Gangneung Haksanodokttegi

Odokttegi is a farming song (nongyo) sung by farmers to relieve fatigue and raise efficiency while they worked; it is also called a "field song" (deul-norae) or a "farming song." As a form of local folk song, odokttegi can vary from one region to another. Gangneung Haksanodokttegi is the folk song representative of this region. According to the Annals of the Joseon Dynasty, King Sejo (r. 1455–1468) selected people who sang odokttegi well, had them perform, and rewarded them. There are various theories about the meaning of the name: one holds that it is called odokttegi because the melody is broken and bent five times in the singing, while another holds that "o" comes from a meaning of sacred and noble, and "dokttegi" from a meaning of reclaiming open fields. Its content consists of a rice-transplanting song, a weeding song, a rice-reaping song and a threshing song. The rice-transplanting song is sung while planting seedlings, in a call-and-response form in which one person sings first and the others take up the refrain. The weeding song is sung while weeding, and the rice-reaping song, sung while cutting and gathering rice, is also called "bullim." The threshing song is also known as the "flail-beating song." Gangneung Haksanodokttegi has been designated as intangible heritage in order to protect and transmit it as the local folk song of this region.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Gangneung, Gangwon

Designation

Provincial Intangible Heritage · 시도무형유산