Abangri Tug of War

Createdd 2015-11-25 Hit 1242

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Abangri tug of war in Abang-ri (Neungchon), No-onsa-dong, a village under Yeonghoewon, is a game for all residents to pray for a good harvest and the peace of the village on the 15th of January by the lunar calendar.

Two ropes, a male rope and a female rope each about 50m long, are fixed by a log and a male team and a female team engage in tug-of-war. Men use their power slightly because when the female team wins, they have a good harvest; therefore the female rope for the female team always wins. It is a kind of shamanistic ritual that wishes for a good harvest by depending on the productivity of women rather than an event aimed at selecting a winner. It is also the event to comfort women in farming for one year.

The straw used in the tug-of-war is burnt following the game and as its burns, the residents enjoy music and dance. The ashes are spread on the fields and paddies as compost.

The Abangri Tug of War is a festival to strengthen the cooperative spirit of residents and a folk game based on the ancestral wisdom of recycling straw for compost.

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