Week of the Korean Typhoons...
August 5
I stayed close to home this weekend due to the flooding
caused by typhoons. I also got to go to Sevrance Hospital
to have my ear looked at ... It was a only an external
ear infection, so I got some drops and it has pretty
well cleared up by now. Now for the fun:
A visitor who joined us to get out of the rain
Minsoek Ch'oen
When the skies cleared I traveled 30 km south to a place near Suwon to see a villiage of the mid-19th century... a "Korean Folk Villiage"This is a custom of the Shamanistic times where
the strips of white tell you that this is something
special. Adding a rock to pile allows you to make a
wish. I wished that I could learn Korean!
Some friendlier than usually totem poles defend
the folk villiage. Most towns would have a wood
or stone defender.
A novel solution for bedwetters: The bedwetter is
cast out of the home wearing this on their head
(actully used for thrashing and hauling too) with a
bowl. He would then beg for salt from the neighbors
until the bedwetter is welcomed back into the home!
Our guide explained that the cleanliness of the kim-chi lid is bound to put you in good favor with the matchmaker. Even today at least half of all weddings are arranged.
This is traditionally the women's secret place if she
needed to cry in secret.
A traditional game... sort of like Korean style
"Horseshoes" where you need to try to throw the
stick into the jar or one of the loops of the jar.
This man is wearing traditional working cothes
as he is doing a traditional job: working with bamboo.
In addition to matts, they made open pillow-looking
objects to sleep with to keep cool by increasing
ventaliation..they call them "Madam Bamboo"
A fully manual Rice cooker...
Don't worry: this isn't childrearing practice!
This is a public punishment for criminals.
This woman is making paper. Unlike the Japanese
who make their paper from rice, the Koreans
use mulberry plants, and the paper is much more
durable.
Recognize anyone you know?
Working with brass...
It is easy to spot a crane here in Korea.
These dancers were terriffic! The streamers are
attached to their hats and rotate 360 degrees. They
control the streamers by moving their heads!
There are few who can do this style of tight rope
act! At one point he tore his trousers, but he
never fell down!
They reenact a tradidtional wedding ceremony (complete
with a live chicken wrapped in a scarf) and a bride
(which we presume is blushing-- she hides her
face througout the ceremony. Even today more than
half have arranged marriages, and less than 4%
divorce. The average age of the groom is 30 and the
average age for a bride is 26.
