Each April, as the sun rises over the ancient towers of Angkor Wat, Cambodia enters a season of joy and reflection through one of its most vibrant and meaningful festivals—Angkor Sankranta. Held during the Khmer New Year from April 14 to 16, this event brings together communities from across the country and visitors from around the world to celebrate Cambodia’s cultural heritage. Organised in Siem Reap by the Union of Youth Federations of Cambodia (UYFC), Angkor Sankranta has become a powerful platform to promote traditional customs, especially the revival of folk games that have been part of Khmer culture for generations.
Angkor Sankranta was conceived not merely as a festival but as a cultural movement. It seeks to preserve and promote intangible cultural heritage while engaging the youth and educating the public through performance, participation, and play. Since its inception in 2013, the event has grown significantly in scale and importance. With the ancient city of Angkor as its backdrop, the festival transforms Siem Reap into a vibrant space where Cambodia’s past and present converge through dance, music, crafts, cuisine, and games.
Among its most celebrated features is the reintroduction of traditional Khmer games, many of which had faded from public memory. These games are more than entertainment—they are a form of cultural storytelling, teaching important values such as cooperation, strategy, compassion, and agility. Their revival has played a crucial role in reconnecting younger generations with Cambodian identity and community life.
Traditional games are woven deeply into Cambodia’s cultural fabric. In villages and temple grounds, they were once a central feature of festivals and communal gatherings. They were played after harvests, during religious ceremonies, or simply as a form of recreation. Over time, however, the spread of modern entertainment and urbanisation had threatened their survival. Angkor Sankranta reversed this trend by reintroducing them in ways that are engaging, inclusive, and relevant to contemporary audiences.
One of the most iconic games is Teanh Prot, or tug of war. Recognised by UNESCO in 2015 as part of Cambodia’s intangible cultural heritage, Teanh Prot is a team game that emphasises unity and strength. Two groups pull on opposite ends of a rope, striving to pull the other past a centre mark. What appears to be a simple competition becomes a lively, symbolic act of collaboration and determination. At Angkor Sankranta, the game is played by hundreds of people at once, transforming a childhood pastime into a visual metaphor for national solidarity.
Another popular game is Leak Kanseng, known as the scarf hiding game. In this activity, players sit in a circle while one person walks around with a twisted scarf. The player secretly drops the scarf behind someone. Once discovered, the chosen player must grab the scarf and chase the dropper before they sit back in the circle. The game involves anticipation, speed, and laughter, and is often accompanied by a traditional song. Leak Kanseng requires no tools or equipment beyond a krama and a willingness to participate, making it highly accessible and deeply enjoyable.
Choal Chhoung is a playful and sociable game often played between young men and women. Two lines are formed, with players tossing a rolled-up krama back and forth. The game is rhythmic and energetic, fostering camaraderie and light-hearted interaction. It has historically served as a form of courtship during festivals, and its joyful character makes it a favourite during Angkor Sangkranta. Music, laughter, and dance accompany the game, turning simple exchanges into moments of collective happiness.
In Veay Ka’am, or break the pot, participants are blindfolded and tasked with smashing a suspended clay pot with a stick. The pots, traditionally made in Kampong Chhnang, are filled with powder, candy, or small coins. After being spun around, players must rely on the crowd’s directions to locate and hit the pot. It is a game of suspense, humour, and reward. Children and adults alike gather around, cheering and laughing at each attempt. The game not only entertains but also highlights the importance of trusting community guidance, even when we are “blind” to the path ahead.
Chab Kon Kleng, or the hen and owl game, adds theatricality to the festival. One player assumes the role of a hen, standing protectively in front of a line of “chicks.” Another plays the owl, trying to capture them. The hen must block the owl while players chant and mimic the roles. The game blends drama, strategy, and movement, and is particularly popular with younger children and their parents, who often guide the play. It encourages coordination and conveys themes of protection and teamwork.
Champa Champey, a guessing game involving names and taps, is both a test of memory and an exercise in misdirection. One player with eyes closed must identify which teammate tapped them. If the guess is correct, the tapper switches sides. The game fosters group awareness, critical thinking, and social connection. Often accompanied by clapping or silly movements to distract the guesser, Champa Champey is a joyful display of community spirit and light-hearted deception.
In Orng Kunh, players use hard seeds or carved wooden nuts in a game that mixes precision and friendly competition. Two teams attempt to knock over each other’s nuts. If successful, the winning team gets to tap the knees of the losing team with the same nuts, a humorous and harmless form of celebration. The game teaches hand-eye coordination and strategy, and its simplicity makes it an ideal activity for mixed-age groups during Angkor Sangkranta.
Bos Angkunh is another variation involving wooden discs. Players throw the discs at target pieces, aiming to knock them down. The game requires focus and dexterity. A fun “penalty” awaits the losing team, as the winners gently tap their knees with the discs. This element of playful consequence adds to the spirit of fun and mutual respect that defines the game.
Bay Khom is a quieter, strategic game played on a board with ten holes using small stones or seeds. The game involves redistributing and collecting stones based on specific rules, similar to the Southeast Asian game congkak or the Indian game pallanguzhi. Bay Khom is often played by children and elders and fosters patience, logic, and long-term planning. It contrasts beautifully with the high-energy games and adds depth to the variety of play during the festival.
Klah Klok is a traditional dice game that mixes luck with anticipation. Players bet on animal symbols depicted on dice, then roll to see if their choices appear. If so, they win multiples of their original bet. The game is simple, communal, and full of excitement. It is often played at night, with groups gathering to cheer on the outcomes.
Collectively, these games represent a spectrum of human experience—cooperation, risk, memory, skill, humour, and chance. They are windows into Cambodia’s past and tools for social cohesion in its present. Their continued presence at Angkor Sangkranta signals a successful effort to preserve intangible culture not as something static, but as a living and evolving practice.
The value of these games extends beyond entertainment. They serve as informal education for younger generations, teaching ethical values, teamwork, leadership, and respect. In a time when globalisation and digital distractions risk diluting local identity, traditional games offer grounding and connection. They remind participants that joy can be communal, that history can be playful, and that culture can be experienced—not just observed.
Angkor Sankranta, by championing these traditional games, has redefined what it means to celebrate the New Year in Cambodia. It has inspired schools, temples, and local authorities across the country to organise their own smaller versions of the festival. More importantly, it has empowered youth to take pride in their heritage, not through lectures or textbooks, but through laughter, movement, and play.
What began as a youth-led initiative has become a national platform for cultural preservation. Its success illustrates that the most effective way to keep tradition alive is to make it joyful, relevant, and participatory. When children run in circles with scarves, when elders smile as pots break, when strangers pull together in a rope game—these are not just moments of fun, they are acts of cultural resilience.
Cultural Legacy Through Play
As Cambodia continues to progress economically and socially, the role of cultural traditions becomes even more significant. Angkor Sankranta, through the revival of traditional games, reminds us that national identity is not merely preserved through monuments and museums, but also through human interaction, shared memory, and celebration. In the joyful chaos of a tug of war or the suspense of a blindfolded swing at a clay pot, we find the echoes of history, the rhythm of heritage, and the heart of the Khmer people.
By weaving traditional games into the fabric of a national celebration, Angkor Sankranta ensures that Cambodia’s cultural roots remain strong and vibrant. It is not merely a festival; it is an expression of who Cambodians are, where they come from, and what binds them together. Through it, the country steps forward each year not just with joy, but with pride, purpose, and cultural confidence.
Suosdey Chhnam Thmey!
