As you know, Gogu is the term which informs us of the beginning of farming. When Gogu comes, the farming season begins in earnest with preparing the seedbed. There are many sayings about weather which help us to understand the pure minds of farmers, who wished for a rich year based on their expectations of the year¡¯s weather.
When Gogu comes, the rice seeds are soaked in the seedbeds. Those who have bad accidents or see bad things at this time have to hold a ceremony to drive away evil spirits that might come into the house or infect the seeds, because the seeds are consecrated at this time. Traditionally, children ran around the village to prevent birds from spoiling the seedbed during Gogu, and the village seniors performed a Gosa, offering a sacrifice to the spirits by hanging a seed pot from a straw rope. All the people in the village helped each other and wished that the year¡¯s farming would be successful. In this way, Gogu is not only the beginning of farming season, but also a means of connecting people as a community with dreams of a rich year.
During this year¡¯s Gogu, although we can¡¯t see these scenes and are unaffected by Gogu because we live in the city, how about reflecting on our ancestor¡¯s aspiration and effort for a bumper year at the beginning of a new rice crop?
By Jung Hwan-su, cub-reporter
Jung Hwan-su s8668@changwon.ac.kr
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