Traditional festival of coastal fishermen praying for favorable weather

VHO - The Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio 2024 took place for three days from September 16-18, in Can Gio district, Ho Chi Minh City with many activities. At the ceremony to celebrate the Can Gio fishermen - the opening of the Festival, the Organizing Committee called for support for people in the storm and flood areas in the North.

Dramatic performance at the 2024 Can Gio Fishermen's Achievement Celebration. Photo: QUOC THANH

" Sea Tet " of people at the " head of the waves and wind "

Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio is organized by the Organizing Committee of major holidays of Ho Chi Minh City in coordination with the People's Committee of Can Gio district. Speaking at the report congratulating the fishermen of Can Gio in 2024, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Xuan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Can Gio district, said that Nghinh Ong Festival of Can Gio has become a sea festival - a beautiful cultural feature of the people in the windy and stormy place of Can Gio.

“The Whale Festival is a cultural festival to pay tribute to the Great General of the South Sea - the Water General who once saved fishermen during storms, helping them have bumper fishing and farming seasons.

This is the joy and pride of the city's people in general and Can Gio people in particular, and needs to continue to be preserved and promoted," said Mr. Xuan.

The Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio is held every year in the 8th lunar month and has been held for more than 110 years. Photo: TUNG THU

The Whale Festival is held on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month (14th-16th of the 8th lunar month) every year, starting from the year of Quy Suu 1913, for more than a hundred years now.

This is a traditional festival of fishermen in Can Gio district, praying for favorable weather when going to sea and wishing for a prosperous and happy life. The festival was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2013.

According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City, Nghinh Ong - Can Gio Festival is the only folk festival of Ho Chi Minh City held on the full moon day of the 8th lunar month every year, aiming to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, contributing to the building and development of an advanced Vietnamese culture imbued with national identity.

In particular, focusing on preserving the unique cultural features of coastal people; through the Festival, promoting propaganda and education on love for the profession, love for the homeland, the sacred sea and islands of the Fatherland.

The festival was included in the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2013. Photo: TUNG THU

This year, the impact of storm No. 3 and its circulation has left serious consequences for the people of the Northern provinces. To show sympathy and share the pain and loss of the people, the Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio has been reduced in scale, shortened in time, and some cultural, artistic, and sports activities have not been organized...

During the three days, the activities were organized in a practical manner, with content imbued with traditional folklore. The festival focused on honoring the reporting ceremony; the program included fundraising activities to support people affected by storm No. 3.

In particular, the Great Flag Raising Ceremony took place on the morning of September 16 (the 14th day of the 8th lunar month) as the opening activity of the festival, organized solemnly, with full rituals. At the same time, this year's festival maintained activities such as: Visiting the Rung Sac Martyrs Cemetery, visiting the Rung Sac - Can Gio Heroes and Martyrs Temple.

The ceremony to worship ancestors and descendants, the ritual to worship old friends at the Lang Ong Thuy Tuong, the Great Ceremony and Hat Boi, the organization of flower-light boat groups, releasing lanterns on the sea, the Whale Festival, the Can Gio Fishermen's Festival, etc. are organized on a reduced scale.

In addition, within the framework of the Festival, there are also exhibitions of photos and artifacts about the Festival; a culinary area imbued with traditional coastal occupations to serve the spiritual and cultural needs and daily life of the people...

This year, the Whale Festival - Can Gio is reduced in scale and shortened in time.

Can Gio fishermen turn to their northern compatriots

Mr. Nguyen Phuoc Hung, Secretary of the District Party Committee, Head of the Festival Steering Committee, said that the Nghinh Ong Festival in Can Gio district is an opportunity for everyone to remember the merits of the ancestors who reclaimed the land, gradually built a life and formed a suitable lifestyle, adapting to the natural conditions of Can Gio land.

Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio or the custom of worshiping Whale (ie Whale) started in the year of Quy Suu 1913 and has been passed down for a long time in the spiritual and social cultural life of fishermen along the Can Gio coast.

Artists and actors donate to support people in the North. Photo: QUOC THANH

Lang Ong Thuy Tuong, one of the largest places of worship of the God of the South Sea in Ho Chi Minh City and the Southern region.

Although it has gone through a long time, with many ups and downs of history, due to sea erosion and war devastation, the space and artifacts in the Mausoleum still remain over the years, marking an important period in the development of Can Gio port and the fishing industry.

After more than two centuries, the Lang Ong Thuy Tuong has been respected, preserved, embellished and promoted by generations of Can Gio people.

Actors and people support people affected by natural disasters. Photo: QUOC THANH

At the celebration of Can Gio fishermen, Can Gio district launched a campaign to support people in the northern provinces affected by storm No. 3.

Previously, in order to join hands to support people to overcome the consequences of natural disasters, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City said that the Festival organizers proactively contributed 50 million VND to the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front.

In recent years, Can Gio district is one of the localities that is developing from the marine economy. By effectively promoting its potentials and advantages, new breakthroughs have been created for the district's economy, and people's lives have been significantly improved.

Art program at the Festival

After more than 110 years of formation and development, the Nghinh Ong Festival in Can Gio district still retains a strong humanistic character with worship rituals that have been passed down and preserved almost intact. Each ritual reflects the importance of the ocean to human life.

The festival also represents the spirit of "remembering the source of water", an opportunity for fishermen to remember their ancestors who were instrumental in creating seafaring vehicles and fishing gear to serve fishermen.

Thereby, summarizing a fishing season at sea of ​​fishermen and preparing for a new season with the wishes of "smooth sailing" and bountiful catches.

Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio has an important meaning in the spiritual and religious life of coastal people. Photo: TUNG THU

It can be said that Nghinh Ong Festival - Can Gio has a very important meaning in the spiritual and religious life of coastal people; at the same time, it is one of the major cultural and tourist events of Can Gio district in particular and Ho Chi Minh City in general.

Organizing the Can Gio Whale Festival effectively not only preserves culture but also contributes to taking care of the spiritual life of local people, enriching the cultural values ​​of coastal folklore, developing sustainable tourism, and promoting socio-economic development.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/van-hoa/le-hoi-truyen-thong-cua-ngu-dan-mien-bien-cau-cho-mua-thuan-gio-hoa-105398.html