Place: Lang Ong Temple, Nha Trang City
Time: The ceremony takes place on Spring (Xuan te) and August (Thu te). Long ago, fishermen said that whale is one of good fish which often helps them when they are in offshore accidents of storm. Because of this reason, many legends about Mr. Whale had been told from this generation to the other generation.
A legend about Mr. Whale connected to Nguyen Anh who was saved by Mr. Whale from wrecked ship when he was at sea. Whale was regarded as the most important fish. After being crowned, Emperor Gia Long had given Mr. Whale a title “Nam Hai Cu toc ngoc lan Thuong Dang Than”.
The next Nguyen Emperors had given him the tile: “Dai cang quoc gia Nam Hai”. Believe to his help, fishermen worship him with respectably. They avoid calling him the name “Ca Voi” but the name of “Ca Ong” or “Ong Nam Hai” is often used. They built temple to worship him. Inside the temple on the alter a box of whale’s bone (called Ngoc Cot) worshiped here. Every year, fishermen organize a ceremony to dedicate him on the day they received the dead whale.
The ceremony takes place on spring (Xuan te) and August (Thu te). Worshipping Cau Ngu Festival organizes on the fishing season every year. The worship ceremony likes Communal House ritual. The ritual is finished by Ba Trao dancing and started to Chau song performance (it may last 5-7 days).
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