Jwasuyeong Eobang Nori (Fishing Village Festival of the Left Naval Headquarters)

Jwasuyeong Eobang Nori is a folk performance passed down in the Suyeong area of Busan, dramatising the work processes of fishing together with its work songs. At the start of the New Year, before going out to sea, a gut (shamanic ritual) and performance were held to pray for a bountiful catch and a safe return with the boat full. A central part of the performance consists of fishermen singing various songs as they catch fish with nets: as the work proceeds, a leading call, a responding call and a matching call are sung in turn according to each stage of the task. The performance consists of three parts: naewangsori, sung while twisting rope on a rope-making frame to prepare the fishing net; sarisori, sung while hauling in the cast net; and chingchingsori, sung by fishermen celebrating a bountiful catch after landing a large haul. The chingchingsori of the third part in particular is not simply a song but a dance-accompanied celebration of a good catch, expressing gratitude for the year's haul and a prayer for another the following year. Its melody is that of Kwaejinachingchingnane, commonly sung in the Yeongnam region, with only part of the lyrics changed. Various flags are used in the performance, including the Jwasuyeong Eobang flag, a bountiful-catch flag and a phoenix flag. Jwasuyeong Eobang Nori combines fishing songs with a communal performance by fishermen and women celebrating a bountiful catch, giving it a strongly festive character. It is of great significance both because the Jwasuyeong Eobang was Korea's only fishing cooperative organisation with a long history and tradition, and because this is that eobang's traditional performance.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Suyeong-gu, Busan

Designation

National Intangible Heritage · 국가무형유산