Cambodian Canadian
Encyclopedia
Cambodian Canadians are Cambodian citizens living in Canada
with Cambodian
origin or descent. In the 2006 census there was an estimate of 25,245 of Cambodian Canadians living inside Canada.
Era of 1975-1979 many Cambodians escaped to refugee camps in the neighboring countries of Thailand
and Vietnam
. Due to the mass amount of refugees, many Cambodians migrated to Canada, USA, France and Australia. In 1981 there were 13,000 Cambodian- Canadian Refugees. Most of the refugees fled to the major cities such as Montreal
, Toronto
, Ottawa
, Calgary
, Edmonton
and Vancouver
.
Total Immigrant Population 20,505
.Ever since Cambodia
was under French colonization
, the amount of Christianity
increased. All year long Buddhists pray. The Khmer New Year last 3 days in April. It is usually on April 13. However many Cambodian-Canadians celebrate the Khmer New year on the weekend. To celebrate, the Khmer people go pray at a Khmer Buddhist Temple, offering food to the monks and celebrating the new year. Cambodians commonly know going to the temple as going to the "wat
". The Religions festival of "Pchum Ben
" or also known as "Ancestor's Day" in English is the remembrance of deceased. The day is a time when many Cambodians pay their respects to deceased relatives. People cook meals for monks, bring offerings to the temple and throw rice near the temple early in the morning, believing that the ghosts of their ancestors will receive it.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
with Cambodian
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
origin or descent. In the 2006 census there was an estimate of 25,245 of Cambodian Canadians living inside Canada.
| Total Population | Region with Large Population | Languages | Religion |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25,245 | British Columbia British Columbia British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858... , Alberta Alberta Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces... , Ontario Ontario Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa.... , Quebec Quebec Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level.... |
Khmer Khmer language Khmer , or Cambodian, is the language of the Khmer people and the official language of Cambodia. It is the second most widely spoken Austroasiatic language , with speakers in the tens of millions. Khmer has been considerably influenced by Sanskrit and Pali, especially in the royal and religious... , French, English |
Theravada Buddhism Theravada Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India... , Christianity |
History
During the Khmer RougeKhmer Rouge
The Khmer Rouge literally translated as Red Cambodians was the name given to the followers of the Communist Party of Kampuchea, who were the ruling party in Cambodia from 1975 to 1979, led by Pol Pot, Nuon Chea, Ieng Sary, Son Sen and Khieu Samphan...
Era of 1975-1979 many Cambodians escaped to refugee camps in the neighboring countries of Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
. Due to the mass amount of refugees, many Cambodians migrated to Canada, USA, France and Australia. In 1981 there were 13,000 Cambodian- Canadian Refugees. Most of the refugees fled to the major cities such as Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Edmonton
Edmonton
Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census...
and Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.
Demographics
| Province/Territory | Amount of Cambodian Immigrants |
|---|---|
| British Columbia | 1,480 |
| Alberta | 2,400 |
| Saskatchewan | 80 |
| Manitoba | 345 |
| Ontario | 7,654 |
| Quebec | 8,545 |
| Newfoundland and Labordor | 0 |
| New Brunswick | 0 |
| Nova Scotia | 10 |
| Prince Edward Island | 0 |
| Yukon | 0 |
| Northwest Territories | 0 |
| Nunavut | 0 |
Total Immigrant Population 20,505
Religion
Cambodians are commonly known as Theravada BuddhistsTheravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
.Ever since Cambodia
Cambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
was under French colonization
French Indochina
French Indochina was part of the French colonial empire in southeast Asia. A federation of the three Vietnamese regions, Tonkin , Annam , and Cochinchina , as well as Cambodia, was formed in 1887....
, the amount of Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
increased. All year long Buddhists pray. The Khmer New Year last 3 days in April. It is usually on April 13. However many Cambodian-Canadians celebrate the Khmer New year on the weekend. To celebrate, the Khmer people go pray at a Khmer Buddhist Temple, offering food to the monks and celebrating the new year. Cambodians commonly know going to the temple as going to the "wat
Wat
A wat is a monastery temple in Cambodia, Thailand, or Laos. The word "wat" means "school".- Introduction :...
". The Religions festival of "Pchum Ben
Pchum Ben
Pchum Ben is a Cambodian religious festival, culminating in celebrations on the 15th day of the tenth month in the Khmer Calendar. In 2008, the national holiday fell on the 28th - 30th of September in the Gregorian calendar....
" or also known as "Ancestor's Day" in English is the remembrance of deceased. The day is a time when many Cambodians pay their respects to deceased relatives. People cook meals for monks, bring offerings to the temple and throw rice near the temple early in the morning, believing that the ghosts of their ancestors will receive it.