COLORFUL KHMER CULTURE IN AN GIANG - Part 2: Festival season lights up culture

Every year, when the harvest is just finished, the full moon of the 10th lunar month shines brightly on the Cai Lon River, which is also the time when the Khmer people in An Giang enter the traditional festival season. From the Ok Om Bok festival to the Bay Nui bull race, all contribute to weaving a cultural picture rich in identity, imbued with the spirit of community solidarity.

Dance of light on Cai Lon river

We returned to Go Quao - the place known as the "heart of the Ok Om Bok festival". Every full moon of the 10th lunar month, when the full moon shines on the gentle Cai Lon river, this land is bustling with the sacred moon worshiping atmosphere of the Khmer people. To find the answer to what has helped the Ok Om Bok festival live forever in the hearts of the Khmer people through many generations, we sought out a special person - Mr. Danh Nhieu (73 years old), residing in Hoa Thien hamlet, Dinh Hoa commune. He is a respected elder in the community and has been assigned the responsibility of feeding flattened green rice to the younger generation in the main ceremony of the festival for many years.

Mr. Nhieu welcomed me with a gentle smile, then slowly told me about the meaning of the festival: “Ok Om Bok, in Khmer, means “feeding flat rice”. In the Khmer people’s beliefs, the moon is the god who protects crops, regulates the rain and sunshine, and brings abundance. Therefore, Ok Om Bok is an occasion for us to thank the Moon god, pray for a bountiful harvest, favorable weather, and the well-being of our children”.

Mr. Nhieu proudly recounted the moon worship ritual. The ceremony opened with the lively music from the five-tone orchestra. The main indispensable offering is flattened green rice, along with home-made agricultural products such as potatoes, coconuts, and bananas. “When the moon rises, people will clasp their hands to worship, offer incense, candles, and pour tea as a thanksgiving ritual. After the thanksgiving and praying for blessings, there is the ritual of feeding flattened green rice. Under the bright moonlight, the monks and I will feed each piece of green rice into the child’s mouth, along with questions about wishes, ambitions, and future life. It is the most sacred and meaningful ritual,” Mr. Nhieu said.

Teams participating in the Ngo boat racing competition at the Khmer Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of the province in 2024. Photo: DANH THANH

The ngo boat race is the highlight of the festival and is always anticipated by many people. On the Cai Lon River, boats nearly ten meters long, carrying dozens of rowers, stretch out to surf the waves like arrows. It is a moment to demonstrate dexterity, perseverance, solidarity and collective strength. The sound of drums, cheers, and waves blend together to create a melody of strength and solidarity. Mr. Danh Vu - a fourth-generation descendant in a family of artisans with a tradition of making famous ngo boats in Go Quao shared: "To swim fast, the whole team must be in harmony. Only the team that is united, has a steady hand on the oars, and keeps a steady rhythm can hope to win. Therefore, the ngo boat race is also a way for us to teach our children to respect the collective, unite and stick with the community."

As the sunset falls, the moonlight gradually rises, the Cai Lon River surface seems to transform into a magical picture of light with hundreds of shimmering lanterns. On the shore, rhythmic rom vong dances resound to the familiar pentatonic music. The elderly and children, everyone can hold hands and dance, immersing themselves in the atmosphere of solidarity and intimacy. Listening to Mr. Nhieu's story, I remember Ms. Thi Hanh, living in Chau Thanh commune. In 2024, she came to Go Quao to participate in the Ok Om Bok festival. Holding her little daughter in her arms, she danced to the pentatonic music and said with a smile: "When I was little, my grandmother took me to worship the moon. Now I bring my children to participate so that they can better understand the traditional culture of the nation so that they can join in preserving it later."

The attention of local authorities is also very important in preserving and promoting the value of the festival. For many years, An Giang has maintained the organization of the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Festival of the Khmer people in the province on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month, on the occasion of the Ok Om Bok festival. In addition to traditional activities, the festival also incorporates cultural and culinary exchange activities, creating more attraction for tourists. Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Le Trung Ho affirmed: "The festival is an opportunity for ethnic minorities in general and the Khmer people in particular to raise their sense of responsibility for traditional culture, strengthening the strength of national unity...".

Traditional folk culture imprint

If the Ok Om Bok festival is likened to a sparkling “dance of light” in the middle of the full moon night, the Bay Nui bull racing festival is a “muddy dance” - where brave pairs of bulls and resilient “bull riders” create a spectacular performance in the middle of the white muddy rice fields. I went to An Cu commune to witness how the Khmer people preserve a lasting cultural heritage passed down through many generations. According to many monks and elders here, the Bay Nui bull racing festival was born from a community labor activity. In the past, after helping the pagoda plow the fields, people tested the bulls to race. The bull that ran the fastest would be rewarded. Since then, bull racing has gradually become a traditional festival of the Bay Nui region.

The Bay Nui bull racing festival is held during the Sene Dolta festival, which is a Khmer people's ancestor worshiping ceremony from August 29 to September 1 of the lunar calendar every year. On the fields that have just been harvested, heavy rains pour down, water up to the ankles, two pairs of bulls charge forward amid loud cheers. The "bull rider" stands on a wooden harrow, one hand keeping balance, the other holding a xalul stick to control the running direction. The rider and the bull "coordinate well", the mud splashes white, the audience bursts into laughter every time there is a spectacular breakthrough of the good bull pairs.

2024 Ro Pagoda Bull Racing Festival, An Cu Commune. Photo: DANH THANH

The pairs of bulls will compete in a knockout format, with the winning pair advancing to the next round. The race track is not long, but keeping the bulls on their speed, not deviating from the course, and reaching the finish line safely is an art. Mr. Le Van Phang, a resident of Tinh Bien ward, who has participated in bull racing for many years, said: “The bulls must be trained in reflexes beforehand. Each season, they have to race many laps, so in addition to being healthy, the bulls must also have endurance and coordination. The bull jockey must be brave, have good balance, and know how to control his strength. If he falls off the track, he will be disqualified.”

In 2004, the Bay Nui bull racing festival was upgraded to a provincial festival. In 2016, it was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage. In addition to the Khmer people, the festival also has the participation of people from other ethnic groups in the province and the Southwest region, even with the participation of "bull jockeys" from neighboring Cambodia. Each festival season attracts tens of thousands of spectators. In the Project to preserve and promote the Bay Nui bull racing festival in 2020, the Provincial People's Committee emphasized that bull racing is not only a sport, entertainment activity, a cultural beauty but also a living proof of community solidarity, imbued with humanity.

Mr. Chau Thi - a famous person in the Khmer bull racing world with many high-level awards. Mr. Thi said: "Although bull racing does not focus on winning or losing, if you win a prize, it is a source of pride, proving the owner's talent. For me, participating in racing also contributes to preserving and transmitting the cultural beauty of the nation". Mr. Thi's story is not the only one. In many villages and hamlets, young men also start working as "bull riders" as a way to proudly preserve family traditions.

According to the Department of Culture and Sports, this year, the bull racing festival is scheduled to be held on September 20, 2025. These days, the atmosphere in the communes of Tri Ton, Ba Chuc, An Cu, O Lam... is starting to get bustling. On the small roads, it is easy to see images of bull owners training and letting their "athletes" practice running and practicing reflexes. Mr. Nguyen Thanh Tai, a resident of O Lam commune, smiled: "We have to take care of cows like raising athletes. Cows not only run fast, but also have to be tough, endure mud, and not panic when the audience screams."

(To be continued)

TU LY - D.THANH - B.TRAN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/sac-mau-van-hoa-khmer-o-an-giang-bai-2-mua-hoi-thap-sang-van-hoa-a426150.html