Ghe Trăng - Lunar Boat
Category: Accessories
Competitions: Vietnam
The Óoc Om Bóc Festival of the Khmer community is a distinctive cultural space where the Moon Worship ritual. I took my main inspiration from Đua Ghe Ngo (traditional Vietnamese boat racing) and Thả đèn nước (releasing lanterns on water at night), incorporating patterns inspired by the boats themselves and a color palette reflecting both day and night. The Moon Worship Ceremony (Óoc Om Bóc) takes place on the night before the full moon of the Ka-đâk month (the 15th day of the tenth lunar month), marking the end of the rainy season and the beginning of the harvest period. At the same time, the traditional Ngo boat race is held, with the participation of teams from across the Mekong Delta. Within the festival, Ngo boat racing carries both ritual and communal significance, taking place in family or pagoda settings as well as in lively competitions on the Sáng Canal. “Tuk Ngô” (Ngo boat) originates from dugout canoes made from sao wood. In the past, villagers performed rituals to the forest guardian spirit (Neak ta Prey ph’nôm) before felling the trees. The logs were then transported to the river, bound into rafts, and floated downstream before being carved, hollowed, and shaped into boats. Over time, the design evolved, with extended, curved bow and stern; today, the boats measure approximately 30–31 meters in length. Each racing team typically consists of 70–80 members, including both main and reserve rowers, selected from strong young men within the community. Rooted in the belief that deities protect humans while humans may inadvertently offend them, the Khmer people hold these annual rituals to express gratitude and seek forgiveness. The Moon Worship ceremony, floating lanterns, sky lantern releases, and Ngo boat racing together honor the Water and Earth deities, reflect appreciation for nature, and strengthen community bonds. Why “Lunar Boat”? — The boat serves as the core motif, while “lunar” refers to Trăng (moon in Vietnamese), inspired by the diacritic “Ă,” which resembles a crescent moon and echoes the silhouette of a Ngo boat. Most importantly, it is embedded in “Sóc Trăng” — my hometown. Today, the Khmer Ngo boat racing festival has been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage.
