This was announced by Nong Quoc Thanh, Deputy Director of the Cultural Heritage Department under the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism at the ceremony of Cau Ngu (Whale worshipping) festival in Ngu Loc commune, Hau Loc district, the central province of Thanh Hoa.
Cau Ngu festival is a unique cultural feature of coastal localities, which has been preserved and passed down through many generations. The festival is to pray for bumper hauls of fish, safe voyages and peace for the nation.
The festival in Ngu Loc commune is considered the largest of its kind not only in Thanh Hoa but also across north central localities, attracting thousands of visitors.
The main ritual in the festival is a procession of Long Chau boat from Bac Tho village to a platform at the commune’s stadium, where praying will be conducted every day during the festival.
On the last day of the festival, the Long Chau boat will be burned at the seaside. Many festivities are also held during the event, include squid catching and fishing net drawing competitions, a Chinese chess contest, and art performances.
The festival starts with solemn ritual ceremonies, in which elders hold a palanquin procession from villages to villages, displaying fishermen’s union and expressing gratitude towards their ancestors and guardians. According to fishermen’s belief, if they put much thought into the rituals, celebrate them with huge reverence, they will be guaranteed a life with safe and sound sea journeys, great fishing results, and full of wealth and comfort.
Thanh Hoa province received 7 million tourists in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 11.5%. 189,000 arrivals came from abroad, up 22.3% against last year, and more than 6 million were domestic tourists, up 11.2% from last year. Thanh Hoa tourism revenue exceeded VND8 trillion (US$352 million), according to the Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
Procession of Long Chau boat.
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The festival in Ngu Loc commune is considered the largest of its kind not only in Thanh Hoa but also across north central localities, attracting thousands of visitors.
The main ritual in the festival is a procession of Long Chau boat from Bac Tho village to a platform at the commune’s stadium, where praying will be conducted every day during the festival.
On the last day of the festival, the Long Chau boat will be burned at the seaside. Many festivities are also held during the event, include squid catching and fishing net drawing competitions, a Chinese chess contest, and art performances.
The festival starts with solemn ritual ceremonies, in which elders hold a palanquin procession from villages to villages, displaying fishermen’s union and expressing gratitude towards their ancestors and guardians. According to fishermen’s belief, if they put much thought into the rituals, celebrate them with huge reverence, they will be guaranteed a life with safe and sound sea journeys, great fishing results, and full of wealth and comfort.
Thanh Hoa province received 7 million tourists in 2017, a year-on-year increase of 11.5%. 189,000 arrivals came from abroad, up 22.3% against last year, and more than 6 million were domestic tourists, up 11.2% from last year. Thanh Hoa tourism revenue exceeded VND8 trillion (US$352 million), according to the Thanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
