Have you heard to sacrificial rite for big fish catch? It exists in Korea we call it  'Poong-u-jae'. Each village in Korea has special belief, people believes their god defends their house, takes care of people in village and protects the village as a favor. It is called 'Village Belief' in folklore. In terms of village is the place where people live together and it is a very important for life community in traditional society.

Consequently, it is obvious why the village is so important in folklore. Because folklore is the study about the life of the populaces. The village has social, economic and religious meanings to the people who lives in there. These people can be related as kinship or neighborhood.

 Village belief shows people's desire of peaceful life. Because village belief is important for the interaction of people. If you want to know about Korea, I recommend you might be to go for rural rather than urban. Because the traditional culture you are looking for is remaining more in rural. You will find the unique Korean culture which is different from other country's.


Leaving for traditional village.....
The New Year's Day of this year's(the Korean largest festive day, Jan. 31. 2006 by lunar time) had much shorter holidays than other years. I thought, how I was going to have a good time. I determined to leave for traditional village. I left with my camera by shoulder. There were only a few cars on the dawn expressway. It was very quiet and foggy dawn. As soon as I arrived in village, I could witness the slaughter of cow. The scene was quite cruel but once I thought of its holy meaning that made me solemn.


'Hwang-Island Boong-gi Sacrificial Rite For Big Catch' is...
Hwang-Island belongs to 'Tae-an District' and links to 'An-myun Island' now. Most of farming area is dry patch which is covered with barley. When barley is ripe the land looks yellow. That is the reason why this land is called "Hwang".

Hwang means yellow color. Once a year, they gathered together, people conduct a rite for a good haul of fish and pray for an accident-free year when they go out to sea to catch fish. That is called 'Hwang-Island Boong-gi Poong-u-jae'. Boong-gi is the flag wishes a plenty of fish. 'Poong-u-jae' means sacrificial rite for big fish catch.


Why are they going a sacrificial rite?
Village belief is the ceremony of everyone's desire. 'Hwang-Island Boong-gi Poong-u-jae' can be understood in a same way. Since they work in dangerous environment such as rough sea, they have special faith. That faith is showed as sacrificial rite.


There is a distinguishable difference in Korean village belief. It is they pray for everyone's desire, not the individual's. This is the good example of community awareness. Village belief links to personal belief. Therefore they will pray for their family in the end. Our traditional culture teaches many things to us, specially today world which is full of selfishness. I think that to make a better world we should think not only me but also us.

저작권자 © 중앙헤럴드 무단전재 및 재배포 금지