Dinh Co - Long Hai Festival: a highlight attracting tourists to Ba Ria - Vung Tau province

The Dinh Co Festival is held annually at the Dinh Co historical and cultural relic site, located on the beach of Long Hai town, Long Dien district, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. This is a relic site that was recently recognized as a National Historical and Cultural Relic by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 1995 and was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage in February 2023.

According to legend, Dinh Co is a place to worship a virgin named Le Thi Hong, from Tam Quan, Binh Dinh province. Two centuries ago, this girl had an accident at Hon Hang after following her father to the sea, at that time she was just 16 years old. After her death, the local people buried her and built a temple to worship her on the beach. She appeared to help the villagers overcome difficulties and steady their hands on the oars during their long sea voyages. The villagers honored her with the title "Long Hai goddess of peace and integrity, the goddess of peace and honesty" and moved the temple to Ky Van mountain, which is where Dinh Co is located to this day.

Leaders of Long Dien District People's Committee and Dinh Co Historical - Cultural Relic Management Board received the Decision to register the Traditional Festival - Dinh Co Festival as a national intangible cultural heritage. Photo: Internet.

Dinh Co Festival is held for 3 days from February 10 to 12 (Lunar calendar). According to solemn traditional rituals, it has become one of the major festivals of the coastal people of Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. According to the people's concept, the festival is an occasion to thank her after a year of business and pray for favorable weather, wind, and peace at sea.

Early in the morning of February 12 (Lunar calendar), the boats will go out to sea to perform the Nghinh Co ceremony. The boats will be decorated with a throne, a tablet for the Co, and the elders and seniors in the mutual sacrifice committee will be dressed in solemn costumes. After the boats reach the approximate location where the Co died in the past, the ceremony will begin to welcome the Co and the gods to the palace for the death anniversary meal.

Dinh Co, where the annual Dinh Co festival takes place. Photo from the Internet.

Mr. Lam Van Hong, Chairman of Long Dien District People's Committee, said: Dinh Co Festival in 2023 is recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. This is a source of pride and spiritual motivation for the people, and also a responsibility to preserve and promote the new title in the coming time. Based on this advantage, we will invest and preserve it to be worthy of the heritage. Second, we will improve the quality of the festival, especially the festival part, to attract tourists from near and far.

During the festival days, Dinh Co is decorated brilliantly and solemnly, with lights and flowers. Every house in the boat sets up an altar table, on which there are incense, candles, cakes, raspberries, etc. At night, there are lanterns. Fishing boats are docked at the wharf, each with colorful paper lanterns, flowers from the bow to the stern, and even the mast. Boats from fishing villages such as Long Hai, Phuoc Hai, Phuoc Tinh, Vung Tau and some boats from the Central region come here to become splendid. Every boat here points its bow towards Dinh Co to perform the "Chau Co" ritual.

Mr. Tran Quoc Nhan, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Long Hai town, Long Dien district, said: People expect that when coming to Dinh Co festival, they will pray for national peace and prosperity, pray for favorable weather so that people can go out to sea with peace of mind, and catch a lot of seafood. That is the expectation of the people. After this year, we will upgrade the festival in 2024 to have more activities to be worthy of being a national cultural festival.

In addition to the traditional worshiping rituals such as: Thinh Long Vi, Cung An Vi, Cung Tien Hien Hau Hien, Tung Niem to pray for national peace and people's safety, Nghinh Ba Thuy Than Nhap Dien... the festival includes performing activities such as: Ba Trao singing, Don Ca Tai Tu, artistic beach kite flying, men's and women's beach volleyball competitions, stilt walking on sand competitions, net tying and weaving competitions... Mr. Ho Ngoc Giao, Deputy Director of the Management Board of Long Dien District Tourist Areas, said: This year's Dinh Co kite flying festival is the first time it has been held. This is the start for the lively festival, to create an impression for this year's Dinh Co festival and for the following years. We will further enhance the festival to meet the pilgrimage needs of tourists".

In 1995, Dinh Co was also recognized as a National Historical-Cultural Relic by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism). Dinh Co Festival is also ranked as one of the major cultural-tourism events of the year in Ba Ria-Vung Tau province.

After 2 centuries of preserving and promoting the traditional values of Dinh Co Festival, the people of Long Dien district have also had the honor and pride when the Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism issued Decision No. 237 dated February 14, 2023 on the announcement of the List of National Intangible Cultural Heritage for Dinh Co Festival, Long Hai town, Long Dien district, Ba Ria - Vung Tau province. This will contribute to promoting the local tourism industry in the coming time./.

Yanjiang