House warming Ceremony in Cambodia

A Cambodian tradition is to celebrate a new house with a house warming ceremony. This ceremony is celebrated for the house owner who just built a new house or just bought a new house. People celebrate this because they believe it will bring good luck, happiness and get rid of any bad spirits, and also show to the other villagers that they are the owner of that new house.

They gather together all of the house owner’s relatives, friends and neighbours for this celebration. This ceremony is celebrated for half a day in the morning. The house owner invites monks for praying and blessing for the new house and house owner offers the gifts and food for the monks.

The participants can also bring dishes, glasses, chairs, some kitchen supplies, money or other equipment to use in the house as the gift for the new house, and house owner will tie the red/white thread on the wrists in order to bring the good luck and thankful for their kindness.

Before finishing the ceremony they will have lunch together. Participants in GROUND groups who work on construction projects will experience this traditional ceremony once they have completed building a new house.

ARTICLE BY: LINDA, GROUND Cambodia