Description
Once viewed as an embarrassing superstition, the theatrical religious performances of Korean shamans--who communicate with the dead, divine the future, and become possessed--are going mainstream. Attitudes toward Korean shamanism are changing as shamanic traditions appear in staged rituals, museums, films, and television programs, as well as on the internet.
Contemporary Korean Shamanism explores this vernacular religion and practice, which includes sensory rituals using laden altars, ecstatic dance, and animal sacrifice, within South Korea's hypertechnologized society, where over 200,000 shamans are listed in professional organizations. Liora Sarfati reveals how representations of shamanism in national, commercialized, and screen-mediated settings have transformed opinions of these religious practitioners and their rituals.
Applying ethnography and folklore research, Contemporary Korean Shamanism maps this shift in perception about shamanism--from a sign of a backward, undeveloped Korea to a valuable, indigenous cultural asset.
Author: Liora Sarfati
Publisher: Indiana University Press (Ips)
Published: 08/01/2021
Pages: 228
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.52d
ISBN13: 9780253057174
ISBN10: 0253057175
BISAC Categories:
- Social Science | Folklore & Mythology
- Social Science | Media Studies
- Body, Mind & Spirit | Shamanism
About the Author
Liora Sarfati is Senior Lecturer (Associate Professor) in the Department of East Asian Studies at Tel Aviv University.