Quynh Luu celebrates the fishing festival with great fanfare.
(Baonghean)Every year at the beginning of the new year, the fishermen of Quynh Di commune (Quynh Luu district, Nghe An province) joyfully organize the fishing festival to pray for a year of favorable weather and abundant seafood catches.
The Fishing Festival is a traditional spiritual and cultural activity of the fishermen in Quynh Di commune. The festival consists of two main parts: the ceremonial part and the festive part, with the participation of numerous groups and people. In the ceremonial part: each group wears costumes representing their group's characteristics to carry the palanquin according to a schedule, starting from the boat dock, circling the village, and returning to the village's cultural center for a prayer ceremony, before returning to the sea. The festive part is lively with cultural, artistic, and sporting activities showcasing the characteristics of the local fishermen, such as boat racing, tug-of-war, and stick pushing.
Coming to the festival, almost every fisherman in the Quynh Di coastal area shares a common wish: "All the fishermen here pray for good fortune, for a bountiful fishing season and smooth sailing on their fishing trips, bringing the people both products and money to build their homeland and country," shared Mr. Tran Phuc Hoan (fisherman from Phu Loi 2 hamlet, Quynh Di commune).
Currently, Quynh Di commune has 76 fishing vessels with nearly 500 workers. Annual production reaches over 2,700 tons, with a total value of nearly 20 billion VND. Unlike other localities that go to sea year-round, fishermen in Quynh Di only go out to sea in January, February, and November of the lunar calendar each year. This is because these are the times when the largest quantities of anchovies are caught, supplying the Phu Loi seafood processing village in the area.
Therefore, participating in the fishing festival, besides praying for a year of favorable weather and a bountiful harvest, the fishermen of Quynh Di coastal area also pray for safe and healthy trips out to sea, steady hands at the helm, and especially for catching plenty of anchovies, shrimp, and prawns to supply the processing industry of the village, ensuring that the quality of the fish sauce, dried seafood, and steamed products of the village can reach a wider market.
Mr. Nguyen Duc Xan (Chairman of the Fishermen's Association of Quynh Di Commune) said: "The annual fishing festival has become a traditional festival for the fishermen of Quynh Di Commune. We organize it every year. Everyone is excited and hopeful for the festival to begin. The mindset of each fisherman feels more secure and their spirits are more stable, so they can hope for a successful season."
Thanh Nhan
