This week preparations have been going on for the concert and magic show in Khvien village.
Not even an annual event, excitement built as first the stage on a corner block and then the screens around the enclosure were erected. Not that this was anything like the facility that we might be used to in the West, but still it didn’t seem to matter. It was special.
How surprised the village was this evening to see us pay our 2000 riel admission each and join the hundreds of chiklren. Some were lying on mats, others simply stood. Mr Oenn was there and he quickly appropriated some plastic chairs for us. (We would have been happy to sit anywhere, but it was very considerate, especially as Margaret’s leg tonight is making movement for her very difficult.)
In the dark we were quickly joined by excited children and flanked by G… and K……….. The stage was lit by a few coloured fluorescent light tubes and the deafening sound came from some loud-speakers operating at above their recommended limit! This competed with the noise of a generator powering the lights and sound.
G..’s mother joined us and then a woman who we didn’t know came to thank us for our interest in the village etc etc.
Soon the show started with Cambodian songs sung by and danced to by local young people. There were several brackets of four songs each and magic acts in between. Then came the fire-eater who had the youngsters enthralled.
It was a hot night and not nearly as many mosquitoes as we were expecting.
In the village itself, all was dark save for the occasional light charged by car battery – the usual means of electric power in the village. Earlier we had joined some adults in a hut to watch TV! They were all gathered around a very small screened television set.
We were glad to have seen the village at night and even more glad to have deepened our friendship with the villagers by being with them.
Martin and Margaret