The annual Fish Worshiping Festival, or Cau Ngu, in the coastal province of Khanh Hoa, was recognised as a national intangible heritage on April 10.
Receiving certifications
The local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism held a ceremony to receive the certification from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Nha Trang City. The certifications were presented to 46 temples.
The festival originated from the worship of the Whale God, or Nam Hai, which is a traditional practice in many coastal areas in Vietnam, but mostly held in south-central region. Nam Hai is said to have been a whale who often appeared amid raging waves to rescue people, before becoming a god of the sea.
Some rituals of the festival introduced
This practice has been mentioned in many ancient documents produced during the Nguyen Dynasty. The royal court officially recognised the god and named him with various titles such as Ngoc Lan or Duc Ngu.
Modern worshiping festivals still keep many traditional ceremonies, art performances and folk games, showing its great effect on the rich spiritual life of the local people.
Le Xuan Than, Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Province People's Committee, said the local Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and other localities will carry out programmes to promote the festival and raise awareness.
