Hundreds of people gathered at the Cambodian Buddhist Society in north Charlotte on Sunday to celebrate Cambodian New Year.
The holiday marks the end of the traditional harvest season and the beginning of the rainy season. It is also a time for Cambodian families to come together, share traditional food, watch cultural dances and celebrate their heritage.
Vy Nhem, who has lived in Charlotte for 11 years, says the holiday offers a different kind of New Year celebration.
“It’s not your traditional American New Year, but something we can celebrate mid-year and say, ‘Hey, we can pray to our ancestors, ask for their blessings, make some offerings, make some good food,’ and it’s more like a cultural event,” Nhem said.
Kaovny Jonas, who moved to the United States from Cambodia as a child, says the celebration carries deep meaning.
“Cambodian New Year is all about restarting something new, our resilience, and it means a lot because it brings so many of us together,” Jonas said.
Roughly 2,000 Cambodians live in the Charlotte area.
