When we heard that the circus was performing on Friday night in Battambang our curiosity was piqued. Having grown up with Ringling Bros and Barnum Bailey we could not imagine a event such as this in this small Cambodian town. We bought the tickets to satisfy our curiosity and we are so glad we did.
The circus is known as Phare, Ponlue, Selpak which translates to Fire, Life, and Art. It has the most beautiful origin. In 1988, while staying in a refugee camp on the Thai border, a group of children participated in a drawing workshop setup by a French visual arts teacher. The benefit to these children were innumerable and in 1992 the children reunited in Battanbang and began a performing school for the arts for the children of Anch Anh Village. This is an area of extreme poverty and many children have been abandoned and left in this area. The school began with a gymnastic program and soon expanded it to encompass martial arts, music, theater, public school, and a circus acrobat school. The entire community is involved and now there are thirteen hundred students who attend school daily. There is a residential home that provides care and shelter for the abandoned children or those who have been rescued from human trafficking. The proceeds from the circus performances along with donations fund these projects.
The circus is performed under a 'big top' tent and every seat is filled for tonights performances. There are many children in attendance and it is beautiful to hear their squeals of delight as the artists perform. They have fun here and it is a reprieve from the daily rigors of life in this small village. It was beautiful and we felt privileged to be a part of it all.
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