdb´R:BIrM eighteenth Ti dohb brām bei TIdb´R:MbI nineteenth Ti dohb brām boun TIdb´R:bYM n twentieth Ti muh-phei TIémÖ twenty-first Ti muh-phei muay TIémÖmYy twenty-second Ti muh-phei pi TIémÖBIr twenty-third Ti muh-phei bei TIémÖbI twenty-fourth Ti muh-phei boun TIémÖbYn twenty-fifth Ti muh-phei brām TIémÖR:M twenty-sixth Ti muh-phei brām muay TIémÖR:MmYy twenty-seventh Ti muh-phei brām pi TIémÖR:MBIr

160 twenty-eighth Ti muh-phei brām bei TIémÖR:MbI twenty-ninth Ti muh-phei brām boun TIémÖR:MbYn January Mākrā mkra February Kom-phiak kumÖH March Mik-nia mina April Mesā emsa May Uksakphia ósPa June Mik-thok-nā mizuna July Kākdā kk,da August Seihā sIha September Kāgn-gnā kJa¦a October Tok-lā tula November Vij-chik-kā vicäika December Thnoo ZñÚ Was born Koet nau ekItenA To invite Āgn-joegn GeJ¢aIj Invitation Kā āgn-joegn kaGeJ¢aIj Address Ā-sāy-thān Gas&ydÆan Drive Boek-boh ebIkbr Along Tām tam Two blocks Pi brolos BIrRbelaH Turn right Boht sdām bt´sþaM Turn left Boht chveng bt´eqVg Come over Āgn-joegn mohk GeJ¢aIjmk To visit Tau leng eTAelg Birthday Thngai khuab komnoet ézáxYbkMeNIt Birthday party Job liang thngai khuab komnoet Cb´el[gézáxYbkMeNIt Wedding Riab kā er[bkar

161 Funeral Bon khmoc buNüexµac To bring Noam … mohk … naM mk On the right Nau khāng sdām eTAxagsþaM And / and then Hoey ehIy I want to invite you Khgn joang āgn-joegn … … niak … xM\úcg´GeJ¢aIjGñk International New Jol chnām sakoal Year cUlqñaMskl End of Genocidal Tivia jeov jom nias loe Khmer Rouge robohb brohlāy puj sās TivaC&yCMnHelIrbbRbl&yBUCsasn¾ Regime Meak Bochea Miak bochia maXbUCa International Tivia niary ondrāk jiat Women’s day TivanarGI nþrCati Cambodian New Jol chnām khmer Year cUlqñaMExµr International Labor Tivia pulkām ondrāk jiat day TivaBlkmµGnþrCati Bonn Visaka Bon pisak bochia Bochea buNüvisaxbUCa King’s birthday Jomroen prias juan prias mohā-khsāt cMerInRBHCnµ RBHmhakSRt Royal Plough day Prias riaj pikthi jrot prias nong-kual RBHraCBiZIRct´RBHng<&l Bonn Phchom Ben Bon phjom bin buNüP¢MúbiMNÐ Constitution Day Tivia prohkās proe roud them-nugn TivaRbkaseRbIrdÆZmµnuJa ¦ Royal Coronation Prias riaj pikthi riajia day phik-sek RBHraCBiZIraCaPiesk Water and Moon Pikthi bon omtouk ohk- festival ombok sompias prias BiZIbuNüGMuTUk GkGMbuk sMBHRBHEx kheh Independence day Tivia bon ekriaj jiat TivabuNüÉkraCüCati United Nations Tivia sith monus Human Rights day TivasiTÆimnusS

162 ANSWER KEY

2.

1. TImYy ti muay 1. Monday is the _____ first ______day of the week.

2. TIBIr ti pi 2. Tuesday is the _____ second ______day of the week.

3. TIbI ti bei 3. Wednesday is the ___ third ______day of the week.

4. TIbYn ti boun 4. Thursday is the ___ fourth ______day of the week.

5. TIR:M ti brām 5. Friday is the _____ fifth ______day of the week.

6. TIR:MmYy ti brām muay 6. Saturday is the __ sixth ______day of the week.

7. TIR:MBIr ti brām pi 7. Sunday is the ___ seventh ______day of the week.

14.

My name is Vibol. I am from Cambodia. I live in Siem Reab. I have a big family: a wife, two children, and my parents. We live in a big house. My wife is 30. She was born on November 23, 1970. She is a doctor and works at the hospital. My children are students. They study at school. My daughter was born on the April 26, 1992. My son is 8 years old. He was born on the 1st of May, 1996. My mother is very old. She is 78. She was born on the 22nd of November, 1926. My father is 79. He was born on the 25th of August, 1925. They do not work. They read books, watch television, or play with our children. I have a wonderful family.

1. Siem Reab, Cambodia 2. 30 3. November 23, 1970 4. Doctor 5. Hospital 6. 2 7. 8 years old, May 1, 1996 8. 12 years old 9. April 26, 1992 10. 78 11. November 22, 1926 12. 79

163 13. August 25, 1925 14. Read books, watch television, and play with the grandchildren

15.

A. Hi, Sam. There is birthday party the 6th of May. I invite you to come over and visit my family. B. Thank you, Sophea. What time? A. Five or five thirty. B. What is your address? A. It is 301 E Vithei Sisovath. B. How can I get there? A. Drive north on the main road to Vithei Sihanouk and turn left. Drive along Vithei Sihanouk two blocks and turn right. My house is the third house on the right. B. What can I bring? A. Nothing, thanks. B. Thank you for the invitation.

1. What is the occasion for the invitation? A birthday party 2. What is the date? May 6 3. What time should he arrive? 5:00 or 5:30 4. What is the address? 301 E Vithei Sisovath 5. What directions is he given to get there? Drive north on the main road to Vithei Sihanouk and turn left. Drive along Vithei Sihanouk two blocks and turn right. My house is the third house on the right. 6. What should he bring? Nothing

164