Unique features
ghe Ngo is an important item in the cultural and religious life of the Khmer people in the South. Each detail on the boat has its own symbolic meaning. Ghe Ngo (Khorese: Tuk Ngo), formerly a doc than boat, was dug from a large star fruit tree.
Nowadays, finding trees that are both big and long is very difficult, so boat collectors gather boats from many pieces of wood. The boat's shape is almost like a snake, about 27 - 30m long, about 1.1m wide at the sides. The bow of the boat is bent and lower than the tail.
The boat's body is divided into many compartments, each compartment has a crossbar about 1.2m long, making a seat belt for both swimmers to sit parallel. Cheo beams are made in many sizes depending on the position of the swimmer. To create more momentum, the teams also used one or two long poles in the middle of the boat, called a capuchin, as leverage to help the boat slide quickly.
The boat's body is painted in many colorful colors, depicting the image of dragon scales, Naga snake and traditional Khmer patterns. Each pagoda can choose its own symbol. The decorer can be an artisan but sometimes a monk or a youth in the village. In particular, the boat's head is always painted with eyes with the concept of a boat with eyes to "see the road" similar to the boat-pointing practice of Southern residents.
At the Ooc Om Boc - Soc Trang Boat Race 2024 highlighted the unique Ngo boat of KosThum Pagoda (old Bac Lieu province) which unexpectedly won second place, surpassing many strong teams of Soc Trang province. That success has led to many investment teams building new doc than boats this year. The wooden boats are shaped like Ngo boats, but the difference is that they do not have "fishing rods". Many people think that this boat is light, the surfing speed is very fast, so it is suitable for competition.
Music, worship ceremony to launch Ngo boat
Before participating in major races, Ngo boats must have a launching ceremony. This is an important ritual with profound spiritual significance. ghe Ngo only launched once a year to participate in the Ooc Om Boc Festival, then was brought ashore for preservation.
Mr. Lam Xem, Ghe ngo team of Tum Nup Pagoda (Can Tho City) shared: At the launching ceremony, every pagoda has a worshiping well almost at the same time. Like the Ngo boat of our pagoda, when offering, there are pig heads, chickens, ducks, bananas, rice trays, and monks and inwards sprinkled with water. In addition to playing music, there are opening songs every year".
He said that choosing the launch date and time is very important. The pagoda's board of directors and the Achar monks will meet to discuss the good day, the golden time, and the feudal festival of the boat. The person in charge must be a person with a studying background and understanding of traditional rituals. In the launched ceremony, there are some monks and monks scattered with water. The rowers stood around the boat, monks and monks held a bowl of scented water from the wax flowers, carried it onto the boat and onto the athletes to pray for peace. When the drum and music were played, the boat was officially launched.
People's Artist Chau On (Can Tho City) said: "In the launching ceremony, in addition to having offerings, there is also music. People's music is sung to invite the god to bless the Ngo boat, adding strength and spirit, aiming to win the race. Including separate specific songs and lyrics".
Having played music for many years at the Ngo boat launching ceremony, Mr. Tang Luong in Vinh Chau ward (Can Tho city) shared: "The musical instruments in the launching ceremony include the monsoon, the monsoon, the drum and the monsoon. In which, the most important thing is the monsoon and the monsoon must be in the offering orchestra".
National Festival and Vietnam Record
Ngo boat racing has become a festival of profound community interest, taking place on the 15th of the 10th lunar month every year. This is the most anticipated activity in the Ooc Om Boc Festival of the Khmer people in Soc Trang (now Can Tho City) in particular and the South in general, expressing the pray for favorable rain, good winds, and a fruitful crop.
In Soc Trang province, the festival was formed before 1975. The race was initially held at Du Tho Hamlet, then moved to Nhu Gia (My Xuyen District) and finally stabilized in Soc Trang City, now Soc Trang Ward (Nghe Tho City). The state has invested in a 2,000m long race track located on the Maspero canal, with a grandstand of more than 3,000 seats. Each season of the festival has about 60 teams of male and female boatmen participating. In 2024, in just 2 days of the race festival, about 200,000 people were attracted to watch, an increase of 30% compared to 2023. In 2025, the Ngo boat racing festival in Can Tho City will be held on November 4 - 5, with 61 boat teams registering to participate.
With a large scale and cultural stature, the community, in 2013, the Government decided to elevate the festival to national level, organizing the first Ngo Soc Trang Boat Racing Festival. In 2022, the Vietnam Record Organization recognized the Ooc Om Boc Festival - Ngo Boat Race in Soc Trang as the festival with the largest number of boats and athletes participating.
In recent years, the material and spiritual life of the Khmer people has increasingly improved. The Ngo boat racing festival is not only a cultural activity but also a fierce competition. Whether it wins or not, the greatest value that the festival preserves is the spirit of solidarity and cultural pride of the Khmer community.
