A Small Guide to Bon Om Tuk: Cambodia’s Water Festival

Via vespaadventures

Written By

Norlena Piseth

November 28, 2023

Culture and tradition make up an important part of many people’s identities. It can generate unity amongst the divided, and bring people together, in celebration of their religion and/or history. Every cultural celebration is a testament and a proclamation of appreciation to the ancestors that has brought many of us to where we are today. Appreciation is nothing short of what Cambodia’s Water Festival, or បុណ្យអុំទូក ( Bon Om Tuk ) is all about.

The Water Festival is a grand celebration that lasts up to 3 days, usually during the end of the month of November, which marks the end of the monsoon season. In 2023, it is set to happen from the 27th to the 29th of November. During this time, many tourists and Cambodians from different provinces will flock to either the capital city of Phnom Penh or Siem Reap, where most of the festivities will take place. It is also where the main event, the boat races, will happen.

In the city, people will gather on the first full moon of the holiday in front of the royal palace, where hundreds of beautifully arranged, floating baskets filled with food, snacks, and other offerings are pushed afloat onto the river.

It is believed that the Water Festival is an ancient celebration that has been happening since the reign of King Jayvarman VII, due to the numerous detailed carvings that line the walls of the Temples Banteay Chma and Bayon. Back during the Angkor era, the Water Festival was a means of appreciation towards the Navy of Cambodia for its success, bravery and courage in the battles against Cham, a long-lasting nemesis of Cambodia. The boat races are meant to symbolize the grandiose nature of the ancient Cambodian Navy, where each boat has its own unique ‘head’ carefully carved and crafted by talented craftsmen, which can vary in design from the heads of dragons to crocodiles.

Not only does the Water Festival celebrate Cambodia’s rich history and culture, but it is also one big appreciation of nature, especially water; a gesture of thanks for a bountiful harvest. To show this, there is a tradition of បណ្តែតប្រទីប ( Bondet B’ti​b ). In the province, these baskets would usually be accompanied by the recent crops, showcasing their successful harvests that year. These would then be placed in the nearest river. This is a means of showing gratitude to nature and the gods presiding over their harvests. It is also a moment to reminisce about ancestors who have passed on, and it is believed that the food in the basket will reach them in the afterlife.

There are two additional and smaller events done during the Water Festival. While these aren’t as visually spectacular as the boat races or the colorful floating baskets, they certainly do not lack any richness in history and meaning. It is called ពិធីបុណ្យសំពះព្រះខែ អកអំបុក, which literally means to ‘salute the moon’. As the name suggests, it is to offer food ( such as bananas, coconuts… ) and incense to the full moon. The tale behind this tradition starts with a King’s dream. In this dream, the King is a hunter, yet he does not hunt or kill the animals in the forest due to his beliefs in Buddhism. In the night, he lights a fire and wills himself to power through his hunger. However, a rabbit hops its way to him and offers itself for him to eat and proceeds to jump into the fire. The King stops the rabbit and tells it that he does not want to eat the animal. In actuality, this rabbit was a test from Buddha in order to see the nature of the King. Touched, Buddha lets the rabbit jump in the fire again and paints it onto the surface of the moon to honor the sacrifice of the rabbit and the kindness of the King. Once the King awoke, and had seen that the rabbit was truly there on the moon, he arranged numerous offerings and festivities to show gratitude and awe towards Buddha. This continues today when people gather in their respective homes with a table full of offerings laid out outside towards the moon.

The Water Festival is a celebration of gratitude. It is a full 3-day event where Cambodians give thanks to nature for its kindness and generosity and hope for the future to be filled with prosperity and happiness. To fully grasp the excitement, beauty, and magic of the Water Festival, one must witness the events in person; this article falls short in capturing the essence. By the time this article is out, the Festival will be well on its way to ending. So, in the hopes that I may share a more beautiful side of my country, I end this article with the belief that you, the reader, may one day visit Cambodia and join in on the festivities of the Water Festival.

Written by: Norlena Piseth

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