Pictures: Simon Bennett
http://www.fairfieldchampion.com.au/
via CAAI News Media
19 Apr, 2010
Many of the Fairfield residents who celebrated the Cambodian New Year on the weekend were celebrating more than the start of a new year - they were celebrating their culture. Melanie Kembrey reports.
Many of the residents welcoming in the Cambodian New Year at Wat Dhamma Sameaky temple in Canley Vale came to Fairfield as refugees.
Festival organiser Thida Yang said Cambodian New Year was a time for Fairfield's Cambodian community to embrace their culture.
"New Year celebrations are a way for the community to keep the Cambodian culture alive,'' she said.
Ms Yang arrived arrived in Australia after fleeing violence in Cambodia.
"Most of the people celebrating have gone through Pol Pot and nearly everyone has a lost a family member,'' she said.
"New Year celebrations are something the community really needs to keep our heritage alive.''
Australian-born residents also joined in the celebration.
James White, who lived in Cambodia for eight years, said the celebration was "profoundly important''.
"It allows people so torn apart by war to come together without an agenda and celebrate being Cambodian,'' he said.
More than 300 people attended each day of the festival, which was organised by the Salvation and Cambodian Cultural Association.
The celebration started on Wednesday, April 14 and finished on Sunday, April 18.
No comments:
Post a Comment