“Catching stink” may have different names in each region, but any locality with a fish pond will have a “catching stink” step before cleaning the pond and draining the water again. This essentially means catching shrimp and fish in the owner’s pond after they have finished harvesting. However, in Thuong Nghia village, “catching stink” has its own characteristics compared to many other localities.
Buyers weigh the fish themselves to pay the lake owner - Photo: MT
Thuong Nghia village is flooded so fish are usually harvested in September every year to avoid flooding the lake. In the village there are more than 10 fish ponds owned by households and groups of households.
On this occasion, every early morning, the children banged on the gate loudly and shouted: Uncle! Let's go "catch fish" for good luck. I opened the gate wide and saw people flocking to the fish ponds at the end of the village. "Hurry up, uncle, it's so much fun!", the children impatiently urged. Joining the "catch fish" atmosphere of the villagers, I felt excited like when I was a child. My childhood was filled with many times of "catch fish" covered in mud.
Normally, each time the fish are harvested, the owner of the pond will hire people to catch fish in a rolling manner. That is, as the water level drops, the owner’s troops will line up horizontally to catch all the fish. The “stealers” will stay behind and gradually move forward following the footsteps of the owner’s troops.
We children always remember what our mother told us: "Remember to always walk two strides behind the thief, don't climb forward, or the landlord will beat your legs."
The "fisherman" must also know how to "deal" with the host's troops, how to make them compassionately leave a few small fish in the grass, or put the fish right under the footprints they have passed and signal the "fisherman" to put his hand down to catch them.
Back then I had a friend who, every time we jumped down to dig up the mud and fight over the small fish, would just sit on the shore and watch. When everyone had gone home, he would still sit there, staring out at the muddy, cracked lake surface under the scorching midday sun.
Then a while later, my friend slowly brought back a bag full of big snakehead fish. It turned out that he was sitting and observing where the mud layer was thickest in the lake. Big snakehead fish often burrowed deep into the mud and lay still waiting for water. At noon, when the hot sun could not bear it, they would rise to the surface of the mud. These fish were usually very big and fat.
But "catching pilferage" in Thuong Nghia village is very different.
Any family that harvests fish does not need to hire people, but the villagers volunteer to come and “catch fish”. The fish caught is a gift from heaven for the “catch fish” but every time the “catch fish” catches a fish that is satisfactory, the “catch fish” weighs it himself and pays the owner fairly.
The homeowner also generously added a few fish and shrimp to give to grandparents or grandchildren. Every time a satisfactory fish was caught, cheers would resound throughout the countryside.
According to the elders, this type of "stealing" has existed for a long time and has become a cultural feature of the people of Thuong Nghia village, demonstrating the village spirit and neighborliness, a noble gesture like the name of the village.
'The lake owners also divide the time to harvest fish so that the "fishing" festival lasts longer and the villagers can enjoy more benefits without being forced to lower prices by traders.
The fish food here is all natural, such as rice, bran, vegetables, bananas, snails, etc., so the fish meat is famous for its delicious taste. During the fish harvest, people from all over flock here, but only the villagers get to enjoy the "smelly catch".
Standing from afar, you can easily recognize the villagers by their... uniforms. Because after a while in the lake, the red, yellow, or blue shirts will be stained with mud, the uniform of the fields.
If you want to have moments of relaxation after all the worries and hardships, then go north, cross Dong Ha bridge, turn onto Thanh Nien road. Here, you will see vast rice fields in their prime and enjoy the aroma of ripe rice in the quiet, nostalgic space. If you want to learn more about the historical value of this land, right at the end of that field, behind the green bamboo grove, there is an ancient village of Thuong Nghia that has existed for hundreds of years with the country. And if you want to join the village's "catch-the-steal" festival, visit around September every year.
Thuong Nghia village is located in Quarter 4, Dong Giang Ward, Dong Ha City, with about 160 households and approximately 660 people. The village was established in the late 15th century. During the reign of King Le Thanh Tong, a policy of migration to the South was implemented. A group of residents from the North Central region came to reclaim land and establish villages. Thuong Nghia village was established during that period. The name of the village when it was first established was Thuong Do. According to the book "O Chau Can Luc" by Duong Van An, Thuong Do village was one of 59 villages/communes in Vu Xuong district, Trieu Phong prefecture. During the Nguyen lords' reign, Thuong Do village belonged to An Lac commune, Dang Xuong district, Trieu Phong prefecture. During the Nguyen dynasty, Thuong Do village was changed to Thuong Nghia, belonging to An Lac commune, Dang Xuong district.
Minh Anh
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