Fish - Praying Ceremony

Organized regularly every year in Phu Yen coastal areas belonging to the Song Cau district, Tuy An district, Tuy Hoa district and Tuy Hoa town – where most of the inhabitants live on fishery, the ceremonies are held in lunar March when fishermen are preparing for the main fishing season in a year.

The purpose of the ceremony is to offer sacrifices to the local ancient sages and the God of the Ocean, praying for the calm, quiet sea and the boats full of fish. There are always two parts in this ceremony, the ceremony and the festival. The ceremony is held with many serious and solemn rites at the temple of the village, commune like: food – offering ceremony, oration – reading ceremony, sacred dancing styles, songs for fishing (Ba Trao singing) . . . The festival is the reception, classical and traditional folk games.

The nature of the fish – praying ceremony is that it is the place for the local people to meet, talk, and participate in many cultural activities. The ceremony attracts not only people in the neighborhoods but also people from afar.