In which DCist explores the city’s diplomatic portal to the world, highlighting the best events on the global calendar.
November 9: If any place is set to throw the followup party to the street celebrations that greeted Election Day in the U.S., it’s Cambodia. Today, Cambodia celebrates the 55th anniversary of its declaration of independence from French colonial rule. Good on you, Cambodia!
National Independence Day is one of the nation’s most important holidays, commemorated by fireworks and parades. This year, it’s immediately followed by Cambodia’s biggest festival — Bon Om Tuk, otherwise known as the Water Festival. For three days, Cambodians celebrate the end of the rainy season, the beginning of good fishing, and the reversal of the flow of the Tonle Sap river.
Probably not a good chance that the Potomac will do an about-face this week. In other respects, celebrating Cambodia-style isn’t easy in the District. Though South Asian restaurants are abundant in the NoVA suburbs, Cambodian restaurants aren’t to be found among them; try Phnom Penh in Silver Spring. While you’re there, you might visit the nearby International Buddhist Center or the Washington Buddhit Vihara to reflect on rivers that change their course.
November 11: Happy Lāčplēsis Day! While many nations celebrate this day as Armistice Day or Veterans’ Day, few can boast soldiers whose exploits compare to those of Lāčplēsis the Bear Slayer, son of the Lord of Lielvārde. Canonized in the 19th century in an epic poem by the great Latvian poet Andrejs Pumpurs, Lāčplēsis battled the Satanically influenced witch Spīdola and the dread false prophet Kangars, who collaborated to replace Latvia’s traditional folk gods with Jesus Christ. It’s not a new Joanna Newsom album — it’s Lāčplēsis Day!
What celebration could live up to the legend of Lāčplēsis? Nothing your weak mind could devise, mortal! Fortunately the good people of Latvia have coupled the holiday with the anniversary of Latvia’s victory over the Bermontians (i.e., the West Russian Volunteer Army) in 1919 in the Russian Civil War. Nevertheless, if you want to celebrate the real Lāčplēsis, you’ll have to stop by the Embassy of Latvia on Massachusetts and ask them if they have a copy around: An English translation exists but hasn’t been published.
November 15: If you’re old enough to celebrate Shichi-Go-San, you’re probably not reading this. You’re just too little! “Seven-Five-Three” is a rite-of-passage festival for girls aged 3 and 7 and boys aged 3 and 5. For the samurai class, age 3 was the point at which children could start growing out the hair on their shaved heads — a specific take on a tradition begun in the Heian Period (really, really long time ago).
Sake’s not exactly on the order for this holiday. What about Doraemon? The Embassy of Japan is screening a movie about Japan’s favorite blue robotic kitteh, a 2006 remake of its first feature film. Get into the spirit of Shichi-Go-San a day early on Friday, November 14, at 6:30 p.m.
