Five of Korea’s UNESCO-registered intangible cultural heritages will be brought to life on stage as part of a series of performances every Saturday throughout October.
The National Intangible Heritage Center, part of the Cultural Heritage Administration (CHA), will put on shows that cover, in order, the practice of making and sharing kimchi, known as kimjang (김장), the traditional folk performance of Namsadang nori (남사당놀이), or the “all-male vagabond clown theater,” the traditional juldarigi tug of war (줄다리기), the Cheoyongmu (처용무, 處容舞) mask dance, and, lastly, gagok (가곡 歌曲) lyric song cycles accompanied by an orchestra.
A set of Saturday shows to be held throughout October at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, Jeollabuk-do Province, will begin with a show that’s all about the making and sharing of kimchi, known as kimjang. Pictured are smiling people making kimchi during the 2014 Seoul Kimchi Making & Sharing Festival in Seoul.
Under the title “Kimjang, the Making and Sharing of Kimchi,” the first show on Oct. 8 will delve into the traditions surrounding kimjang that have been handed down from generation to generation over the decades. The practice was included on UNESCO’s list of intangible cultural heritage items in 2013. The stage performance will include a traditional pansori epic singer performing songs related to the spicy fermented cabbage and Korean cuisine more broadly.
Han Bok-sun, an expert who has studied Korean food and especially royal Joseon cuisine, will talk about the way in which ancient people made kimchi together and shared it with their neighbors. Prior to the show, kimchi samples, including kimchi sandwiches and kimchi canapé, will be on offer.
On Oct. 15, a group of male percussionists will perform a Namsadang nori, a tradition inscribed in 2009. They will reenact folk performances done by wandering performing artists during Joseon times, including a samulnoripercussion show, a mask dance, a puppet show, some tightrope walking and a bowl-spinning dance.
A traditional juldarigi tug of war will be performed on stage on Oct. 22, part of a series of month-long Saturday shows hosted by the National Intangible Heritage Center.
The Oct. 22 performance will focus on the juldarigi tug of war that would involve whole communities as they prayed for a good harvest. Listed at UNESCO only last year, the practice represents a sense of unity and belonging among communities. The upcoming show will weave a tale of the time-honored practice as a play. A group will then perform a tug of war that originated in the village of Gijisi-ri in Dangjin-gun County, Chungcheongnam-do Province.
The wrap-up show will be a rendition of a royal Joseon dance on Oct. 29. Court families would have five male dancers at royal banquets dressed in five colors — white, blue, black, red and yellow — as they perform the cheyongmu mask dance. The dance was performed to dispel evil spirits and to pray for tranquility at court. The royal dance will come to life on stage alongside traditional gagok lyrical songs. The songs will be sung by male and female singers accompanied by profound tunes played by a small orchestral ensemble of traditional instruments. The mask dance and the lyrical songs were listed at UNESCO in 2009 and 2010, respectively.
More information about the Saturday shows can be found at www.nihc.go.kr.
The traditional Namsadang nori folk performance, a UNESCO-listed intangible cultural heritage item since 2009, will be staged on Oct. 15 this year.
By Sohn JiAe
Korea.net Staff Writer
Photos: Jeon Han Korea.net Photographer, the National Museum of Korea
jiae5853@korea.kr
