Thousands of people attend the Whale Festival at the beginning of the new year to pray for a bountiful fish and shrimp harvest.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 1

On February 18 (January 9), thousands of people from all over flocked to Cai Cung beach in Vinh Thinh commune (Hoa Binh district, Bac Lieu province) to attend the Whale welcoming ceremony. This is where Ong Duyen Hai Temple is located, preserving a 16m long whale skeleton, which has been worshiped by local fishermen for many years.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 2

Most of the people who come to worship the Whale are fishermen or seafood producers.

"Just after Tet, on the day of the Ong Nghinh Ong festival here, my husband and I also came to burn incense. My family goes to sea all year round, and we have food and clothing thanks to the fishing industry. Every year when the family is safe and has fish and shrimp, we are very happy. Thanks to that, we also pray to Ong, the fishing industry", a woman in Bac Lieu city shared with Dan Tri reporter when coming to Ong Duyen Hai Temple.

The most important part of the Ong Nghinh ceremony is to go to the seaport to perform the ritual of welcoming (nghinh) Ong to the mausoleum for worship. The procession includes prestigious elders wearing neat costumes and hats and people playing the roles of kings, princesses, palace maids, soldiers, etc.

Besides, offerings such as pork, sticky rice, chicken, etc. were brought on board for the ceremony. The offerings were simple but showed the heart and gratitude of the local fishermen towards Him.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 6

The boat procession of 3-4 boats, which are fishermen's boats, decorated with flags, drums, gongs, etc., runs from Ong's mausoleum to the seaport in a very exciting atmosphere.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 7

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 8

Many people on the shore watched the procession because this is considered a traditional festival with beautiful local culture.

When reaching the sea gate, the elders perform the ritual of burning incense and praying to welcome Ong. The procession takes some sea water symbolizing the sea where Ong lives and sprinkles rice, salt into the sea,... as part of the offering to hope for a smooth sailing and a full boat of fish and shrimp.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 12

After welcoming Ông back to the mausoleum, the procession circled Ông's remains (a whale skeleton worshiped in the mausoleum) to pay respect to the fish that fishermen consider a "god" that protects them from strong winds and waves when going out to sea to catch seafood.

Hàng nghìn người dự lễ nghinh Ông đầu năm mới cầu mùa tôm cá bội thu - 13

Representatives of the elders and fishermen knelt before the relics of the God to make offerings. The ceremony included offering incense, flowers, tea, wine and reading prayers to thank the God for giving the local fishermen a lucky and bountiful year and praying for a peaceful new year, a good shrimp and fish season, and a prosperous life.

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