One of the most important holidays in Korea is Chuseok. This year it took place October 4th but it follows the Lunar, so every year it falls on a different day. It is similar to our Thanksgiving, however it is very different. I'll break it down for ya.
*Thanksgiving in America*
1. Turkey and other fabulous foods or drinks depending on your
family.
2. Football
3. Family and friends
4. Nap
Chuseok
1. Go to your husband's family's home ( or your own home if you're not married) early in the morning. You usually go to the eldest son's house or your parents' house. The eldest son's wife (or your mother) does ALL the cooking. LAME.
2. Set up an alter with your deceased family members names and/or pictures on it. Place all the food on the alter.
3. The eldest brother and his wife puts on traditional clothing called hanbok for the ceremony
4. During the ceremony, the eldest son lights incense, has some rice wine, and says the names of the deceased family members. Everyone bows two times for each person. The purpose of having the food on the alter is to allow the spirits to come and eat with everyone. The doors in the house are opened for the spirits to come in. Chopsticks are placed standing straight up in the rice, welcoming the dead and inviting them to eat. (That is why it is very rude to put chopsticks standing up in your food in Asia. The meaning is for the dead.)
5. Everyone allows the dead "to eat" and a few minutes later the table for the living is prepared.
6. The traditional foods include beef, pork, fish, rice cakes (filled with chestnuts or red beans), kimichi, tofu, and assorted veggies. There is a TON of food. Also, drinking rice wine and soju is typical.
7. After brunch, the entire family goes to the tombs of your family. Most families are buried in the same area, so you don't have to travel to many places. At each tomb, a food and rice wine offering is given the spirit and everyone bows two times. After waiting a couple minutes, the family members eat the food and drink the wine.
8. After all the tombs have been visited everyone goes home. Chuseok is officially over.
I was given an amazing opportunity to observe Chuseok with a Korean family. My friend Christina had met this cute old man hiking and he invited her and a friend to come. He is 72 years old and goes hiking everyday. He is learning English right now, because he is going to travel the world with his wife starting next summer. Isn't that awesome?!?! His family is REALLY big. There is about 200 of them and they go to an event hall every year for the 2 major holidays. There they are split up in separate rooms to make the celebration smaller and shorter. Otherwise, it would take ALL day to complete the alter ceremony. Everyone was staring at us and they were shocked to see foreigners there. It is not common to invite anyone who is not part of the family to the celebration, so we were very lucky to be there. It was a great experience, but very overwhelming. Most of the people did not speak English, so all of the grandmas were talking at me all day. Christina speaks a little Korean, so she was my translator most of the day.
Although I thought the tradition was a little strange and slightly crazy, it was refreshing to see family following the traditions of the past. I'm not sure how long the traditions will continue, but I hope it doesn't disappear as the West moves in on this culture. Families are starting to become more separated because many people are moving abroad. Also, many Christians are not celebrating Chuseok because it goes against beliefs of worshiping idols (i think). I think the core of the holiday is remembering loved ones and honoring their memory and what they did for their family. I think that is beautiful.
I didn't take any pictures while we were celebrating Chuseok, but here is some examples that I found on the wonderful thing called the internet. I think you can get an idea of the food and the alter!
Special rice cakes. I LOVE rice cakes.
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Here is a picture of what the food usually looks like. I guess these people are Christians (see cross). By having the cross, maybe they feel better about who they are really "worshiping"? Each bowl of rice represents a family member.
Well, I don't know about you, but I believe our Thanksgiving is lacking some culture. I don't think the pilgrims played football, but it would have been better than what actually happened on that day of "thanks". Does the Thanksgiving Day Massacre right a bell? Ignorance is bliss.
xoxo
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