An exciting boat race kicked off the Khmer community's Ooc Om Bokreligious ceremony on Nov. 9in Soc Trang Province to worship the MoonGod who brought them a good crop and abundant fish this year.
People lining the Maspero River screamed in encouragement as the rowers headed toward their destination.
Of the 50 teams participating, seven are all female groups. Most of the rowers are from Soc Trang and neighbouring provinces.
Female teams have to complete a 1,000-metre race, and the men 1,200m.
Celebrated on the 14th and 15th of the 10th month on the lunarcalendar, the festival is one of the most prominent in Vietnam, attendedby thousands who make wishes to the moon deity for prosperity and goodhealth.
As a full moon appears on the night of thefestival, local people offer green-rice flakes, ripe bananas, freshpeeled coconuts, mangoes and other items.
At the end ofthe ceremony, the children sit on the ground and clap their hands whilethey are fed a handful of green-rice flakes by their elders.
During the festival, paper lanterns are released and handmadebanana-tree ferries lined with lights are placed on the river. This isbelieved to sweep away the darkness and humidity of the rainy season.
The completion of the boat race signifies the end of the villagers responsibility to the Moon God.
Soc Trang has the most Ngo (long) boats in the Mekong Delta, withnearly 100 kept at 90 Khmer pagodas. Every festival, the province'slocal men use 40 boats for racing.
The boat race continues on Nov. 10. The male and female team winners will be awarded a total of 30 million VND (1,428 USD)./.
People lining the Maspero River screamed in encouragement as the rowers headed toward their destination.
Of the 50 teams participating, seven are all female groups. Most of the rowers are from Soc Trang and neighbouring provinces.
Female teams have to complete a 1,000-metre race, and the men 1,200m.
Celebrated on the 14th and 15th of the 10th month on the lunarcalendar, the festival is one of the most prominent in Vietnam, attendedby thousands who make wishes to the moon deity for prosperity and goodhealth.
As a full moon appears on the night of thefestival, local people offer green-rice flakes, ripe bananas, freshpeeled coconuts, mangoes and other items.
At the end ofthe ceremony, the children sit on the ground and clap their hands whilethey are fed a handful of green-rice flakes by their elders.
During the festival, paper lanterns are released and handmadebanana-tree ferries lined with lights are placed on the river. This isbelieved to sweep away the darkness and humidity of the rainy season.
The completion of the boat race signifies the end of the villagers responsibility to the Moon God.
Soc Trang has the most Ngo (long) boats in the Mekong Delta, withnearly 100 kept at 90 Khmer pagodas. Every festival, the province'slocal men use 40 boats for racing.
The boat race continues on Nov. 10. The male and female team winners will be awarded a total of 30 million VND (1,428 USD)./.
