On the morning of August 2nd, hundreds of people and fishermen participated in the procession of Order Ông Sanh on the roads along the Ca Ty River, Phan Thiet ward (Lam Dong province), opening a series of traditional rituals of the 2026 Cau Ngu Festival.
For fishermen in the coastal area of Phan Thiet, the Le Roi Lenh Ong Sanh procession is one of the most sacred rituals of the Cau Ngu Festival. The ritual expresses the belief in worshiping Ca Ong, sending wishes for smooth sailing trips, full of fish and shrimp, and at the same time praying for national peace and prosperity, favorable weather.
From early morning, the train carrying the offerings and offerings departed from Phan Thiet transport port to Hon Lao, about 3 km from the shore to perform traditional rituals. After the sea procession, the train returned to Con Cha port, joining the procession to Van Thuy Tu in the bustling sound of gongs and drums.
The procession gathered hundreds of people in traditional fishermen's costumes, carrying flags, five-element flags, incense altars and offerings. The image of the procession stretching through the riverside streets created a solemn atmosphere, imbued with the cultural identity of Phan Thiet coastal village.
Mr. Pham Tieu, Deputy Head of Van Dinh Ong Co, said that the procession of Lenh Ong Sanh is a ritual to bring the soul, the symbol of Ca Ong from the sea to Lang Van to carry out rituals. This is a religious activity preserved by the fishing community through many generations, expressing gratitude to the guardian god of fishermen and sending faith in favorable fishing seasons.
According to Mr. Dao Quang Thanh, Vice Chairman of Phan Thiet Ward People's Committee, the locality identifies preserving traditional cultural values of fishermen as one of the important tasks. Therefore, the festival is organized with full traditional rituals, with the participation of management boards, artisans, elderly people and the fishing community.
A noteworthy point is that many union members and young people are also given the opportunity to directly participate in the festival activities. Through this, the young generation has the opportunity to learn about the customs and rituals of their ancestors, contributing to inheriting and preserving the beauty of religious culture that has existed for hundreds of years in the Phan Thiet sea area.
Not only carrying spiritual meaning, the Cau Ngu Festival also becomes a bridge between tradition and modernity, contributing to promoting the cultural life of the fishing community to tourists. Unique rituals and festival spaces imbued with the characteristics of a coastal village have created more attraction for local cultural tourism.
The Cau Ngu Festival was included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage List by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism from 2019. To date, the festival is still preserved intact by the fishing community, becoming an indispensable part of the cultural and religious life of coastal residents.
