The Ngo boat race on Long Binh river of Tra Vinh province (Photo: VNA) Tra Vinh (VNA) – A Ngo boat race(similar to the sport of dragon boating) took place on Long Binh river of theMekong Delta province of Tra Vinh on November 21, part of the traditional OocOm Bok Festival of the Khmer people.
The race drew the participation of eight teamsfrom Duyen Hai, Tieu Can, Cau Ke, Chau Thanh, Tra Cu, Cau Ngang, and Cang Longdistricts, and Tra Vinh city. The teams, all from Tra Vinh province, competedin three distances of 800m, 600m, and 500m.
The Cang Long district team, which is Tra Vinh’srepresentative in regional boat racing competitions, exhibited its dominance inthe sport by winning gold medals in all three categories.
Director of the provincial Department ofCulture, Sports, and Tourism Duong Hoang Sum said the Ngo boat race is among thetraditional activities of the Khmer people in the annual Ooc Om Bok Festival.
The race conveyed the unity of the Khmer culture,one of the characteristic traits in Vietnam’s southern region and Tra Vinhprovince in particular, he added.
In addition to the Ngo boat race, traditionalart performances and other sports events are also being held during aculture-tourism week and cuisine festival in the Ooc Om Bok Festival in TraVinh, which runs until November 22.
Tra Vinh is home to over 300,000 Khmer ethnicresidents, accounting for nearly 32 percent of the local population. Theprovince boasts 142 Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples.
Ooc Om Bok is one of three main festivals, alongwith Sene Dolta and Chol Chnam Thmay which the Khmer people celebrate everyyear. It has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by theMinistry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
The festival, also called the Festival of MoonWorship, begins around 7-8 pm on the evening of the 14th day of the 10th lunarmonth when the moon’s position is high in the sky. Khmer people celebrateoutdoors or at Khmer pagodas, praying for good luck, happiness, good weather,and bumper crops. –VNA
The race drew the participation of eight teamsfrom Duyen Hai, Tieu Can, Cau Ke, Chau Thanh, Tra Cu, Cau Ngang, and Cang Longdistricts, and Tra Vinh city. The teams, all from Tra Vinh province, competedin three distances of 800m, 600m, and 500m.
The Cang Long district team, which is Tra Vinh’srepresentative in regional boat racing competitions, exhibited its dominance inthe sport by winning gold medals in all three categories.
Director of the provincial Department ofCulture, Sports, and Tourism Duong Hoang Sum said the Ngo boat race is among thetraditional activities of the Khmer people in the annual Ooc Om Bok Festival.
The race conveyed the unity of the Khmer culture,one of the characteristic traits in Vietnam’s southern region and Tra Vinhprovince in particular, he added.
In addition to the Ngo boat race, traditionalart performances and other sports events are also being held during aculture-tourism week and cuisine festival in the Ooc Om Bok Festival in TraVinh, which runs until November 22.
Tra Vinh is home to over 300,000 Khmer ethnicresidents, accounting for nearly 32 percent of the local population. Theprovince boasts 142 Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples.
Ooc Om Bok is one of three main festivals, alongwith Sene Dolta and Chol Chnam Thmay which the Khmer people celebrate everyyear. It has been recognised as a national intangible cultural heritage by theMinistry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
The festival, also called the Festival of MoonWorship, begins around 7-8 pm on the evening of the 14th day of the 10th lunarmonth when the moon’s position is high in the sky. Khmer people celebrateoutdoors or at Khmer pagodas, praying for good luck, happiness, good weather,and bumper crops. –VNA
VNA
