Shamanism in the greater Korean culture area has a long and
complex history. However, there is little historical literature on
the content of Korean shamanism, which appears to be suggestive
of the nature of the subject. This article provides data on kut,
the major ritual of Korean shamans, and describes one of several
kut that I observed during the course of seventeen months field
research in a village of Kyonggi Province.
Through a socially defined process of feeding and giving
pleasure to spirits and ancestors, the rituals of kut engage them
in a temporary alliance with the living villagers.
The chinogzvi-kudt escribed here was held on the death of Mr.
S on December 7, 1979. It lasted sixteen hours, beginning at five
in the evening, and was performed by mansin (the polite term of
address for a shaman in Kyonggi Province). The ritual is a
complex interplay between a client (Mrs. S), her family and
relatives, villagers, mansin, and ancestors and spirits.
Analysis of kut is useful in elucidating the Korean view of
death, the interplay between the worlds of the living and the dead,
and the role of ancestors and spirits.