essay

Rituals of resistance: the manipulation of shamanism in contemporary Korea

asian visions of authority : religion and the modern states of east and southeast asiaHonolulu • Published In 1994 • Pages: 195-219

By: Kim, Kwang-ok.

Abstract
This study describes the use of shamanistic ritual in student protests against the South Korean government. Kim describes several student demonstrations as well as the postwar history of Korean political and religious movements which culminated in the Kwangju Massacre of May 18, 1980. According to Kim, students have drawn on the symbols of folk culture as a form of resistance to the elite and state ideology of Confucianism. The death of one student by police prompted the public performace of a shamanistic ritual to purify and console the vengeful ghost lest it become a evil spirit. Part of the ritual included a powerful dance perfomance by an university professor that depicted the torture and death of the student. Kim argues that the use of such symbolism has been an effective tool in the process of democratization.
Subjects
Form and rules of government
Miscellaneous government activities
Political movements
Revolution
Magical and mental therapy
Students
culture
Korea
HRAF PubDate
1998
Region
Asia
Sub Region
East Asia
Document Type
essay
Evaluation
Creator Types
Ethnologist
Indigenous Person
Document Rating
5: Excellent Primary Data
Analyst
Ian Skoggard ; 1997
Field Date
not specified
Coverage Date
1945-1988
Coverage Place
Republic of Korea
Notes
Kwang-ok Kim
LCCN
9337979
LCSH
Koreans