Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang - A Must-See Soc Trang Festival
The Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang is an incredibly unique and distinctive event in this area. If you happen to be traveling to Soc Trang during the time of this festival, it's something you definitely shouldn't miss out on. And now, let's explore together with Vietnam Budget Car Rental to see what exciting things you can discover with an event like this.
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When is there the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang?
Both land-based and water-based races are held at the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang. After the Water Lantern Floating Ceremony, Lôi Prôtip, which takes place every year from October to November, the most-anticipated event is the underground Ghe Ngo Boat Race. The Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival has two parts: the launching event and the race itself, which takes place on the Maspéro River in the middle of Soc Trang City.
What is the definition of “Ghe Ngo”?
People in Soc Trang use the Ghe Ngo, which is called Tuk Ngô in Khmer, to race during the Ok Om Bok Festival to ask for a good year of farming and raising animals.
The Khmer Ghe Ngo was a one-of-a-kind boat made from the trunk of the sao tree in the past. This type of wood was chosen because it is very flexible, doesn't absorb water, and helps the boat move faster through the waves. The sao wood that was used to build the boat had to come from a tree that was more than 100 years old and had a big, strong base. But because this wood is hard to find these days, most Ghe Ngo are made from sao wood that has been cut into pieces.
In Hinduism, the Ghe Ngo is like the Naga snake. It is about 25 to 30 metres long and 1.1 metres wide at its widest point. The boat's two ends curve up, making it look like a snake moving on the water. On both sides of the boat, there are detailed carvings of dragon scales, Naga serpents, or stylized leaves and flowers that give it a powerful look for the racing team.
In the past, the Ghe Ngo were kept on the grounds of temples, shaded and on high platforms to keep them safe from rain, sun, and bugs. Women were not allowed to go near the boat houses in the past because they were seen as holy. But now that men and women have the same rights, the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang has grown to include female teams.
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The Origin of the Ghe Ngo Boat Racing Festival in Soc Trang
Every year, on the 15th day of the 10th lunar month, after the Moon Worship Festival, the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang is held. It is thought to be a unique water procession practice that has a lot to do with farming. The Khmer people pray for a good farming year by racing boats.
Khmer Ghe Ngo racing has two different forms: racing on land and racing underwater. The land-based Ghe Ngo races are mostly meant to imitate and repeat the underwater boat race. They are a fun activity to do after the traditional ceremonies.
The story goes that Ghe Ngo came into being to help with fighting on the sea and rivers. The Khmer people built a long, thin boat with an upward-curved front that made it easier to move through rivers to fight enemies.
The Khmer people were able to protect their country with this kind of boat. They've held Ghe Ngo boat races for generations as part of the Ok Om Bok holiday to remember the brave actions of their ancestors.
The Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang may have also come about because the Khmer people used the shape of the Naga serpent to fight water monsters when they were exploring the Southern area.
The Significance of the Ghe Ngo Boat Racing Festival in Soc Trang
There is a lot of history, culture, and faith connected to the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang. Many people pray to the Moon God and hold boat races to show that they want a peaceful and successful life. In addition, the celebration shows the close connection between people and nature by showing appreciation and asking for spiritual forgiveness for actions that hurt the environment.
Also, the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang is a big part of community life. It teaches people about teamwork, control, and endurance, which helps them grow in all areas, including their moral and physical development.
The preparation steps for the Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang
1. The Ghe Ngo Water Release Ceremony
A week or so before the main race, the Ghe Ngo water release ritual is held. For the event, the Ghe Ngo boat is put in the middle of the temple courtyard so that it faces the sunrise. Athletes stand around it and pray with their hands clasped together. Before the competition, the Achars bless the team members and sprinkle them with holy water to bring them peace and make them stronger and more religious.
2. Team Division for Racing
Athletes train on the boat for a week before the race to make sure they are flexible, strong, and work well with others. Each swimming team is usually made up of 70 to 80 strong men from the area who swim both regularly and as backups.
Traditionally, the Ghe Ngo boat needs three controllers. The person sitting at the front of the boat is in charge of instructing the swimmers on how to swim and other routines related to swimming. To get the people in the middle of the boat, called Blong Kchay, to move, someone in the middle blows a whistle or plays a drum. The guy in the back, whose name is Sayak, changes how the swimmers move.
Behind the person in front of the boat, there is a pair of "con dam," or people who can swim quickly and in sync with each other. They set the pace for those behind them. The "kon chro va", which has six swimmers, comes next. The "ko lich", which has 28 kneeling swimmers, makes power to move the boat faster towards the finish line. Then there are eight "sroong don," which set the beat of the swimming. Finally, there is the main helmsman, who is standing alone, with two junior helmsmen standing next to him.
3. The Process of Ghe Ngo Racing
At the temple, by the river, or at the community centre, racing teams hold a ritual the morning before the race. Before the Ghe Ngo boats get to the race site, the teams that are going to be there meet at the grandstand to get their pre-drawn race schedules. The boat racing event lasts for two days and has both qualifying races and the finals. Each team follows a set race plan that starts around 7:30 am to account for rising water levels after 1:00 pm.
The organising group says that the men's boats must hold a rope at the start, while the women's boats must line up so that their front tips are level. If a boat breaks the rules, the referee stops the race for a short time, warns the boat, and then leads it back to the starting point. If you break the rules again, you will be disqualified. The teams can only start racing when the judge says "go."
Teams need to be strong, have a lot of stamina, and be well-led in order to make it to the finals. When they do good things for their town and everyone in it, that's the best spiritual reward they can get.
The Ghe Ngo Boat Race Festival in Soc Trang is a traditional Khmer event that has a lot to do with farming and has great spiritual and cultural meaning. Because this holiday has a lot of significance, Vietnam Budget Car Rental is sure that this will be a great place for people who like lively atmospheres to visit.
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