Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley

10/07/2026

Dear Community Members,

The CAOV received a request for information back in November of 2015, regarding former band members and musicians from the 1980’s who we believe, played for the Cambodian Association of the Ottawa-Valley.

We too, are intrigued to have stumbled upon this request and we would love to know who are the people in this outdated photo.

One of the musicians looks just like our Late Oum Khom, who played music for the CAOV for decades before sadly passing away several years ago.

We welcome comments, questions and information if you could help us and Mr. Warren Hill, to piece together this important history that belongs to the Cambodian diaspora, essentially a piece of our Canadian history.

We thank you in advance for any input you provide.

Kindly,

The CAOV Team

09/28/2026

Special thanks to Teil-Teil for bringing us delicious sandwiches to share 🥪.

Students got to meet Lokru, Sammie today - with a sneak-peak at Robam Tep Monorom with Neakru, Thida 😉. Wow-oh-wow! 👸🤴

The best is yet to come ❤️

09/26/2026

CAOV's Arts Advisory Board 🇰🇭 🇨🇦

Swipe left for more.

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Chakrya Tuy - Senior Advisor & Artistic Director

Rivaux Lay - Senior Advisor & Knowledge Lead

Thida Keo - Certified Robam Khmer Instructor / Advisor

Savann Yim - Certified Contemporary Dance Instructor / Advisor

Janet Prak - CAOV's President / Cultural Broker / Project Lead

Mallyna Hing - CAOV's Treasurer / Project Administrator

Samnang Tep - CAOV's Vice-President / Advisor / Artist

09/18/2026

09/14/2026

Robam Class 3 - Dreams really do come true ❤️🩷🧡💛💚💙🩵💜🤎🖤🩶🤍

Thank you to B**g Thida for your dedication and hardwork, and thank you to B**g Ty Som for bringing Khmer food for all the students - so generous!

Warm welcome to the rest of our students.

Robam Khmer is a rare treasure and a true gift. We hope you will come to cherish Khmer heritage and these memories for all the years to come! 🇰🇭

09/10/2026

🇰🇭 Dear Community Members,

We’d love to hear from you!

What would you like to see more of in our community? Whether it’s cultural events, opportunities to connect, activities for different generations, or simply more ways to feel involved, your input can help shape what comes next for our Cambodian community in Ottawa.

Share your thoughts through our short survey linked here: https://forms.gle/XuEDwPc9wsB2cprt8

09/08/2026

HONOURING THE TRAILBLAZERS OF CAOV 🇰🇭🇨🇦

On November 19, 1979, a group of Cambodian community members came together to establish what would become the Cambodian Association of Ottawa Valley (CAOV).

At the time, more than 300 Cambodian refugees had settled throughout the Ottawa Valley, with many more still arriving. In the midst of rebuilding their lives in a new country, these early community leaders recognized the importance of creating a place where Cambodians could find connection, support, culture, and community.

The founding vision was simple, but powerful:
to help newcomers adapt and integrate into Canadian society, promote Khmer culture and community, and build understanding between Cambodians, Canadians, and other communities.

Today, we look back at this document from 1979 and remember the people who helped lay the foundation for the Cambodian community we have today.

With gratitude, we honour these early trailblazers:
🇰🇭 Sean B. Chin
🇰🇭 Somouth Som
🇰🇭 Sophal Nong

And to all those who came before us; the organizers, volunteers, elders, families, and community builders who gave their time, energy, and heart to CAOV — thank you.

47 years later, we continue to build on what you started.

09/04/2026

Gentle Reminder:

Next dance practice is SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 13TH, 2026 at 10:00AM, and will occur every other Sunday at 10:00AM.

We appreciate your flexibility and understanding and we are so happy to be meeting the rest of our students!

Have a wonderful long weekend!

The CAOV Team ❤️

08/31/2026

First Official Robam Khmer Dance Class kicked off yesterday with a beautiful moment of silence and a candlelit prayer to the Deities, Khmer Ancestors and Late Respected Instructors who have passed on, followed by Khmer-English translation of the history of Apsara Dance and the Robam Khmer tradition.

Then came foundational learning, the stretches, dance poses and the understanding each hand gesture: bud, sprout, leaf and flower. There are many more gestures but we could not get to all of them yesterday.

Students were accompanied by B**g Pakha Muk (Polly) who helped dress and facilitate students' understanding of each dance movement. Thank you, Neakru Thida and B**g Polly 🙏❤️.

Thank you to Bu Rivaux Lay for your generosity and offering your space for students to practice🙏.

Those still interested in Robam Khmer can still register, but will be put on a waiting list.

❤️,

The CAOV Team

08/23/2026

One of the greatest gifts, being part of the Cambodian Association of Ottawa-Valley, is the opportunity to work with other organizations and research groups, dedicated to changing the world for peace - and sharing history, culture and heritage.

This Sunday, we got together with Videographer, Marvin Sok, to wrap up a research project in partnership with the University of Ottawa and Trent University, that took place May of 2026.

📷 📹 🎥 📻 📸