Fishermen in Ho Chi Minh City’s suburban Can Gio district will gather for a traditional festival to welcome the Lord Whale next week.

The Nghinh Ong (welcoming Lord Whale) festival emphasizes traditional cultural values reflecting the local spirit and a celebration of life, and provides the fishing community a chance to pray for peace, prosperity, and happiness.

It is popular all along the coast from Quang Binh province in the central region to picturesque Phu Quoc Island in the south.

The Le Ruoc Ong sees the fishermen worshipping their ancestors. There is then a ceremony where an offering of roast white pork, colorful steamed sticky-rice, and wine is made. The main ceremony follows these two rituals.

The festival is known by different names: Le ruoc cot Ong (the procession of Lord Whale’s skeleton), Le cau ngu (ceremony to pray for fish), Le te ca Ong (sacrifice ceremony for the whale), and Le nghinh Ong (welcoming the whale), and so on.

It is believed that the whale is a holy creature, the savior of fishermen and others living along the sea in general. This traditional belief has been handed down from generation to generation among fishermen in many localities.

HCMC holds the festival annually from the 14th to 17th of the eighth lunar month – September 24-27 this year – at the Water General mausoleum in Can Gio district, some 60 kilometers from downtown.

The Water General is the title a grateful King Tu Duc conferred on the whale.

On the second day of the festival, village dignitaries in traditional outfits carry the palanquin of Nam Hai Tuong Quan to the sea in a procession, a fleet of dragon boats set out, and people burn incense and present offerings to welcome the fleet along the coast.

The dragon boat welcoming the Water General is accompanied by hundreds of boats of various sizes and decoration. An altar and a tray of offerings are put in the front of the dragon boat.

It takes about two hours for the fleet to return to Can Gio. Then a procession is held to welcome the Water General, accompanied by performances by lion and dragon dancers.

Other activities are also held inside and outside the Water General’s tomb, and last until midnight.

The next morning sees a ceremony to read the royal order of promotion of the Water General. It features religious singing and brings the festival to an end.

The rituals at the tomb of the Water General are held by fishermen praying to the Holy Whale for safety while at sea and expressing their gratitude and respect.

The whale has for long been considered a close friend of seafarers and fishermen and is worshipped as the god of the sea.

This tradition is believed to have its origin in an old fisherman’s tale of a kindly whale that once came to the aid of some fishermen caught in a storm and took them to shore.

The grateful fishermen have worshipped the giant creature ever since.

Compiled by Thu Thuy