The Ok Om Bok Festival, also known as the Moon Worshiping Festival, is one of the most significant cultural events of the Khmer people in Southern Vietnam. It takes place during the full moon of the 10th lunar month. This festival is not only an occasion to give thanks to the Moon God for favorable weather and bountiful harvests but also an opportunity for the community to bond and express their unique cultural identity through traditional rituals and especially the exciting Ngo boat race.
Origin and Spiritual Significance of the Ok Om Bok Festival
According to Khmer beliefs, the Moon God is a powerful deity who controls the weather and seasons, bringing prosperity to life. The Ok Om Bok Festival is held at the end of the harvest season as a profound expression of gratitude to the Moon God. On the full moon night of the 10th lunar month, people gather at pagodas or in their yards to perform worship rituals. Young sticky rice is processed into flattened rice flakes (Cốm Dẹp), along with fruits and other produce, becoming offerings to the deities.
Khmer people prepare quite simple offerings, mainly local products from their gardens such as taro, cassava, fresh coconut, bananas, and cakes made from flour. Among these, Cốm Dẹp (flattened rice flakes) is an indispensable offering, made from just-ripe sticky rice grains, roasted until fragrant and then flattened. All offerings are beautifully arranged on a table placed in the yard. Under the moonlight, everyone prays together, giving thanks to the deities. Monks chant prayers for peace and bestow blessings upon everyone.
Ok Om Bok ritual – Moon worship of Khmer people in Southern Vietnam
The most important ritual is feeding cốm dẹp. Monks, Achar (ritual guides), respected community members, or the eldest in the family take handfuls of cốm dẹp and feed them to young children, gently patting their backs to wish them success. After the rituals, the offering table is taken down, and everyone gathers to enjoy the food, symbolizing receiving blessings from the Moon God and expressing solidarity and unity.
Ngo Boat Race: Symbol of Strength and Martial Spirit
While the moon worship ceremony is a ritual to thank the deities, the Ngo boat race signifies sending off the Water God after a year of granting bountiful harvests. Ngo boats are not merely means of transportation but also cultural and religious symbols of the Khmer people. The Ngo boat race is a highly communal sport, demonstrating the bond between members of villages and hamlets.
The Ngo boat race usually lasts for 3-4 hours, attracting enthusiastic cheers from a large audience. The constant shouts and cheers create a lively and bustling festival atmosphere.
Ok Om Bok ritual – Moon worship of Khmer people in Southern Vietnam
During the Ok Om Bok festival, many localities in Soc Trang also organize cultural and artistic activities, sports, trade fairs, and traditional folk performances, attracting a large number of tourists to visit and experience.
Entertainment Activities During the Ok Om Bok Festival
In addition to the solemn rituals, the Ok Om Bok festival is also held at pagodas and villages with lively and joyful festivities, fostering a strong sense of community. Many activities such as floating water lanterns, folk games, and art performances attract many people to join in the fun with traditional songs and dances under the full moon, in joy and peace after a good harvest.
- Floating Water Lanterns: Lanterns are released into the river, carrying wishes for a peaceful and happy new year.
- Folk Games: Traditional games like tug-of-war, stick pushing, and clog racing create a joyful and exciting atmosphere.
- Art Performances: Unique Khmer cultural performances are presented, attracting a large audience.
- Street Food: Visitors have the opportunity to enjoy specialties of Soc Trang, such as Bun Nuoc Leo (noodle soup), Banh Pia (pía cake), and Cốm Dẹp (flattened rice flakes).
Ok Om Bok Festival – Pride of the Khmer People in Southern Vietnam
The Ok Om Bok – Ngo boat race festival of the Khmer people is the pride of the Southwestern community, recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2015. The Ok Om Bok – Ngo boat race festival in Soc Trang province has set a Vietnam record since 2005 for the largest number of boats and athletes participating. In even-numbered years, the Ok Om Bok – Ngo boat race festival of Soc Trang province is organized at the regional level or combined within the framework of the Khmer Ethnic Culture, Sports and Tourism Festival in Southern Vietnam.
Comrade Lam Van Man, Member of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Soc Trang Provincial Party Committee, emphasized that the Ok Om Bok – Ngo boat race festival is always organized and maintained annually by the Central and Provincial governments to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the Khmer people in Soc Trang in particular and the Khmer people in the Mekong Delta region in general. This demonstrates the care and attention of all levels and sectors to the spiritual life of the Khmer ethnic people; it is an opportunity for people to showcase and exchange unique cultural and artistic performances of artists and artisans along with the traditional Ngo boat race.
Soc Trang: An Attractive Destination During the Ok Om Bok Festival Season
With the theme “Soc Trang – Aspiring to Reach Further,” the Ok Om Bok – Ngo boat race festival in Soc Trang province is held at the provincial level, lasting for three days, from November 25th to 27th, in Soc Trang city, Soc Trang province. The festival includes main activities: Southern Khmer Television Singing Festival; art photo exhibition; trade promotion fair for OCOP products and regional specialties – Soc Trang 2023; “Flavors of Soc Trang” street food festival for the 5th time in 2023; trade conference, connecting supply and demand of goods in Soc Trang province; Guinness Vietnam record setting for the largest painting in Vietnam made from ST rice; performance (floating water lanterns) – Ca Hau boat; opening of the Ngo boat race; moon worship ceremony…
The Soc Trang Provincial Ngo boat race in 2023 saw the participation of 46 boat teams from Soc Trang province and other regional provinces registered to participate; including 6 women’s Ngo boat teams. Soc Trang province alone had 35 men’s Ngo boat teams and 3 women’s Ngo boat teams participating in the race.
Conclusion
The Ngo boat race festival of the Khmer people in Southern Vietnam is not only a unique cultural event but also a symbol of solidarity, martial spirit, and gratitude to nature. This is an opportunity for everyone to have fun, relax, and at the same time preserve and promote good traditional cultural values. If you have the chance to visit the Mekong Delta during the Ok Om Bok festival season, do not miss the opportunity to immerse yourself in the bustling and exciting atmosphere and discover the unique features of Khmer culture.