ALL
straw rope
ICH Elements 7
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Tugging Rituals and Games
Inscribed in 2015 (10.COM) on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity Tugging rituals and games of Vietnam have different characteristics, meanings and rules. The element is held as part of village festivals in Spring, a form for communities to pray for abundant harvests and prosperity, marking the start of a new agricultural cycle. Tugging game symbolizes the power of natural forces like the sun, water source that influence the harvests. In some localities, tugging game is associated with the legends of worshiped heroes for their merit in reclaiming the land, fighting against foreign invaders, protecting prosperous life of the people. It is usually held at the communal houses or temples after the rirual of commemoration of local guardian deities finished. The material used for tugging varies from region to region, reflecting the ecological and cultural context of each community, it can be made of bamboo, rattan stems, or ropes. The procedure for selecting teams or players is in accordance to the ritual rules, and the winning or losing team is regulated by customs to express certain religious meanings and the harmony of nature. Nowadays, tugging rituals and games are popularly known as a folk game that is entertaining, sporty and collective.
Cambodia,South Korea,Philippines,Viet Nam 2015 -
Eunsan Byeolsinje (Village Ritual of Eunsan)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Eunsan Byeolsinje is a shamanic rite held to honor the guardian deity of Eunsan Village at the village shrine in Eunsan-myeon, Buyeo-gun. The rite is connected with a legend about a severe epidemic that led to the loss of many lives and with the strange dream of an elderly village leader. In his dream he met a Baekje general who had been killed during a battle fought to protect Baekje and was asked to bury the general and his men in a sunny place in exchange for a ‘magical intervention’ to repel the epidemic. Upon awakening from the dream, he visited the place mentioned by the general in the dream and found many bones scattered there. The village people collected and buried them in an auspicious site and performed an exorcism to console their spirits. The burial was followed by the end of the epidemic which, in turn, led the villagers to hold rites to honor their heroic deaths. The tradition gradually developed into the festival event of Eunsan Byeolsinje, which was initially held for about fifteen days between January and February once every three years. As the date of the rite approaches, the village elders select those who will officiate over the event and assign military titles such as General, Colonel, Lieutenant, and Private to the designated officiants. In addition, the chief officiant is requested to use the utmost care in preparing the sacrificial offerings and to preserve the ritual venue from any signs of impurity or evil by, for example, covering the well to be used in the rite with a straw mat, and by encircling the venue with an “evil-repelling rope” and scattering yellow and black grains of sand around it. The villagers then cut down trees to support the village guardian poles and make paper flowers to offer to the village guardian, and hold pieces of white paper in their mouths as they move to the shrine as a symbolic action to repel evil spirits. The main part of the rite usually starts in the evening and ends at dawn with the process of erecting the village guardian pole and praying for the safety and prosperity of the village.
South Korea -
Lbaeng Pranang Roteh Ko (Cow-cart Racing Game)
Cow-cart racing game is a traditional sport that Khmer people in the past loved to play, and today there are very few villages that still carry on this tradition, for example, in Prachum Ang village, Cheuong Kerb commune, Kandal Steung district, Kandal province, and Siem Reap province. This cart race is often played during the dry season, especially during the "Dar Lean" and "New Year" festivals to celebrate and gather after the rice harvest. Before the race arrives, those who take part in the sport must choose a cow that is big, tall, and run fast, and train them several times. For the race field, it needs to have lengths from 350m to 500m long and about 10m wide and have dried rice straw to divide the road in two lanes. The carts used in the race are called "Saley" or "Om Bors" carts. They are small, light but strong carts meticulously decorated. Konlos robe or tether rope is important during the race because it can stop the cow from running or give signs to the cow to run to the left and to the right. Konlos robe for cow and Bror Loa or ox collar is made of silk and folded together. The silk is tough, and soft and does not cause inflammation on the cow's nose. The racer must have Jun lougn (stick) to push the cow forward and hit the opponent's cow so that it does not step on the cart. For each race, there are two pairs of cows. The referee for the race must have a long stick made of wood or bamboo about 5m long is called "Hut Dor" to strike between the front and rear carts to determine which cart wins.
Cambodia -
Yeongsan Soemeori Daegi (Wooden Bull Fight of Yeongsan)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea On the occasion of the event, the village is divided into two sides: those living in the east section of the village and those living in the west. The winning side will reportedly enjoy better harvest in the year. The play used to be performed around the full moon period of January 15 on the lunar calendar; now, however, it is performed along with a tug-of-war competition during the March 1 Cultural Festival, held to commemorate the independence movement carried out with the locals in Yeongsan, which played a leading role during the colonial period. The event is said to have started from the wish to stop the evil power of the two nearby mountains, i.e., Yeongchuksan and Jagyaksan (also called Hambaksan), which look like two bulls confronting each other. With the approach of January 15 on the lunar calendar, villagers flock to a nearby mountain and fell a 10m-tall tree. A pyramid-shaped structure is made using a log and straw rope that people will carry on their shoulder, with the leader of the team, together with two lieutenants, standing at the top of it, giving command to fight the opponent. A wooden carved bull head or a mask is put on the top of the structure. Prior to the commencement of the battle, farmers’ music is played to create a delightful atmosphere. The team that makes the opponent’s bull head fall to the ground wins. Yeongsan Soemeori Daegi is a local folk play performed to pray for good harvest.
South Korea -
Gwangju Chilseok Gossaum Nori (Loop Fight of Gwangju)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea Gossaum Nori (Loop Fight) is a fierce type of men’s game performed in Chilseok Village, Daechon-dong, Gwangju around the full-moon period of January 15 on the lunar calendar. “Go” in Gossaum means a tall loop-shaped structure made of twisted straw rope that two opposing groups of males push against each other. Upon finishing preparations for the “battle,” including the making of the go (loop), villagers gather together, hold a sacrificial rite, and pay visits to houses for madangbalbigut (performance of treading on the courtyard). They march, playing farmers’ music to create a joyous atmosphere. Each group raises and lowers the go to show off that it can outdo the other in the battle. The two leaders, seated at the top of the go, give commands to their people carrying the go, while their lieutenants cheer on the members of their group by waving flags. The group that makes the opponents’ go touch the ground wins the battle. If the battle ends in a draw, the groups meet again on February 1 and engage in a tug-of-war with the straw rope used to make the go. Gossaum has been handed down as a rite of praying for a good year for crops and as an event intended to bolster the spirit of collaboration among villagers. The name of the event was changed to Gwangju Chilseok Gossaum Nori in September 2005 to distinguish it from similar games held elsewhere and also to indicate the name of the village designated as the site for this important intangible cultural heritage.
South Korea -
Gijisi Juldarigi (Gijisi Tug-of-war)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea When holding juldarigi (tug-of-war) in Gijisi-ri, Songak-eup, Dangjin-si, Chungcheongnam-do, the village was divided into two teams, those living close to the shore and the others). It was said that the village would see a good year for the crop when the “close-to-the-shore” group won the contest. The play was performed after Dangje (village ritual) in early March of a leap year in the lunar calendar. There are two theories about the origin of the tug-of-war held in this village. One says that the village looks like a fairy weaving and the movement of pulling a cloth being woven at both sides led to the tug-of-war, the other tells us that the local topography resembles a centipede and so villagers engaged in the tug-of-war using a rope that also looked like a centipede. The straw rope used in the tug-of-war is 50 – 60m long. The diameter of the main section of the rope, which is made each year, comes to more than 1m and if you sat down on it, your legs would not touch the ground. Many thinner straw ropes are tied to the main section for people to tug. The leaders of the two teams would stand on the main section of the rope to give necessary signals while farmers’ music is played joyously to cheer on the participants. After the contest is over, people take away pieces cut off the rope, as it is said that the water heated with a rope piece is a cure for backache or infertility. The event is a rite held to pray for a good harvest and to build a spirit of collaboration among the villagers.
South Korea 2015 -
Yeongsan Juldarigi (Tug-of-war of Yeongsan)
National Intangible Cultural Heritage, Republic of Korea For the event, the village is divided into two teams: the East Team (symbolizing males) and the West Team (symbolizing females). The village will reportedly enjoy better harvest in the year if the West Team (females giving birth to children) wins. The tug-of-war is also called galjeon, which is associated with the use of arrowroot vines for the rope. The event had been handed down as a rite held in farming provinces south of the central area of the country. At present, it is performed as part of the March 1 Cultural Festival. The rope used for the event is 40 - 50m long. The diameter of the main section of the straw rope made in a year comes to larger than 1m; if you sit down on it, your legs do not touch the ground. Many thinner straw ropes are tied to the main section for people to tug. Each team makes its own rope, with the two ropes connected right before the event. The leaders of the two teams stand on the main section of the rope to give the necessary signals. Farmers’ music is played joyously to cheer for the people. The event is a rite held to pray for good harvest and build a spirit of collaboration among villagers based on the belief associated with dragon and snake.
South Korea 2015