The annual Nghinh Ong festival for fishermen to worship the whale toseek good luck at sea will open in HCM City's coastal district of CanGio on Sept. 9.
The four-day event will include a ceremonialoffering by village elders to show gratitude to the whale, knownreverently as Ca Ong, and commemorate fishermen who died at sea.
A procession by locals in traditional clothes will begin from the sea and end at the Ong Thuy Tuong Temple.
Thehighlight of the festival will be the release of colourful lanterns inthe sea by young people to pray for a new and better fishing season.
This year the Nghinh Ong festival will also feature folk games, artistic performances, martial arts, and sports competitions.
Butthe sporting connection will be intense – the National AthleticsChampionship will begin on Sept 10when the Can Gio Open Marathon will berun.
Winners in the former event will qualify to represent Vietnam at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Indonesia next month.
"Wehope to take sport to young people," Nguyen Trung Hinh, deputy chairmanof the city Athletics Federation and a member of the festivalorganising board, said.
The organisers have also worked withauthorities in Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, and Tien Giangprovinces to launch tours to offer tourists a varied experience.
They hope to attract thousands of local and foreign visitors.
Fishermenbelieve that whales rescue people in danger and accompany them to thesafety of the shore. Over time they began to celebrate an annualfestival to cherish the giant creatures between the 14th and 17th of theeighth lunar month.
It also provides them the time to pray for peace, prosperity, and happiness for the whole community.
The festival has come to epitomise traditional cultural values, reflect the local spirit, and celebrate life.
Nghinh Ong is also celebrated in other coastal provinces around the country./.
The four-day event will include a ceremonialoffering by village elders to show gratitude to the whale, knownreverently as Ca Ong, and commemorate fishermen who died at sea.
A procession by locals in traditional clothes will begin from the sea and end at the Ong Thuy Tuong Temple.
Thehighlight of the festival will be the release of colourful lanterns inthe sea by young people to pray for a new and better fishing season.
This year the Nghinh Ong festival will also feature folk games, artistic performances, martial arts, and sports competitions.
Butthe sporting connection will be intense – the National AthleticsChampionship will begin on Sept 10when the Can Gio Open Marathon will berun.
Winners in the former event will qualify to represent Vietnam at the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games) in Indonesia next month.
"Wehope to take sport to young people," Nguyen Trung Hinh, deputy chairmanof the city Athletics Federation and a member of the festivalorganising board, said.
The organisers have also worked withauthorities in Dong Nai, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Long An, and Tien Giangprovinces to launch tours to offer tourists a varied experience.
They hope to attract thousands of local and foreign visitors.
Fishermenbelieve that whales rescue people in danger and accompany them to thesafety of the shore. Over time they began to celebrate an annualfestival to cherish the giant creatures between the 14th and 17th of theeighth lunar month.
It also provides them the time to pray for peace, prosperity, and happiness for the whole community.
The festival has come to epitomise traditional cultural values, reflect the local spirit, and celebrate life.
Nghinh Ong is also celebrated in other coastal provinces around the country./.
