Cham musicians at the Kate Festival in Phan Rang, Vietnam. The Champa Kingdom once occupied much of Vietnam and portions of Cambodia and Laos. The Cham were not just a longstanding historical rival of the Vietnamese, but also the Kingdom of Angkor. Often mistaken for a New Year Festival, Kate is nonetheless the most important event in the Cham's own unique Hindu calendar. This week the festival is celebrated in Phan Rang, with events going on all month in Binh Thuan and Ninh Thuan provinces (the southern kingdom known as Panduranga, to the Cham).
