Ritual On The Farm: Chuseok

In Korea, drumming is deeply linked to traditional agriculture. Pungmul means “Farmer’s Drumming” and although its instrumentation and rhythms are now often seen in stage performances, it is really part of farm work itself. Through Pungmul rhythms, song and movement, communities build their cohesion and determination for the collective labor of the harvest, celebrate a job well done, and accompany shamanistic rituals for the health of the land, crops and people. Pungmul has also come to embody a legacy of resistance, with Pungmul drummers a constant presence during political uprisings in Korea to end military dictatorship. As coreans in diaspora, we connect through Pungmul to these multiple heritages of sustainability, community and action.