Cambodian New Year

Mrs. Buranen's normally well-behaved seventh-graders are exceptionally noisy and boisterous this April day. In the hall and on the playground, numerous students keep throwing water at each other. Back inside the classroom, an exasperated Mrs. Buranen is about to reprimand them when her excited teacher's aide steps forward urges her to "Wait." What went wrong? The aide, a Cambodian immigrant, pointed out to Mrs. Buranen that it was April 13, Cambodian New Year. Throwing water at Mrs.

Dressed in a bright red uniform with a green scarf around his head, David Thong beamed Sunday as he kicked and punched an imaginary attacker while thousands watched. The 43-year-old was leading a group of students in a demonstration of labokator, an age-old martial art, at the sixth annual Cambodian New Year parade in Long Beach. Being able to publicly show off the Cambodian fighting technique on such a grand scale was a sign of how far the community had come, Thong said. "We have the ability to show to the world that we live here now," said Thong, who arrived in Long Beach two decades ago. For years, the Cambodian community in Long Beach, believed to be the largest outside Southeast Asia, has gathered to celebrate the Cambodian New Year, a three-day event that takes place in April.

The Cambodian New Year was ushered in Sunday by hundreds of Buddhists and their friends in a rousing festival marked by solemn prayers, giddy celebration and a spirit of both tradition and renewal. "It is a time to forget about the past, when everything becomes new and enemies become friends," said Bunnalim Nou, a young Buddhist monk who had to shout to be heard above blaring folk songs at the Santa Ana College student center. "A time for everyone to come together."

Cambodian Americans gathered at Wat Khmer Temple near downtown Los Angeles on Sunday to celebrate the New Year, kneeling in prayer before a Buddha statue, dancing to a traditional live band and serving fish soup and noodles to the orange-clad monks. On the same day in Long Beach, survivors of the killing fields held a vigil at a local park to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the start of the brutal communist Khmer Rouge regime that took the lives of more than 1 million Cambodians.

Dressed in a bright red uniform with a green scarf around his head, David Thong beamed Sunday as he kicked and punched an imaginary attacker while thousands watched. The 43-year-old was leading a group of students in a demonstration of labokator, an age-old martial art, at the sixth annual Cambodian New Year parade in Long Beach. Being able to publicly show off the Cambodian fighting technique on such a grand scale was a sign of how far the community had come, Thong said. "We have the ability to show to the world that we live here now," said Thong, who arrived in Long Beach two decades ago. For years, the Cambodian community in Long Beach, believed to be the largest outside Southeast Asia, has gathered to celebrate the Cambodian New Year, a three-day event that takes place in April.

Cambodian Americans gathered at Wat Khmer Temple near downtown Los Angeles on Sunday to celebrate the New Year, kneeling in prayer before a Buddha statue, dancing to a traditional live band and serving fish soup and noodles to the orange-clad monks. On the same day in Long Beach, survivors of the killing fields held a vigil at a local park to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the start of the brutal communist Khmer Rouge regime that took the lives of more than 1 million Cambodians.

A traditional Cambodian New Year celebration will be held in Santa Ana on Saturday at the Cambodian Family. The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with traditional Cambodian dances performed by area children. After the entertainment, there will be a dance, and Cambodian food will be available for purchase. The event will raise money for the Cambodian Family, which runs social programs for the numerous Cambodian immigrants in Santa Ana. Tickets to the event cost $3.

The colorful silk gowns, traditional folk dances and the aroma of familiar foods reminded Thira Srey of the country he fled more than 18 years ago. "I feel something touch me right here," said the 50-year-old Cambodian native, pointing to his heart. "It brings back good memories of my home." Srey, who now lives in Fullerton, was one of about 400 people who attended a celebration Saturday commemorating the Cambodian New Year, which officially begins Tuesday.

A 20-year-old man was stabbed to death Sunday night at a Buddhist temple during a celebration of the Cambodian New Year, police said. The victim, whose name was not released, was stabbed multiple times during an argument with another man attending the celebration, said Officer Ursula Guillory of the Los Angeles Police Department. Police dogs were called out to Wat Khmer Temple in the 1700 block of Beverly Boulevard to search for the killer, who fled the scene. No further details were available.

The Cambodian New Year was ushered in Sunday by hundreds of Buddhists and their friends in a rousing festival marked by solemn prayers, giddy celebration and a spirit of both tradition and renewal. "It is a time to forget about the past, when everything becomes new and enemies become friends," said Bunnalim Nou, a young Buddhist monk who had to shout to be heard above blaring folk songs at the Santa Ana College student center. "A time for everyone to come together."

A traditional Cambodian New Year celebration will be held in Santa Ana on Saturday at the Cambodian Family. The celebration begins at 6 p.m. with traditional Cambodian dances performed by area children. After the entertainment, there will be a dance, and Cambodian food will be available for purchase. The event will raise money for the Cambodian Family, which runs social programs for the numerous Cambodian immigrants in Santa Ana. Tickets to the event cost $3.

Mrs. Buranen's normally well-behaved seventh-graders are exceptionally noisy and boisterous this April day. In the hall and on the playground, numerous students keep throwing water at each other. Back inside the classroom, an exasperated Mrs. Buranen is about to reprimand them when her excited teacher's aide steps forward urges her to "Wait." What went wrong? The aide, a Cambodian immigrant, pointed out to Mrs. Buranen that it was April 13, Cambodian New Year. Throwing water at Mrs.

The colorful silk gowns, traditional folk dances and the aroma of familiar foods reminded Thira Srey of the country he fled more than 18 years ago. "I feel something touch me right here," said the 50-year-old Cambodian native, pointing to his heart. "It brings back good memories of my home." Srey, who now lives in Fullerton, was one of about 400 people who attended a celebration Saturday commemorating the Cambodian New Year, which officially begins Tuesday.

Dozens of Cambodian dancers wearing traditional folk costumes will provide entertainment for the Cambodian new year celebration Saturday at Century High School. The Year of the Ram officially begins Monday 15, but organizers decided to hold the celebration on the preceding weekend. Two programs, each lasting two hours and sponsored by Cambodian Family Inc., begin at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Donations are $5 for adults, $3 for children. For more information, contact Cambodian Family Inc.

At least one gunman fired into a Santa Ana townhome where about two dozen young men and women were celebrating the Cambodian New Year, killing one man and injuring another. Samuen Phal, 19, of San Bernardino, was pronounced dead at the scene after being shot twice in the back. Keachhay Gauv, 17, of Paramount, suffered a bullet wound to the upper right arm and was treated at Garden Grove Medical Center and released.