A ceremony was held in Ngu Loc commune, Hau Loc district, the central province of Thanh Hoa, on April 6 to kick off the Cau Ngu (Whale worshipping) festival and receive a certificate recognising it a national intangible cultural heritage.

Procession of Long Chau boat

Cau Ngu festival is a unique cultural feature of coastal localities, which has been preserved and passed down through many generations. The festival is to pray for bumper hauls of fish, safe voyages and peace for the nation.

The festival in Ngu Loc commune is considered the largest of its kind not only in Thanh Hoa but also across north central localities, attracting thousands of visitors.

The main ritual in the festival is a procession of Long Chau boat from Bac Tho village to a platform at the commune’s stadium, where praying will be conducted every day during the festival. 

On the last day of the festival, the Long Chau boat will be burned at the seaside.

Many festivities are also held during the event, include squid catching and fishing net drawing competitions, a Chinese chess contest, and art performances.-VNA