This study examines the system of Danggol found in the Honam region(the Jolla provinces, in the southwestern part of Korea) and the activities of Sesupmu(inherited shamans). In Honam, Sesupmu had been traditionally accepted as the legitimate descents....
This study examines the system of Danggol found in the Honam region(the Jolla provinces, in the southwestern part of Korea) and the activities of Sesupmu(inherited shamans). In Honam, Sesupmu had been traditionally accepted as the legitimate descents. However, the void, caused by the decrease of Sesupmu, was recently filled in by fortunetellers, The roles of Sesupmu have been replaced by Gangsinmu(possessed shamans). They were preferred by people owing to their inspired performances or client-blessings(Gongsu) and were frequently asked to officiate at a gut(shaman ritual performance) instead of Sesupmu.
The Honam Danggol performed guts in a certain place for their activities. The inheritance of the rights to officiate at a gut and the Danggol system can be said to be two important axes in Musok heritage. The current system of inheritance from mother to daughter-in-law in the patrilineal family was established in late Chosen Dynasty.
The social acknowledgement of Danggol and the authorized Danggol system have been an important basis for Sesupmu activities. Danggol performed shamanic rituals at any time when they were asked to do by clients. Based on their activities, well-performed guts could be inherited. The genuineness of Sesupmu guts was retained on these backgrounds.
Sesupmu are not only the descents of Musok and also the inheritors of folk arts. Most of artists in the Honam region are subject to hereditary tradition. They played a leading role in producing a new way of arts while performing diverse activities for arts in the fields of pansori, tightrope fears, and instrumental music. The structure of reproducing artists on the basis of marriage relationship; and the process of building up a family tree of inheritance show the correlation between the society of Sesupmu and Korean folk arts.