An exciting and dramatic competition at the Dugout Canoe Racing Festival on the Po Co River

(CLO) The 5th A Sanh Cup dugout canoe racing festival on the Po Co River attracted 43 participating teams, with a thrilling chase on a 2,000m long race track.

On November 2, the People's Committee of Ia Grai district ( Gia Lai province) held the opening ceremony of the Dugout Canoe Racing Festival on the Po Co River for the A Sanh Cup and the 2024 Ia Grai District Gong Culture Festival in Dang village, Ia O commune (Ia Grai district).

The dugout canoe racing festival on the Po Co River is held annually to preserve and promote traditions and unique cultural beauty, while reviewing the heroic traditions of ethnic groups in the district in the struggle to protect the Fatherland.

The event aims to introduce to visitors the feats of the Armed Forces Hero A Sanh (Puih San), a ferryman on the Po Co River. Through this, review the historical and revolutionary traditions of the nation, homeland, and country, and promote the great national unity.

Gia Lai has many attractive and exciting paintings at the festival of the boatman on the Po River, picture 1 — Mr. Le Ngoc Quy - Chairman of Ia Grai District People's Committee spoke at the ceremony

The 2024 A Sanh Cup Dugout Canoe Racing Festival on the Po Co River and the Ia Grai District Gong Culture Festival will be held from November 1-3 in Dang Village. Through the activities of the Boat Racing Festival, we aim to preserve and promote traditional cultural values, scenic spots, and historical relics of the locality, creating a highlight to attract tourists and promote the image and people of Ia Grai. At the same time, we will promote trade, tourism, and investment attraction, contributing to the effective implementation of the Ia Grai District tourism development plan in 2024.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Le Ngoc Quy - Chairman of Ia Grai District People's Committee said: "This is the 5th time the district has organized the Dugout Boat Racing Festival on Po Co River to compete for the A Sanh Cup and the Gong Culture Festival. Not only is it a competition, this is also an opportunity for Ia Grai District to promote its image, introduce to tourists and friends near and far the unique and distinctive cultural features of ethnic minorities in the border region as well as famous tourist destinations in the district such as: Fishing Village, Mo Waterfall, A.Sanh Ferry, Chu Nghe Victory Relic Site, 3-storey waterfall, 9-storey waterfall...

Coming to La Grai, visitors will experience and explore the wild and wonderful natural beauty, enjoy rich cuisine and diverse local products. In addition, they can immerse themselves in the festival, where mountains and rivers blend with the sound of gongs, the sound of cymbals by the flickering fire and the charming xoang melodies of the Ia Grai border region.

Gia Lai has a fascinating and exciting scene at the boat festival on the Po River, picture 2. — The organizers presented souvenir flags to participating units.

This year's boat racing festival attracted 43 teams (an increase of 4 teams compared to last year). In addition to racing teams from communes, towns, schools, and military units based in Ia Grai district, there were also a number of teams from the border district of Duc Co (Gia Lai) and Ia H'Drai district (Kon Tum). Each team consisted of 2 athletes, competing fiercely on the 2,000m race track.

Along with the boat racing competition is the gong culture festival; folk dance competition, traditional costume performance and agricultural fair. The dugout canoe racing festival on the Po Co River for the A Sanh Cup and the Ia Grai District Gong Culture Festival in 2024 attracted nearly 1,500 athletes, artisans, dancers and amateur actors to participate.

Gia Lai has a lot of interesting and exciting paintings at the festival of the boatman on the Po River, picture 3. — Mr. Tong Thoi Moc - Secretary of Ia Grai District Party Committee beat the drum to open the Dugout Canoe Racing Festival on Po Co River for the A Sanh Cup and the Ia Grai District Gong Culture Festival in 2024

The festival also displayed 26 booths of OCOP products, typical dishes of the border area of Ia Grai district such as: Grilled chicken, bamboo rice, traditional handicrafts, fruits... Including brands such as Thao Hien coffee, Duy Trung honey, A Sanh rice, Nguyen Thiem cashew nuts, Nguyen Thiem bamboo shoots, Nhung Nguyen macadamia nuts...

According to the People's Committee of Ia Grai district, the new feature this year is the appearance of a miniature community house model at the festival space to introduce the unique cultures of the Jrai people in the area. Specifically, models of communal houses, gongs and traditional musical instruments, folk wooden statues are displayed here... Prestigious artisans of the district talk and guide visitors in the art of carving statues, tuning gongs, making musical instruments and performing musical instruments.

A series of photos of the competition of 43 teams at the 5th A Sanh Cup Dugout Canoe Racing Festival on the Po Co River, recorded by PV on the morning of November 2.