Pormoting value of salanganest nest festival

Khanh Hoa Province still preserves many traditional festivals that represent the unique culture of local people. Among these traditional festivals, salanganest nest festival, formed over 230 years ago, is still organized regularly by the people working in salanganest nest industry on lunar May 10. Following the direction of the Provincial People's Committee, the province’s cultural sector is cooperating with other units to prepare documents to propose the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognize the salanganest nest festival as national intangible cultural heritage.

Salanganest nest festival is organized annually on Hon Noi Island

Historical records indicate that the salanganest nest industry in Khanh Hoa began almost 700 years ago, when Tran Dynasty Admiral Le Van Dat discovered and initiated harvesting on the salanganest islands near Hon Tre Island. In Bich Dam fishing village (Vinh Nguyen Ward, Nha Trang City), he is venerated and worshipped in the village's communal house; salanganest nest workers regards him as the ancestor of salanganest nest industry in Khanh Hoa. Currently, in Bich Dam residential group, there is still an ancient temple, which is believed to built to worship Le Thi Huyen Tram, Grand Admiral of Tay Son Naval, daughter of Le Van Quang (21st generation descendant of Admiral Le Van Dat).

With the expansion of salanganest nest community, the salanganest nest festival has also grown in scale. The festival remains a tribute to the industry’s ancestors and is traditionally held on Hon Noi Island as a way to reinforce the community's responsibility in preserving and promoting the industry.

Proposed to be recognized as national intangible cultural heritage

In January, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee issued a document directing the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to cooperate with Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company and other agencies, units and localities to prepare documents for proposal on the recognition of the salanganest nest festival as national intangible cultural heritage.

According to Le Van Hoa, Deputy Director of the Provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, over the years, Khanh Hoa Salanganes Nest Company has implemented many works such as researching the history of those who have contributed to the salanganes nest industry; restoring and honoring temples dedicated to industry’s ancestors and other important figures; making Hon Noi Island a place of pilgrimage for people working in salanganes nest industry in particular and sea industry in general; and reviving traditional ceremonies related to the salanganes nest industry. The department is currently cooperating with the relevant units to prepare documents to propose the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recognize the salanganest nest festival as national intangible cultural heritage. Reportedly, the knowledge of exploiting and processing Khanh Hoa salanganes nests was inscribed on list of national intangible cultural heritages on December 10, 2024.

In the planned program for Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Sea Festival 2025, the salanganes nest festival will be organized on a big scale in order to showcase this unique traditional festival to a wide range of domestic and international visitors.

Giang Dinh
Translated by H.N