The National Day of Independence returns to the homeland of General Vo Nguyen Giap
In Le Thuy commune, the hometown of General Vo Nguyen Giap, since mid-August, the festive atmosphere has spread throughout the countryside along the Kien Giang river with a series of cultural and sports activities. In particular, the traditional boat racing festival is always expected, because it is a spiritual dish that is deeply imbued with the blood and blood of the people.
These days, tourists from all over return to the General Vo Nguyen Giap Memorial Site in An Xa village to light incense to commemorate the legendary general. Here, the childhood house and the General Memorial House project were inaugurated in December 2024 becoming a red address for educating revolutionary traditions, arousing national pride.
According to Ms. Vo Thi Hai Yen, an official at the Le Thuy Culture - Sports and Communication Center, the number of visitors coming to celebrate these days is very large. "Not only the people in the province, but many groups of tourists from other localities also came to pay tribute to the people's general", Ms. Yen shared.
In the memories of many people, the image of the General returning to his hometown, immersing himself in the atmosphere of the boat racing festival on the Kien Giang River is an indelible mark. His presence once made the festival more sacred and touching.
For the people of Le Thuy, the National Day is not only a major national holiday but also an occasion for union members. This year, Mr. Tran Van Khanh (from Thuong Phong village, Le Thuy commune) arranged a job in Ho Chi Minh City to bring his whole family back to his hometown early. Mr. Khanh wants to bring his wife and children back to his hometown, to experience the independence Festival, meet the people, and thereby learn about the cultural traditions of his hometown.
On the river, waves, people's hearts "flower"
Mr. Vo Dai Ham (89 years old, An Xa village) said that every year he look forward to September 2 to celebrate the second Tet holiday of the year. On this occasion, he will join the influx of people from all over because many people far from home try to return to celebrate, remember their ancestors and heroic martyrs.
Previously, the boat racing festival on the Kien Giang River originated from the custom of praying for good crops, but after 1945, the festival was associated with the Festival of Independence, becoming an indispensable tradition. To participate in the festival, the village's male attraction was selected to train from mid-August and then became a racing team. At that time, the resounding sound echoed throughout Kien Giang beaches, stimulating the atmosphere of the summer festival. The peak was on September 2, when the final round of the boat racing took place, along both sides of the river, a line of people crowded with dong drums, flags opening, cheering for their village's boat team.
Kien Giang River, the gentle river that is closely associated with the lives of Le Thuy people, now carries the mission of promoting culture and tourism. On the occasion of September 2 this year, the People's Committee of Quang Tri province organized a large-scale traditional boat racing and sailing festival, associated with the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2. According to the plan, there are more than 30 racing boats participating, of which 11 women's boats compete for a distance of 18km, 20 men's boats compete for two classes A and B with a distance of 24km. Famous villages such as An Xa, Dai Phong, Tuy Loc, Loc Ha, Thuong Giang... are all present.
Mr. Le Phu Son - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture - Sports and Tourism of Quang Tri province - affirmed: "The boat racing festival on the Kien Giang river is not only a cultural and sports activity but also an opportunity to introduce the image, people, and tourism potential of the locality to domestic and international friends".
Along with that, the Le Thuy commune government also implemented a plan to organize activities to celebrate, beautify the landscape, launch a movement to clean up the village and hang the national flag. This is a way for the community to participate, contributing to honoring traditional values.
For the people of Le Thuy, the National Day September 2 is the day of "returning" - returning to the roots, with homeland culture and national pride. In the bustling atmosphere of drums and chants on the Kien Giang River, the image of the group of boats turning waves forward affirms the vitality, love for the homeland and the aspiration to rise up of the land rich in revolutionary traditions.
