Ngo Boat Racing Festival - The flow of Khmer heritage in the South through generations

VTV.vn - When the oars are lowered, it is not just a racing rhythm, but a prayer mixed with the sound of water, a connection between people and heaven and earth.

Ngo Boat Racing Festival - The flow of Khmer heritage in the South through generations.

Every year, when the full moon of October shines on the water, the sound of gongs and drums echoes throughout the West. That is the season of Ok Om Bok - Moon Worship, one of the three biggest festivals of the Khmer people in the South, along with Chol Chnam Thmay and Sen Dolta (worshiping ancestors).

During the full moon days, the Ngo Boat Racing Festival, a special part of the festival season, becomes a song of strength and faith, where the national heritage is passed down through generations.

The Ngo Boat Racing Festival, a special part of the festival season, becomes a song of strength and faith, where national heritage is passed down through generations.

After administrative changes, Can Tho city and Vinh Long province are now the two centers to preserve and spread this festival: Can Tho with the legendary Maspero river, where festivals are bustling throughout the full moon season. Vinh Long with the peaceful Long Binh river, where the night of flower lanterns and the long pentatonic music resonate with memories of the homeland.

Every year, when the full moon of October shines on the water, the sound of gongs and drums echoes throughout the West.

Can Tho - The heroic spirit of the Maspero River

On the Maspero River, now in Can Tho City, dozens of colorful Ngo boats in yellow, red, and green are lined up, ready to set off. The boat's hull is more than 30 meters long, with a curved head carved with the image of the Naga snake god - a sacred creature in Khmer beliefs, reflecting the sunlight of the early dry season.

On the Maspero River, dozens of colorful Ngo boats in yellow, red, and blue line up, preparing to depart.

When the drum sounded, hundreds of oars were lowered into the water. The river was filled with cheers and the sound of gongs. The waves were white, flags were fluttering, and tens of thousands of people were cheering.

Boat teams from Ca Mau, An Giang , Vinh Long... gathered together, competing not only with strength but also with the spirit of Khmer community unity.

Come together and compete not only with strength but also with the spirit of Khmer community unity.

Ok Om Bok Festival - Ngo Boat Racing in Can Tho has now become a major cultural event in the lower Hau River region, attracting tens of thousands of tourists.

Both banks of the river were brightly lit with lights and flowers, and the stands were packed. In the middle of the water, the red and yellow colors of the boats, the rhythm of the pentatonic drums, and the Khmer smiles blended together to create a lively harmony of the Southern moon season.

Ok Om Bok Festival - Ngo Boat Racing in Can Tho has now become a major cultural event in the lower Hau River region, attracting tourists.

Moon Worship Ceremony - The Soul of Khmer Festival

For generations, Ok Om Bok has been not only a festival, but also a gratitude to heaven and earth of the Khmer people of the river region.

According to folk beliefs, the Moon is the god who regulates favorable weather and rain, blesses good crops, and brings prosperity to all families. Therefore, the Moon Worshiping Ceremony is held on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month, when the harvest season ends - as a ritual of thanksgiving and praying for blessings.

The Moon Worshiping Ceremony is held on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month, when the harvest season ends - as a ritual of thanksgiving and praying for blessings.

In Khmer villages across the delta, people together prepare simple yet solemn offerings: flattened green rice, bananas, fresh coconuts, taro, cassava, and rice cakes - pure products from the fields, symbolizing gratitude to nature.

People together prepare simple yet solemn offerings - pure products from the fields, symbolizing gratitude to nature.

Under the gentle moonlight, monks and priests read prayers for peace, incense smoke spread.

Moon Worship Ceremony - The soul of Khmer festival season.

The most typical ritual is “feeding flattened green rice”, adults feed handfuls of green rice to children, patting their backs to wish them good study, good health and success. When the ritual ends, everyone gathers, enjoys green rice, tells stories, and smiles kindly. There is no distinction between rich and poor, only solidarity, sincerity and joy of a good harvest.

The most typical ritual is "feeding flattened green rice", adults feed handfuls of green rice to children, patting their backs to wish them good study, good health and success.

If the Moon Worshiping Ceremony is the solemn part of the ceremony, then the Ngo boat racing is the jubilant part of the festival, like a thank you to the Water God for a year of favorable rain and wind.

Rituals and festivals blend together to create a unique identity of Southern Khmer culture, both sacred and full of life.

Rituals and festivals blend together to create a unique identity of Southern Khmer culture, both sacred and full of life.

Vinh Long - Long Binh moonlit night and sparkling water festival

Every year, along the Long Binh River and the Ao Ba Om relic complex, now in Vinh Long province, the Ok Om Bok festival is held on a community scale, associated with the Southern Khmer Culture and Tourism Week.

Since afternoon, the small roads in Ao Ba Om have been packed with people. The beat of the festival drums resounded, mingling with laughter and cheerful calls to each other.

At the Ao Ba Om relic complex, now in Vinh Long province, the Ok Om Bok festival is organized on a community scale, associated with the Southern Khmer Culture and Tourism Week.

As the full moon rises, thousands of lanterns are released to float on the water. The light reflects on the curved roof of Ang Pagoda, illuminating the smiles of the festival-goers, shimmering like a memory of the river region.

The beat of the festival drums resounded, mingling with laughter and cheerful calls to each other.

In addition to the ceremony, visitors can also immerse themselves in the Romvong dance, Khmer culinary festival, folk games, and water lantern releasing ceremony. In the midst of that space, the sound of drums and pentatonic sounds resound, urgent and strong, as if extending the rhythm of life of the entire alluvial land.

When the full moon rises, thousands of floating lanterns and shimmering lights are released into the water.

Ghe Ngo - Mascot of Khmer village

In the spiritual life of the Khmer people, the Ngo boat is a sacred animal. Each boat is handcrafted from many years old Sao wood, painted, and delicately carved with the image of the Naga snake god - a symbol of power and longevity.

In the spiritual life of the Khmer people, Ngo boat is a sacred animal.

Before launching day, monks and priests held a ceremony to pray for peace, to breathe life into the boat, to pray for favorable water, safety of people, and good crops.

When the oars are lowered, it is not just a racing rhythm, but a prayer mixed with the sound of water, a connection between people and heaven and earth.

When the oars are lowered, it is not just a racing rhythm, but a prayer mixed with the sound of water, a connection between people and heaven and earth.

The heritage river still flows

Amidst the modern pace of life, coming to the Ghe Ngo racing festival or the Ok Om Bok moonlit night is entering the emotional realm of land and water - where heritage is not in museums, but lives in everyday life.

Where heritage is not in museums, but lives in everyday life.

The sound of drums on the river, the moonlight on the temple roof, and everyone's smiles blend into the breath of the South.

Moonlight Dance.

Khmer smile...

...all blend into the breath of the South.

 

Source: https://vtv.vn/ngay-hoi-dua-ghe-ngo-dong-chay-di-san-khmer-nam-bo-qua-bao-the-he-100251113135647716.htm