The unique Thak Con Festival

The Thắk Côn Festival in An Ninh commune, Can Tho city.

The Thắk Côn Festival, also known as the Coconut Offering Festival, is a unique festival of the Khmer people in An Trạch hamlet, An Hiệp commune, Châu Thành district, Sóc Trăng province (formerly), now An Ninh commune, Cần Thơ city. The festival originated from a legend about 300 years ago and has been maintained, preserved, and passed down through many generations.

The Thắk Côn Festival takes place over five days, from the 13th to the 17th of the third lunar month each year, with the opening ceremony beginning on the 15th day of the third lunar month. The festival, a prayer for peace among the Khmer people of Southern Vietnam, originates from a legend about a mound of earth that, when stepped upon, produces a resounding sound like a gong. Over history, this event has gradually become sacred and a folk belief deeply rooted in the agricultural community. Furthermore, the festival reflects the mindset of agriculture, as it marks the beginning of a new planting season and the celebration of a harvest. The selection of offerings, along with the wishes to thank heaven and earth, deities, and ancestors for a bountiful harvest, is a significant part of the festival. The Thắk Côn Festival plays a crucial role in the economic , cultural, social, and educational aspects of the community, reminding people to live virtuously and beautifully, striving for self-improvement. The festival is held regularly every year, serving as a cultural exchange between ethnic groups, promoting local tourism, and preserving ethnic cultural identity.

In particular, the Thắk Côn Festival has a unique feature: the slathodon (flower vases made from coconut shells), symbolizing purity and the wish for favorable weather, a peaceful life. The practice of this traditional festival has fostered community cohesion, solidarity, and cultural exchange between the Khmer community and the Kinh and Chinese communities in Châu Thành district and surrounding areas.

During the ceremony announcing the Decision and awarding the Certificate of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for the Thak Con Festival at the end of June, local leaders of culture, sports, and tourism affirmed that the festival is also an opportunity for people and tourists to participate in experiencing and exploring rich cultural heritage such as the Dù kê folk performance art, Chhay-dăm dance, Rom Vong dance, and Ngũ âm music... making the festival space always fresh and joyful, alongside the solemn and sacred traditional rituals. They also proposed that relevant agencies advise the competent authorities on solutions to promote the value and expand the scale and improve the quality of the festival's organization in the future. They suggested including the festival in the Government's cultural development program; promoting, introducing, and exploiting the Thak Con Festival as a distinctive tourism product, linked to promoting the traditional cultural identity of the local community.

DUY LỮ

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/doc-dao-le-hoi-thak-con-a188078.html