The Sen Dolta of the Khmer

Sen Dolta_one of the most important festival of the Khmer_is taken place on the 29th, 30th and 31st of the August every year. "Sen Dolta" in Khmer tongue means "worshiping the ancestors", so it is celebrated to pray for the spirits of their ancestors. Beside that the Sen Dolta is also a good occasion for the whole family to reunite. In three-day festival, the Khmer have chance to exchange relations and tighten the bonds of friendship with others through many activities and ceremonies.
On the first day, each Khmer family prepare for the reception ceremony by tidying and cleaning their ancestors' braves. In the early morning, they visit and decorate these braves with lots of flowers. At home, an altar is built in the most soleumn place of the house. Four bowls of rice, three cups of wine and some traditional dishes are laid on the altar; the incenses are burn; candles are lit. Afterwards, the head of the family pour the wine to welcome the spirits of their ancestors. The Khmer believe that their ancestors will visit and stay with them in three-day festival. After the ritual, the whole family have meal together. In the evening, the pagoda yard is lived up by the traditional arts; Khmer women in colorful dresses dance the Lam-thol while the men whistle and sing the Five Notes song. They sing, dance, drink and enjoy the festival all night.
The second day is very special with the buffalo raking contest_the annual contest celebrated for people in that area. The preparation for the contest must be done carefully before that. Each contestant choose two of buffaloes and train them in one month. During this time, the buffaloes is taken special care and menu to have health secured. For example, they drink fresh coconut milk, and eat eggs every day; take a shower, and be dried by a soft towel. The raking contest is extremly fascinating. The buffaloes in the control of their driver try to defeat their enemies in order to take the colorful tintinnabulum as an award for the winners.
The final day, people prepare for the farawell ceremony. A boat made from the ochrea of the banana tree is the most necessary thing in this ceremony. According to the Khmer's belief, this boat will drive their ancestors to the hades, so it is decorated colorfully. The family also have a farawell meal. The head of the family take some food put into a small bowl and lay it into the boat. He also scatters some salt, rice on the boat. After the ritual, the boat is dropped on a river or a lake near their house. Then the whole family enjoy the meal together. From that time, the festival ends; people go on their normal life, and prepare for a new crop.
Sen Dolta is special occasion of the Khmer in the South. This is a good chance for them to show the appreciation to their ancestors, and relax after a hard havest. Beside that it is also vary the Vietnamese's culture; make our culture more diversity than ever.