Can Gio, a coastal commune of Ho Chi Minh City, is known for its vast mangrove forests, the Sac Forest National Historical and Cultural Park, and the Can Thanh communal house. It is also home to the Whale Worship Festival (Nghinh Ong Festival), a captivating annual cultural event.
Whale Worship Ceremony is the most anticipated folk festival for fishermen in Can Gio. (Photo: Hoang Hai/ baovanhoa.vn)
The Whale Worship Festival is an occasion for fishermen to express their faith and pray for calm seas, good weather, good luck, prosperity, and family well-being. The festival is known by various names, such as the “Whale Procession Ceremony,” “Whale Worship Ceremony,” or “Whale God Festival,” all based on the belief that whales are sacred sea creatures and protectors of people at sea.
In Can Gio, the festival was originally held in the third lunar month but since 1914, it has been celebrated in the eighth lunar month, coinciding with the fishermen’s bumper fishing season and the Mid-Autumn Festival. The festival usually lasts three days with main activities taking place at the Whale God Temple and Can Thanh communal house.
Ngo Van Thu, member of the Can Gio Fishing Guild, said: “The Can Gio Whale Worship Festival is a traditional event passed down from our ancestors since ancient times.”
There are many legends about the whale-worshiping belief. Can Gio fishermen consider the whale to be the “God of the Sea,” a divine guardian who protects them at sea. The festival is an occasion to give thanks and pray for a prosperous, safe fishing season.
Can Gio Whale Worship Festival 2025 (Photo: Hoang Hai/ baovanhoa.vn)
Besides similarities to other Whale Worship Festivals in the region, the Can Gio Festival bears strong local aspects of the mangrove region. It’s a time for fishermen to relax and enjoy their harvest, and to honor those who contributed to the fishing industry or lost their lives at sea.
Nguyen Hoai Nhu Y, a resident of Can Gio, said: “Since I was little, my mother always took me to the festival. In the evening, we float lanterns on the sea to welcome the Whale God. The next morning, we join the procession in tribute to the Whale God.”
The solemn ceremony features four key rituals. The Flag Hoisting Ceremony marks the opening of the festival. The Fishermen’s Celebration cheers their achievements over the past year. The Old Friend Worshiping Ceremony and the Peace Prayer Ceremony express gratitude to the Whale God, and pray for a bountiful harvest, peace and happiness.
On the 16th day of the eighth lunar month, the festival’s main event, the Whale Procession Ceremony, takes place at sea in the morning with many residents and visitors gathering in front of the Whale God Temple. The Whale God’s palanquin is carried through the streets to the sea where the worship ceremony is held at the convergence of three waterways. The ceremonial committee conducts solemn rituals such as offering incense, wine, and tea while reading the prayers.
Then, the procession returns to the Whale God Temple amid the sound of drums, gongs, and cheers. At the Temple, people perform martial arts and Tuong classical plays as offerings to the Whale God.
People living along the procession routes set up altars in front of their homes with offerings to welcome blessings from the Whale God. Before the Festival, boats and ships have been repainted and beautifully decorated.
Beautifully decorated boats go to the sea to welcome the Whale God. (Photo: Hoang Hai/baovanhoa.vn)
Nguyen Thi Hanh, a Can Gio woman, said: “The Whale Worship Festival is to pray for favorable weather, abundant catches of shrimp and fish, and good health for all.”
On the third day of the Festival, a grand thanksgiving ceremony to the Whale God is held at the Whale God Temple. Phan Van Chan, a member of the Can Gio Whale Worship Festival Organizing Committee, said: “Each lantern is lit in remembrance of our ancestors, who pioneered in land reclamation, and the fallen soldiers in the two resistance wars, including more than 800 Sac Forest commandos who perished and became part of this land.”
The three-day Can Gio Whale Worship Festival is also an event for Ho Chi Minh City to introduce visitors to the mangrove forests known as the city’s “green lung”.
Vinh Phong