The beauty of coastal culture

(Baonghean) - For generations, the coastal communes of Quynh Luu have been closely connected to the sea and waterways, shaping a unique and distinctive culture. The spirituality, beliefs, and cultural practices of the people here reflect the aspirations and dreams of the fishermen.

In the folk beliefs of coastal fishermen, the sea deities are worshipped in a diverse and rich manner. Among these deities, the whale is especially revered and respected by the fishermen of Quynh Luu. Therefore, the Fishing Festival associated with the worship of the whale is the most popular, largest, and most important festival for the fishermen of the coastal villages and communes here.

Mr. Nguyen Van Uoc, Secretary of the Party Branch of Phong Thang village, Tien Thuy commune, said: “The people here mainly work in fishing at sea, so they are very interested in spiritual culture and beliefs. On the 15th or 1st day of each lunar month, or before a fishing trip, fishermen from all villages come to the whale shrine to light incense, pray for good luck, calm seas, and a bountiful catch of shrimp and fish. Currently, Phong Thang village is worshipping a whale skeleton measuring 2.86 meters in length and weighing 60 kg. This whale skeleton was discovered and salvaged by a fisherman in the village while fishing at sea. After completing the necessary procedures, the whale skeleton was carefully preserved and a tomb was built by the villagers.”

The deity is carried in a palanquin with eight scepters during the Fishing Festival.

When we visited the whale shrine in Tien Thuy commune, we met fisherman Nguyen Quoc Tien, who said: “Fishermen like us in coastal areas deeply revere the deities, especially the whale. My family's boat will be setting sail early tomorrow morning, so today I brought offerings, incense, and tea flowers to the whale shrine to perform a ceremony, hoping for good luck and calm seas at sea.”

In Tien Thuy commune, nearly 44% of households are involved in marine fishing. Therefore, coastal fishermen place their faith in the giant, both "gentle" and "sacred," whales, which they respectfully call "Ông" or "Ông" (Mr. Whale). Whenever they face hardship, rough seas, strong winds, or sinking boats, the first thing they think of and pray to is the whale. Or, during seasons of poor catches, they visit the whale shrine to offer prayers and supplications, and each trip back to sea is filled with shrimp and fish. Many fishermen believe they have received help from the whale; this belief has become an inseparable part of their spiritual culture. Besides worshipping at the whale shrine in Phong Thang village, Tien Thuy fishermen regularly visit temples and pagodas such as Chinh Temple and Nam Shrine to offer incense to deities like the Four Holy Mothers and Hoang Ta Thon…

Besides the worship of the whale god, a unique festival with spiritual elements is held annually, attracting a large number of participants: the Fishing Festival. This is considered a spiritual festival for people in coastal areas. The Fishing Festival has two parts: the ceremonial part and the festive part. The main ceremony takes place on the 13th, including the offering to the spirits and the offering to the gods. The prayers in the ceremony mainly praise the whale god's merits in saving humanity. As for the festive part, it mainly features folk games associated with the coastal region such as: basket shaking, boat racing, swimming, singing and dancing, releasing lanterns, and the ceremony of releasing boats to worship the souls of those who have passed away at sea…

The Fishing Festival is a deeply spiritual event, expressing the hope for a new year of favorable weather, calm seas, and successful fishing trips for the fishermen. The Fishing Festival is not only a religious belief of coastal fishermen but also a unique form of community cultural activity. It's an opportunity for people to encourage each other to continue fishing, fostering closer relationships, unity, and a meaningful cultural lifestyle. Furthermore, in recent years, the Fishing Festival has expanded beyond the local community, attracting many locals and tourists. Beyond its positive humanistic significance and important role in the spiritual life of fishermen, the Fishing Festival also demonstrates great importance in protecting the ecosystem.

Currently, Quynh Luu district has five shrines and temples dedicated to the Whale God, concentrated in the communes of Quynh Tho, Quynh Long, and Tien Thuy. In addition, several communes organize the Fishing Festival annually. This is a unique cultural feature of the fishermen in the coastal region. These folk festivals of the coastal residents have contributed to enriching the distinctive culture of the coastal area. In the future, the Department of Culture plans to continue promoting and preserving this unique cultural feature by integrating it into tourism tours and recreating folk performing arts activities such as the Fishing Festival and boat races. Through these activities, the district aims to introduce the culture of the people of Quynh Luu's coastal region to tourists.

Along with spiritual and religious beliefs, people in coastal areas also place great importance on cultural etiquette. This applies not only to behavior and communication at home but also while fishing at sea. Nguyen Van Manh, a fisherman from Phu Lien village, Quynh Long commune, said: "On each fishing trip, if they discover a fishing ground with abundant shrimp and fish, the fishermen will immediately contact other fishing boats nearby to join forces and exploit the resources. This demonstrates the strong sense of solidarity among fishermen when participating in fishing activities at sea."

People living by the sea are naturally boisterous and outspoken, because out at sea they are the ones who brave the waves. In the vast ocean, they must struggle against powerful, violent waves crashing against their ships. At such times, they desperately need acts of kindness and solidarity to persevere, fish, and protect the airspace of their beloved homeland.

Viet Hung

Quynh Luu Radio