“Pongjuk Dance”

Pongjuk was a signal rod made of long bamboo that was erected on ship board in the past when the ship was fully loaded with fishes.

A ring-shaped pad that was made of rice straw, was mounted on a long bamboo over twice the height of a man. The top of the rod was decorated with tens of long pheasant feathers and below it 8 to 10 long cloth strips were attached. Pongjuk cloth strips were made of white cloth or five-colored string, of the thin, fluttering cloth, such as silk or ramie cloth of fine texture.

Pongjuk recreation play was held on the 15th day of the lunar calendar and other folk holidays, hoping that a bumper harvest would take place and fish would be caught well all year round. “Pongjuk Dance” was conspicuous in the Pongjuk recreation play, reflecting the minds of fishermen who wished or congratulated the large catch of fish.

During “Pongjuk Dance”, fishermen took the “Pongjuk” band in their hands and threw it. The dancers firstly danced coquettishly to the tunes for an exorcism. Then when the speed of the music was quickened by the frequent tunes for an exorcism, they ran around in a circle, sprinkling the “Pongjuk” band vigorously.

After that, when the tune was replaced by tharyong (a variety of Korean folk-songs, a kind of tune), the dancers bent deeply and then jumped up, splashing the “Pongjuk” band higher or turning round in pairs to give zest. When the music was quickened by frequent tharyong, the dancers jumped and danced with powerful rhythms, reflecting the strong will of the fishermen.