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| Incense palanquin. Wood, fabric. Kinh people; Man Thai Ward, Danang; 2000. Made by Pham Van Cho and Dang Van Kha |
The fishermen of Vietnam’s south and central coast honor "Sir Fish," the spirit of the whale, who protects them as they head out to sea. Ngu Ong, as he is called, may calm the waves, quiet the wind or lead endangered sailors home to port. The whale itself is revered as well: the people do not hunt these animals and attend carefully to those that have died natural deaths. Deceased whales are buried, and after three to five years, the people dig up the bones, shroud them and carry them to the temple to be worshipped, as if the animal were a beloved community god.
The Cau Ngu festival has marked the opening of the spring fishing season in this region for centuries. Local gods as well as Buddha and the souls of drowned sailors are among those invited to gather in Sir Fish’s temple. The celebration includes folk games and songs celebrating the virtues of Sir Fish and the life of a fisherman.
"Because we fishermen go to sea, facing the winds and waves, we attach great importance to honoring Sir Fish."
–Tran Van Tan, Man Thai Ward, Danang
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