Villagers near Dangjin, South Korea are preparing Gijishi Jooldarigi, A traditional Korean game of tug-of-war [Courtesy of Gijishi Jooldarigi Tradition Preservational Committee]
Traditional Korean folk game of tug-of-war “Jooldarigi“ was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list Wednesday. The enlistment was joined with Vietnam, Cambodia and Philippines which had similar traditional games.
A Korean Cultural Heritage Administration official said, “four countries in Asian-Pacific region acknowledged the importance of the traditional intangible heritage, which has a ceremonial meaning of wishing great harvest.”
Total of six types of tug-of-war enlisted war including “Yungsan Jooldarigi”, “Gijishi Jooldarigi”, “Samchukgi Jooldarigi”.
Jooldarigi, the Korean traditional game of tug-of-war is more of a ceremony than a game. The ropes used are nearly a meter thick and consists of male and female rope.
When the both ropes are connected with a tie in the middle, tug-of-war starts. Riders from the both team huddle onto each rope encouraging its own team with series songs and shouts. The ceremony ends with a festival. Followed by village feast.
Villagers near Dangjin, South Korea are preparing Gijishi Jooldarigi, A traditional Korean game of tug-of-war [Courtesy of Gijishi Jooldarigi Tradition Preservational Committee]
Previously, tug-of-war was rejected by UNESCO’s evaluation committee and asked for more explanation and information on the intangible heritage. The rejection made it unclear for the game to be enlisted but after much consideration and joint enthusiastic movement by four countries, the heritage finally got listed on the UNESCO’s intangible heritage list.
Meanwhile, North Korea’s “Gimjang”, the process of making kimchi, was also enlisted and intangible heritage. Same heritage of South Korea was enlisted last 2013.
아주경제 박세진 기자 = swatchsjp@ajunews.com
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
