The first in a series of posts about Jeju Island’s death deities. Here I present the basic plot points of the Chasa myth. As with all oral myths on the island, a slightly different version is told in each village. These posts are intended to be expanded upon and will eventually contain transcriptions and video…
Tag: Traditional Culture
Jeju’s Deities 3: The Door God
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…
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…
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,…
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.
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 