Click here (YouTube) to watch a short but fascinating video featuring a Korean shaman (mudang) exorcism...
What dramatic actions/behaviors does the mudang undertake? What might these signify symbolically? What are your observations regarding the sensory surroundings of this ritual? Does this spiritual encounter entail a commercial aspect?
6 comments:
Interesting video.
The place was very colorful and bright plus extremely loud. As in a way to completely confuse the spirit. The mudang moved very quickly. Basically everything was a blur. Yes it did look like a show/performance. Did it look real? Not really.
Lisa
I am curious why it seems to be that many shamanic rituals employ the use of rhythm -- in music, in drums, in dance. I also wonder what about this particular ritual the Korean people find convincing that the spirit was truly exorcised. There was a lot of circling and twirling too, and the robes emphasized that. It was probably very warm in that room/tent since there was a fan there. Definitely a sensory saturation/overload shamanic ritual.
-- Sydney
The description under the video says that there was a ghost of a dead relative inside the man that needed to be exorcised. The actions the shaman is doing indicate she is "beating" the spirit out of him. The sounds are loud and startling and the colours are very bright. On a sensory level, this would likely be overwhelming.
Lauren Cavanagh
As all else have explained, the shaman was gesturing to beat the spirit out of the man being exorcised. The stabbing motions would clearly indicate such. The music being played in the background is loud and rather overwhelming. In terms of commercial aspects - they are present to a certain degree. The shaman was dressed in special robes, the musicians were all centered around the man and the shaman - almost like a stage - and the gestures were dramatic. If not commercial, these different components of the ceremony are highly performative.
Sophie
I felt that although interesting this looked very much like a show for the audience instead of an actual religious ritual. I would have been concerned to be the participant because one slip and I might be meeting my dead relative instead of excorcising them.
Bob
I interpreted the "shaman's" actions as being some sort of stabbing motion to attack whatever they were trying to get out. I thought the one puff/one swig break was pretty professional (mild sarcasm). Overall it just looked like a little dance put on for show and not much more, but i guess i can't really make that call since i am from outside their culture.
Also, i think it would be far more interesting to find out what it is that this kid did, or had happen to him, to have a Korean shaman perform an exorcism on him, especially since it appeared to be at least close to present day.
-Zach
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