In the Vietnamese culture, whales are sacred, beloved animals.  Whales are honored with the title ngai, which is used for kings and leaders, because whales are believed to be good luck and safety to people who see them, especially fishermen.  That’s why a group of 10 fishing boats spent a day hauling the 15-ton, 52-foot-long whale some 26 miles to shore so he could be given a proper burial.  Thousands are expected to attend the last rites for a whale known as “Your Excellency” when he is given a funeral near the mouth of the Cai Cung River in Bac Lieu.

Not only is Your Excellency getting a burial fit for a king, complete with burning incense, the spot near where he was pulled ashore will be consecrated as holy ground and a temple will be built there, presumably in the whale’s honor.  I’d gather from all this that the Vietnamese aren’t big fans of whaling, despite their reliance on the fishing industry for food and economic stimulation.

Tags: Vietnam, last rites to a whale, Your Excellency, Bac Lieu province, Cai Cung River, thousands gather for whale burial, 52-foot whale given last rites, funeral for a whale, ngai, 15-ton whale given funeral

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