The Khmer people in the South are famous for their rich and diverse cultural life, in which traditional festivals are very important. The Ok Om Bok Festival takes place on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month every year, and is an opportunity for people to have fun and connect with the community, phum, and soc.
The pagoda is a place for religious activities and community bonding of the Khmer people in Tra Vinh province.
Ok Om Bok Festival, or "Flat Rice Feeding Festival", is held during the moon worshiping ceremony, so it is also called the Moon Worshiping Festival. During these days, Khmer people in Tra Vinh, Soc Trang, Kien Giang provinces, etc. are very excited and enthusiastic about the activities of the Cultural and Tourism Week associated with the Ok Om Bok festival.
Maintaining, conserving and promoting the value of national cultural heritage has created tourism products with regional characteristics, attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
The village is bustling and prosperous.
Tra Vinh province has a population of over one million people, of which the Khmer people account for nearly 32%. With the support of the Central Government and the effective implementation of investment policies for socio -economic development, up to now, the rate of poor households in the province is 1.19%, near-poor 2.35%. Average income per capita reached over 81.7 million VND, the number of households with average living standards, good income, and rich is increasing.
The province has 59 communes with a large Khmer population, and all communes have now met the standards of new rural areas and advanced new rural areas. From November 9 to 15, the province organized a Cultural and Tourism Week associated with the Ok Om Bok festival with many unique and attractive cultural, artistic and sports activities, including: Southern culinary space; trade promotion fair; Khmer amateur dance festival; Ngo boat racing; Ok Om Bok festival night;...
Deputy Head of the Ethnic Minorities Committee of Tra Vinh Province, Thach Mu Ni, said that the Ok Om Bok festival was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. The festival is held at the end of the harvest season to express gratitude to the moon - a god in the beliefs of the Khmer people in the South who helps protect crops, regulate the weather, and bring prosperity to people in the villages and communes. Worshiping the moon is the main ritual in the Ok Om Bok festival, held in the temple grounds, in each house or gathered in a spacious area. Nowadays, the worship ceremony is simpler, only requiring a table and placing offerings on it. In addition to the obligatory flat rice, there are also fresh coconuts, bananas, sweet potatoes, tea, and cakes; the celebrant puts candles and incense around the offerings.
After preparing the offerings, everyone spreads out mats, sits, clasps hands, and faces the moon to wait for the ceremony. When the moon rises high and shines brightly, everyone lights incense, candles, and pours tea. At the temple, monks preside over the ceremony, while at home, the oldest person presides.
The celebrant prays to express gratitude, asking the Moon God to accept the offerings from the people; wishing everyone good health, favorable weather, a prosperous and happy life.
After the offering, the celebrant takes flattened rice and other offerings, a little of each, and puts them into the children's mouths, asking them what they wish for. The children will express their wishes and the celebrant also advises them to be good and study well so that they can help others in the future...
These days, Mr. Danh Hiep, born in 1960, residing in Hoa Hon hamlet, Dinh Hoa commune, Go Quao district, Kien Giang province, is busy with his children and grandchildren mobilizing young men and women to practice with the Ca Nhung pagoda's Ngo boat team to prepare for the 16th Kien Giang province Ngo boat race, taking place on November 15 and 16 during the Ok Om Bok festival. Mr. Hiep and his wife have four children, three of whom are teachers and civil servants working in the commune.
Mr. Hiep excitedly said: "My family cultivates 3 hectares of high-yield rice, thanks to the application of technical advances in production, the rice yield reaches 7-7.5 tons/ha, with a profit of more than 150 million VND". The successful rice crop has brought an exciting atmosphere of preparation for the festival among the people in the area.
According to the Chairman of the People's Committee of Dinh Hoa Commune, Go Quao District, Vo Minh Manh, the commune has a population of more than 15,300 people, of which the Khmer people account for 63.6%. Over the past years, the Party Committee and the commune government have implemented many ethnic programs and policies of the Party and the State, carrying out the task of building new rural areas, creating momentum for socio-economic development; up to now, the poverty rate has been reduced to 3.07%, and the average income per capita has reached 68.9 million VND/year. The rural appearance has improved, the Khmer people of Dinh Hoa Commune are actively building a civilized and modern countryside.
Promoting heritage values associated with tourism
Soc Trang province has a population of nearly 1.2 million people, of which about 36% are ethnic minorities. In recent times, the province has synchronously and resolutely implemented the Party and State's policies and guidelines for ethnic minorities.
Therefore, the material and spiritual life of the Khmer people has been significantly improved, the poverty rate has been reduced to 7.01%. The infrastructure of the Khmer people has been gradually invested in and completed. The cultural identity and fine traditions of the people have been preserved and promoted.
The first Soc Trang Province Culture, Sports and Tourism Week in 2024, combined with the Ok Om Bok Festival - the sixth Mekong Delta regional boat race of Soc Trang province, will also take place from November 9 to 15.
Despite the scorching sun, at noon on May 14, hundreds of thousands of Soc Trang residents and tourists flocked to two streets along the Maspero River in Soc Trang City to watch the Ngo boat teams compete enthusiastically. Khmer, Kinh, Chinese, and Cham people inside and outside the province cheered enthusiastically for all the racing teams.
Through tourism promotion activities of the Ok Om Bok Culture, Tourism and Festival Week in Tra Vinh and Soc Trang provinces, tourists enjoy visiting and experiencing unique cultural and spiritual works of the Khmer people. Taking advantage of natural strengths and cultural heritages for tourism development, from the beginning of the year to the end of October, Tra Vinh province's tourism revenue reached VND 2,119.069 billion, with 302,909 visitors and guests; including 8,598 international visitors.
Implementing the National Target Program on Socio-Economic Development for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas for the 2021-2030 period, provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region are determined to implement solutions to help Khmer people improve their lives. This includes promoting the development of cultural heritage tourism, especially Khmer culture combined with eco-tourism, community tourism, and resort tourism.
According to Vice President of the Mekong Delta Tourism Association Le Thanh Phong, provinces and cities in the region are promoting cultural heritage and tourist attractions through modern media channels. At the same time, creating new and attractive tourism products based on heritage values. Strengthening investment promotion, cooperating with international organizations to have resources and experience in heritage conservation and sustainable tourism development. Focusing on human resource training, encouraging the participation of local communities in tourism activities, thereby creating jobs and improving people's lives.
According to nhandan.vn
Source: https://baobinhduong.vn/dong-bao-khmer-nam-bo-ron-rang-don-le-hoi-ok-om-bok-a335597.html
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