Song Doc Whale Festival 2024

From March 23-25 (February 14-16 of the lunar calendar), in Song Doc town, Tran Van Thoi district, Ca Mau province, the Whale Festival takes place, in which the main ceremony is on February 15 of the lunar calendar.

The Nghinh Ong Festival is associated with folk beliefs and the Whale Temple in Song Doc town. For people working in the sea, they consider whales as sacred animals, like the Great General of the South Sea who protects fishing boats, and when encountering big waves and strong winds, they will be supported by him. Therefore, most of the fishing villages along the coast of Vietnam in general, and Song Doc in particular, have built shrines to worship Whales.

More than 150 ships participate in the river welcoming festival. — Worship ritual at Lang Ong Song Doc. Photo: Ca Mau Newspaper

Nghinh Ong Song Doc Festival is the largest traditional folk festival in Ca Mau and is ranked among the 60 typical festivals in Vietnam. The festival was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in February 2021.

According to the Organizing Committee, the Whale Festival has its own unique worship rituals, imbued with the cultural identity of indigenous fishermen, which are preserved, passed down and promoted through festival occasions.

This year is the 99th time the festival has taken place since the first time the Whale Temple of Song Doc fishing village was built (in 1925).

The ceremony began with the worshiping ritual, followed by the procession of Long Dinh from Van Lang Nam Hai with the palace maids, the men's association, the women's association, the team holding the national flag, pennants, halberds, drums, unicorns... and thousands of people participating in the parade from Lang Ong to Song Doc fishing port before being taken to the ship to go out to sea to welcome Ong.

This year, the Whale Festival at sea has 6 fishing boats arranged by the Organizing Committee to carry Long Dinh, 150 escorting fishing vessels and organize the fishing ceremony.

During the parade, among the large and small boats going out to sea, there is a main group of three boats forming a group, called a hydraulic boat, this boat is responsible for carrying the organizing committee, dignitaries, students...

When the boat reaches the clear water line, the person performing the procedure prays, lights incense and asks for luck. When the luck is good, the boat turns back and brings jars of clear sea water to Ong's temple to worship.

During the festival, many activities were organized, creating a jubilant atmosphere, such as: basket boat racing competition; folk game of catching ducks on the river; tug of war; lion dance performance; performance of a comprehensive art program, exchange between artists, folk dance; exhibition of photo documents "Hoang Sa, Truong Sa of Vietnam - Legal evidence"...

The Nghinh Ong Song Doc Festival is meant to pray for favorable weather, calm seas, and fishermen catching lots of fish and shrimp. Practicing this religious ritual also helps unite the community, strengthen solidarity, and actively contribute to protecting, preserving, and promoting the unique cultural and religious values of the people of Ca Mau coastal region.

T.Toan

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