Jindo Manga

Manga is a type of folk song, a bier song sung by bier-carriers as they carry the bier. There are two types of Jindo Manga: one is where, when a death occurs in a wealthy household or a family locally known as yangban (the aristocratic class), performers from the singcheong (a guild of shaman entertainers) are summoned to sing the manga. The other is where the village's bier lead-singer performs the bier song. The performers of the singcheong are people engaged in shamanic work; as the bier proceeds they play drums, janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum), gongs and pipes while singing the manga, with varied lyrics and melodies, often adapting shaman songs. When the village bier singer performs the manga, it is somewhat simpler, consisting only of the "E-sori" or "Gananbosal" songs. Jindo Manga is the manga of the singcheong performers sung in Jisan-myeon, a specialised form of bier song made up of Jinyeombul, Esori, Jaehwasori, Hajeoksori, Daricheongeun and Dagujil sori. A distinctive feature of Jindo Manga is that village women take part as bier-bearers and sing together with the men. These women are called hosanggun; a practice once seen only in the funeral processions of yangban families has now become widespread. In addition, two masked performers called bangjasoe ride ponies and perform a sword dance to drive away evil spirits, torches appear in the procession, and the mourning clothes of the chief mourners are also distinctive. Given that shaman music and folk song are used together, and the distinctive funerary custom of women taking part as bier-bearers, Jindo Manga is a piece of intangible heritage of great significance from a folkloric point of view.

AI Translation

Where it is

Region

Jindo, Jeonnam & Gwangju

Designation

Provincial Intangible Heritage · 시도무형유산