I'm looking at around a hundred mounds rising out of the earth dotted between

wispy pine trees and if I get close written on the headstones is a burial date, the name of a ship and sometimes a captain's name. Incents and flowers are placed right in front of them.

All these graves contain the sacred remains of whales and other large sea creatures that have died on these shores.

And this temple behind me is a place dedicated to whale veneration.

This is the documentary from the BBC World Service.

I'm Eliza Lomas, and in this episode of Heart and Soul

which explores spirituality from around the world,

we meet the world worshipers of Vietnam. An elderly man with few teeth and some missing fingers sits

peacefully on a bench in the shade, chain smoking.

My interpreter Lam and I wander over to join him.

Can you introduce yourself?

I'll tell you.

I can't go. Can we go and mow, we can't be here. My name is Chenbrenköh, I was born in my family.

My name is Chen Wenkö. I was born in 1946. I am 78 years old now. My entire life, I was a fisherman.

My entire life I was a fisherman.

I retired 12 years ago when my kids grew up and they could take care of me.

I'm 78 years old, I cannot do anything.

Can you tell me what do you do here?

Where are we now?

We are now?

We are a nahmahai.

So we are at Nablenam-hi, a grey yard of the world in Bazi of Uukdao province.

...