On the leading boat, Mr. Le Tan Luc, the master of ceremonies of the Cau Ngu Festival in My Quang fishing village (Tuy An Nam commune) gently lifted the incense stick and reverently prayed. The incense smoke rose, mixed with the salty sea breeze, spreading across the vast space of the sea and sky.
On the remaining boats, the group respectfully turned their hearts to the sea, their faces shining with sacred sincerity. It seemed that in that moment, there was an invisible thread connecting the fishing village people with their ancestors, with the guardian whale god and the desire for peace in the middle of the ocean.
Mr. Luc looked out at the vast ocean, his deep voice blending with the sound of the waves: "We go to sea to perform the Nghinh Ong ceremony to pray for him to witness the sincerity of the villagers, to thank him for protecting us so that we can go out to sea safely and catch lots of fish and shrimp."
“Mister” or “Ca Ông” is how fishermen respectfully call whales – the sacred god of the South China Sea according to folk beliefs. Exposing themselves to the sea all their lives, the people of My Quang fishing village have faced dangerous storms and tempests many times, but as if by magic, bad things turned to good. Those escapes have made the fishermen believe even more in the sacredness of the whale. “There were times when we went fishing far out at sea and encountered storms, and I, like the villagers, thought there was no way back. But thanks to the whale’s protection, we were lucky to escape…”, Mr. Luc looked out to the vast ocean, his voice hoarse and respectful.
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| Following his father's footsteps, Mr. Le Tan Luc devoted himself to preserving incense and worshiping at Ong My Quang Tomb. |
Mr. Luc's family has been attached to the sea for generations. From his generation, his father's generation to his four brothers, all depended on the sea to make a living. In the past, his father - Mr. Le Nhe (locals often called him Mr. Tam Phoi) was literate and well-versed in worshiping, so he often took charge of the rituals on important occasions of the village. After his father passed away, Mr. Luc took over the job and shouldered that responsibility.
In the past, Mr. Luc worked hard at sea, worrying about every meal and clothing, and raising his children to study. For nearly ten years now, when his family's economy has stabilized, he has put down his oars, put down his nets, and devoted himself to village and canal work. He and the members of the My Quang Lach Van Board have mobilized villagers and called on benefactors to contribute to the construction of the My Quang Mausoleum to make it more and more spacious. For Mr. Luc, building the mausoleum, taking care of the offerings, and preserving the incense is not only the responsibility of a village elder, but also a lifelong wish to repay the merits of his ancestors and the grace of the Nam Hai gods.
A few days before, Long Thuy fishing village (Binh Kien ward) was also bustling with the atmosphere of Cau Ngu festival. The sound of drums and gongs echoed in the peaceful fishing village, inviting the excited footsteps of tourists from all over and those who were far from home to return. To make the ceremony complete, Mr. Nguyen Cho - Lach Truong of Long Thuy Lach Van Ban played the main role. Mr. Cho is short and stocky, his dark skin bears the traces of wind and frost and his decades of non-stop sea trips. At the age of sixty, although he no longer directly goes to sea, the spirit of the sea is still intact in him.
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| Chief Nguyen Cho leads the Whale welcoming procession in the Cau Ngu festival in Long Thuy fishing village. |
For many years, Mr. Cho has been "taking the lead" in taking care of the village as a way to repay the sea and his ancestors. Having been attached to the Cau Ngu festival for half his life, he knows by heart every ritual, from the ceremony of bowing, welcoming the fisherman, worshipping the ancestors - the descendants, to asking for blessings... As the village chief, he does not hesitate to knock on each door, mobilizing people to contribute their efforts and money so that the festival can be fully organized, preserving the traditional features. Mr. Cho said quietly: "The sea gives us food and clothing, and the Nam Hai god protects and saves fishermen when there are big waves and strong winds. This ritual is not only to thank him, but also to help the young generation understand the meaning and love of their ancestors for the sea, for the god who has protected and blessed them." He smiled gently, a smile that brightened his sunburned face: "Money is tight, but everyone contributes their efforts. The village and neighborhood love is very warm!"
Amidst the current urbanization, the Cau Ngu festival still quietly anchors the spirit of the sea in the lives of the fishing village people in the East of Dak Lak , a lasting spiritual source, a place that fosters the identity of a coastal cultural region that is hard to fade in the community's memory. |
The festival is not only maintained by solemn rituals but also by the sincerity of the fishing villagers, creating a space full of community and emotion. “I was really surprised and moved when witnessing the festival in this coastal village. From the elderly to the children, everyone was dressed neatly in uniform, solemn in every ritual. The way they welcomed the gods, performed rituals, and turned their hearts to the sea shows that this is not just a simple ritual, but a part of the spiritual life of coastal fishermen,” said Ms. Nguyen Mai Anh, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City.
The Cau Ngu Festival is not only preserved through solemn rituals and traditional beliefs, but also enlivened by unique folk performances. Among them, singing Ba Trao (some places call it Ba Trao) is a typical performance, where fishermen express their faith and desire for peace in the middle of the ocean. When the chants resound with the rhythm of drums and oars, the rough hands used to holding nets now wave in a bustling Ba Trao tune in front of Ong's mausoleum: "The horizon is vast and misty (la hu la khoan) / The homeland is the ocean (la hu la khoan) / Our boat is home (la hu la khoan)" .. In that moment, the fishermen take on the roles of Chief Steward, Chief Steward, Rower... vividly reenacting the journey to make a living in the middle of the ocean.
Currently, in the coastal fishing villages of the province, there are more than 40 shrines to worship Whale. From January to June of the lunar calendar every year, the atmosphere of praying for fish is bustling throughout these fishing villages, depending on the conditions of each place, the festival can last from 3 to 6 days. Many fishermen are not only good at fishing but also understand and participate in performing Ba Trao, such as: Meritorious Artist Huynh Van Minh (My Quang creek), Meritorious Artist Nguyen Trong Tich (Long Thuy creek)... For many years, they have quietly preserved and taught Ba Trao singing, contributing to creating the soul and preserving the unique cultural beauty of the Cau Ngu festival in fishing villages and among coastal residents.
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| Ho Ba Trao is a unique folk performance in the Cau Ngu ceremony. |
Mr. Nguyen Hoai Son, a folklore researcher, shared: Cau Ngu Festival is one of the unique intangible cultural heritages, deeply expressing the religious identity of the coastal residents of the Central region in general and Phu Yen (old) in particular. This is not only an opportunity for fishermen to express their gratitude to the sea, but also a profound expression of the sacred bond between people and the ocean - where they place their spiritual faith in the Whale God, praying for protection and blessings on each trip to sea. In 2016, the Cau Ngu Festival of Phu Yen (old) province was recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
According to Mr. Nguyen Hoai Son, the establishment of a shrine and the organization of a burial ceremony every time a whale dies is a profound expression of the fishermen's gratitude to the guardian deity of the ocean. The Cau Ngu Festival does not stop at the aspect of belief, but is also a space for community consolidation; at fishing villages, fishermen meet, share experiences at sea, foster village relationships, add faith and strength to go out to sea, protect fishing grounds, and contribute to protecting the sacred sovereignty of the sea and islands of the Fatherland.
Source: https://baodaklak.vn/phong-su-ky-su/202507/nhung-nguoi-giu-hon-cua-bien-93915ee/
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