Visitors to Jeju, having read their guidebooks or perhaps having been indoctrinated by local English-language tourist pamphlets, may come to island with the misconception that the people of Jeju worship the famed goddess of Halla Mountain, Seulmundae Grandmother, as a central deity. The legend of Seulmundae is certainly a beautiful and comic one (comedy and…
Tag: Shamanism
Jeju Island’s Deities 2: “The Yowang” Jeju Island’s Grandfather God of the Sea
The Yowang (‘Sea God’ or ‘Sea King’) is one of the most commonly worshipped deities on Jeju Island. Women divers, whose profession is a perilous one, and fishermen alike, honor the god at shrines across the island. The Yowang is both worshipped at shrines and in Buddhist rituals. Shamans perform the ‘Yowang Maji’ (the greeting…
Photo Book On Jeju Island’s Shamanic Shrines Now Available For Order!!!
I’ve been working hard with some great people on my photo book on Jeju’s shamanic shrines.
Jeju’s Deities 1: Kameunjangagi, Goddess of Fate
The first in a series of posts about Jeju’s major deities. The some dozen Ilban Bonpuli, or epic myths tell how Jeju’s deities came to play their current roles in the island’s cosmology. These epics are sung during rituals as well as portrayed during ‘nolli‘, dramatic reenactments that take place during major rites. The epics are sung,…
Village Grandmothers Return to Pray at Desecrated Sulsaemit Shrine
Sulsaemit shrine has been thoroughly cleaned by Jeju locals and expats, an event organized by the new activist group the ‘Senjari Rangers’. Last night, on the traditional ceremonial date, January 7th by the lunar calendar, at least one elderly worshipper attended the shrine and left an offering to the village’s tutelary gods, Grandmother Go, Grandfather…
Sulsaemit Shrine First Victory/ Surprising Advice from Great Shaman
Sulsaemit Shrine, the shamanic shrine that was deliberately desecrated last year on Jeju Island, South Korea is now clean thanks to the efforts of the some seventeen participants. It’s been just over a week since the call to action to restore the shrine to its prior condition and we can already celebrate an initial victory….
Interview With Willow Paule about the Spirits Project
Willow Paule interviewed me about my work on the practice of shamanism on Jeju Island and my documentary Spirits which is about the generation of people who still worship devotedly at Jeju’s some 400 shrines. You can further explore Willow Paule’s work on Indonesia and her upcoming work on prison systems at her Facebook page.
The ‘Senjari Rangers’, protectors of shrines. FUNDRAISING PART 2
Some photos from today’s meeting. Local Jeju citizens and expats gathered to start creating the bracelets made from the desecrated holy trees of Sulsaemit shrine. We’re on course to rebuild Sulsaemit shrine, restoring a small part of Jeju Island’s deeper identity and possibly delivering some elderly members of the local community from yet another heartbreak….
Rebuilding Sulsaemit Shrine PART 1
14 months ago a shamanistic shrine was desecrated on Jeju Island, South Korea. Today, a group of Jeju natives and outsiders began the rebuilding process.
The ‘Senjari Rangers’, protectors of shrines FUNDRAISING PART 1
Today the Senjari Rangers began fashioning bracelets to aid in the effort to rebuild Sulsaemit Shrine. Tomorrow we start the process of cleaning out the shrine. Several fundraising ideas are in the works and further planning for the actual reconstruction of the shrine will happen as these get under way. Sen jari is an expression in Jeju-eo, the Unesco-recognized, endangered,…
Isn’t It Time to Talk About the Desecrated Shrine at Juksung? Jeju Island, South Korea.
Fourteen months ago a shamanistic shrine in Juksung Village, Jeju Island, South Korea was deliberately desecrated. Lunar January, the ceremonial period when the elderly make offerings is about 6 weeks away. So far, there have been no efforts to repair the shrine and little media coverage. I interviewed locals over the period of a year. I will be telling their story as part of a new edit of my documentary project on Jeju Island’s shrines.
“설새밋당은 이대로 사라지는가?” Isn’t It Time to Talk About the Desecrated Shrine at Juksung? (Korean Version)
Having spent two years exploring what role Jeju’s shrines play in the lives of island residents, there was no way I was going to leave these questions unanswered. I, too, like many islanders, both religious and secular, who heard news of the destruction, was offended to my core for reasons I will elaborate on.
pagans we are 