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Highlights of Last Year's Camp
Rivers
and the Flow of Life was the theme of Cambodian Heritage Camp 2007. In the
heart of the Rocky Mountains we came together as a community to learn more
about the central role rivers play in the daily lives of Cambodians, including
how rivers like the Mekong and those connecting to the Tonle Sap (“Great
Lake”) provide substance for life, daily routines and traditional celebrations.
Campers explored the cycle of life on rivers and the Tonle Sap -- the only
waterway in the world that flows in different directions at different times
of the year! Campers also discovered the connections of rivers to Cambodian
heritage and cultural practices including dance, music, stories, and festivals.
Children and adults alike enjoyed workshop offerings on Cambodian rivers and
endangered species, cultural traditions of the water festival as well as Cambodian
dance. Children’s workshops also included a special dragon boat racing
class and kickboxing; and parents attended workshops on such topics as Talking
to Your Children About the Circumstances of Adoption, ADHD and Other Things
that Go Bump in the Night, and Relieving Stress for Adoptive Parents. Campers
of all ages worked through creative processes such as crafts in HeART Talks
sessions or role playing in P.R.I.D.E. sessions to reflect on their personal
adoption experiences and to create keepsakes to bring home and cherish.
We were extremely fortunate to have two highly acclaimed Cambodian dance troupes
at CamHC 2007. Dancers from the Angkor Dance Troupe in Lowell, Massachusetts
and the Khmer Arts Academy in Long Beach, California performed and instructed.
In addition, our wonderful Cambodian community from right here in Colorado
supported our camp experience in a variety of ways, and a number of Cambodian
Americans traveled, at their own expense, from all over the country to be part
of camp.
CamHC 2007 “After Hours” was new and improved! We cut the official
workshop schedule short by an hour to allow families time to mingle with new
and old friends and enjoy the beauty of Snow Mountain Ranch. In addition, an
optional family activities area was set up on Friday and Saturday afternoons.
Families participated in making masks and flags, learned kickboxing, and played
fun Cambodian games. Additionally, both Friday and Saturday afternoons included
an optional opportunity for families to receive a traditional blessing from
a monk.
Friday night featured our very first Water Festival! The Khmer Arts Academy dancers blessed our festival with a beautiful rendition of the Blessing Dance. Then our middle and high school campers competed in our first Dragon Boat race, and a variety of free play activities was provided for our younger campers. Our evening ended with the enthusiasm and spark of the Chhayam Drum Group from Long Beach.
Saturday night featured our traditional Romvong highlighted by Cambodian music
and dance. There were plenty of carnival games for the kids, and a performance
by the Chhayam Drum group joined by our middle and high schoolers rounded out
the evening.
As a non-profit 501 C(3) organization, Cambodian Heritage Camp is always seeking financial assistance to help keep camp costs reasonable for families, and still provide an outstanding program. If you'd like to help, please go to the Donations section of this web site, and thank you very much in advance.
We are also in need of donations of frequent flier miles to help defray costs of out of state speakers. If you have miles you can donate please email us at info@heritagecamps.org
For more pictures of Cambodian Camp 2007 click here
We hope to see you at camp this summer. For further information, please contact us.
