The harbor is peaceful, the boats are moored...

Boat racing on the river in Cam Kim. Photo: HONG VIET

Located at the mouth of a river, on the coast, and with its terrain fragmented by numerous branches of the Thu Bon and De Vong rivers, as well as swamps, ponds, and streams, Hoi An boasts a diverse riverine environment. This richness of the ecosystem has also given rise to traditional riverine fishing communities.

From the process of community formation and occupational development, traditional cultural practices associated with the river have been created and nurtured by generations of Hoi An residents, including folk customs related to the riverbanks.

For riverside localities such as Thanh Ha, Cam Kim, Cam Thanh, Cam An, Cam Chau, Cam Ha, etc., rituals related to the riverbank are important ceremonies throughout the year.

In Cam Kim commune, the ceremony is organized by those who work in fishing on the river and sea, as well as the community living near the riverbank. The ceremony aims to pray for good fortune, prosperous business, and a peaceful life at the beginning of the new year.

As one of the residents who has been involved in river-related activities in Cam Kim for over 50 years, Mr. Phan Nha (Dong Ha village, Cam Kim) shared that the custom of worshipping at the riverbank is a local tradition, carrying positive meaning in the spiritual life of people in the riverine region for generations.

According to our research, the scale of the water-related rituals varies depending on local conditions. There are two ceremonies per year: the spring ceremony on the 16th day of the first lunar month, and the autumn ceremony on the 16th day of the seventh lunar month. The water-related rituals are mainly concentrated in the spring ceremony. The deities worshipped are the gods of rivers, land, and the local guardian spirits.

The riverside in my hometown. Photo: PHUONG THAO

The ceremony usually takes place in the afternoon, is meticulously organized, includes a ceremonial committee, and is attended by the local community. The person chosen as the chief officiant must be knowledgeable in traditional culture, well-rounded, gentle, virtuous, and free from certain taboos according to community beliefs.

After the ceremony, the community organizes a boat race. The boat race is not simply about winning or losing, but also expresses the desire for peace, health, good fortune, and smooth sailing in business.

Associated with the riverbank worship ceremony, boat racing is one of the characteristic activities of the riverine region and is enthusiastically participated in by many people.

For those who make their living fishing on the river, the start of the fishing season is marked by a ceremony to inaugurate the season. This ceremony is held on a family scale, with offerings made at the riverbank where they begin their fishing activities.

With offerings including paper clothes, rice, salt, cakes, and fruits, people bring them to the riverbank to worship, hoping for a smooth and safe year in their work and a bountiful catch of shrimp and fish.

Additionally, at the beginning of the year, a few days after the village's annual ceremony, those who work on the waterways hold a communal ceremony called the "vạn" ceremony. On a large plot of land at the riverbank, the offerings include meat, fish, sticky rice, sweet soup, fruits, wine, tea, gold and silver, paper clothing, etc. This ceremony aims to pray for safety during their work on the waterways.

The riverbank worship ceremony in some areas of Hoi An has been maintained from ancient times to the present day, and is one of the typical values ​​of this type of ritual and festival. Hoi An is aiming to turn these customs into distinctive tourism products, reflecting the unique identity of the areas surrounding Hoi An.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/ben-hien-thuyen-dau-3148247.html