Every spring, the sea murmurs with songs of life, signaling the beginning of the Cau Ngu festival of fishermen. In the coastal fishing villages, the atmosphere becomes bustling and excited. People eagerly prepare for a solemn festival, where prayers for a new year of peace, luck and good harvest are sent through each sacred ritual.
"The waves murmur and sing a song
Fishermen celebrate and worship distant boats
Pray for calm seas and peaceful skies
Four seasons of warmth and plenty of fish and shrimp."
Cau Ngu Festival is one of the typical cultural features of Vietnamese fishermen, held annually in coastal areas from North to South. With the purpose of honoring the sea god and praying for a bountiful fishing season, Cau Ngu Festival not only shows the deep gratitude of fishermen but also is an opportunity for the community to connect, share and preserve long-standing cultural values. Every time the festival season comes, coastal fishing villages are filled with a bustling, bustling atmosphere. From the splendidly decorated wooden boats to the sacred worship rituals, all vividly reflect the spiritual life and close attachment to the sea of fishermen. The boats, symbols of survival and development, are considered the embodiment of the Nam Hai Dai Tuong Quan god, the guardian god of dangerous sea voyages. The festival begins with a boat procession, where people gather, offer offerings and pray together for a year of peace and luck.
Cau Ngu Festival in Binh Dinh. Photo: Binh Dinh Newspaper
Following the solemn ritual, the festival moves to the exciting part with cultural and sports activities on the river. The traditional boat race is one of the highlights of the festival, attracting the participation and enthusiastic cheers of the whole community. The racing boats rush across the deep blue water, amidst the cheers of people on both banks. Not only a competition of speed, the boat races are also a symbol of solidarity, community strength and pride of fishermen. The festival atmosphere becomes even more exciting with a series of folk cultural activities such as lion dance, dragon dance and traditional games. Children and adults join together in folk games such as tug of war, sack jumping, creating a joyful and colorful space. The performances of folk music and dance performed by local artists further enrich the festival atmosphere, while helping visitors understand more about the customs, habits and culture of fishermen in coastal areas.
The fishing festival in Nhon Hai attracts the attention of many tourists from afar thanks to its unique features. Photo: Ngoc Nhuan
Cuisine is also an indispensable part of the Cau Ngu festival. Special seafood dishes such as grilled fish, steamed squid, and seafood pancakes are delicately prepared, imbued with the flavor of the ocean. Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy not only delicious dishes but also feel the ingenuity and talent of fishermen. Through cuisine , the Cau Ngu festival is also an opportunity to promote local culinary culture, introducing the unique values of marine culture.
The festival ends with the ritual of releasing flower lanterns into the sea, one of the rituals with profound spiritual meaning. The shimmering lights on the water at night are like the fishermen’s prayers for peace and luck sent to the sea. The image of flower lanterns gently floating along the water, carrying the wishes of the people, creates an emotional scene, closing a festival season imbued with national identity.
The Cau Ngu Festival of Vietnamese fishermen is not only a religious activity, but also an opportunity for the community to unite, preserve and promote traditional cultural values. Through each ritual, cultural activities and unique cuisine, the Cau Ngu Festival has become an indispensable part of the spiritual life of fishermen, bringing pride and love for their homeland and country.
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