Every year during the Lunar New Year (Tết), the people of Phu Quy Island eagerly organize the Spring Boat Racing Festival. This is a traditional celebration held annually on the fourth day of Tết, attracting widespread interest and participation from nearly all residents of the island.

The boat racing festival is a meaningful cultural activity designed to create a joyful and festive atmosphere after a year of hard work. As a locality whose economy mainly relies on fishing, the festival also holds symbolic significance—”Clearing the waters with the hope of favorable winds and calm seas in the new year. The village that wins the race is believed to have a year of prosperity and good fortune,” shared Mr. Phạm Phước from Tam Thanh Commune.

From conversations with locals, I learned that preparations begin in early December (lunar calendar), when villagers gather to decorate their racing boats, devise strategies, assess the strengths and weaknesses of other villages’ boats, and recruit young men aged 18 to 35 to start training. Phú Quý consists of 10 hamlets across three communes, with each hamlet forming a racing team. Each team can have up to 18 members, including 2 helmsmen and 16 rowers.

Traditionally, the main race is held at Lạch Doi Dừa Beach, located in Quý Thạnh Hamlet, Ngũ Phụng Commune. In the days leading up to the event, the teams transport their boats to this area for training. The beach is shielded from strong winds at this time of year, making it an ideal location for practice and for familiarizing with the racecourse.

What started as a small-scale competition to provide entertainment for local residents has, over time, grown into a major traditional festival. Today, the boat racing festival in Phú Quý not only brings joy and expresses hopes for favorable weather in the new year, but it also carries a greater significance—it reflects the solidarity and strength of local fishermen, and their enduring spirit to conquer the vast seas.

Thành Danh

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