Musumnal (머슴날) is a quaint, rural festival celebrated the first of every February.  Musum (머슴) means servant or farm hand, while nal (날) means day.  Altogether musumnal (머슴날) means the ‘festival of servants.’  This festival is celebrated on Jeju Island (제주).  On this day a shamanistic rite called yungdunggui (영등구이) is performed.  The rite is named after a fairy tale sea goddess named Yungdungsin (영등신).  A shaman will perform a dance in an effort to ensure an abundance of fish and to pray for the safe return of the fisherman at sea.

Sometimes, on the same day, a rite called muhongut (무혼굿) is performed.  Not to creep anyone out, muhongut (무혼굿) is a rite to guide the spirits of the dead safely to the afterlife.  This rite is specifically held for those who have drowned at sea.  Countless people have died on the shores of Jeju Island (제주도).  Sometimes the bodies are retrievable and sometimes they are lost at sea.  In order to appease the anguished souls who have died without a proper burial, the shamans pray for the deceased person’s spirit to go to the afterlife in peace. 

On this day, people will also dress in traditional Korean clothes.  The clothes are white and made of cotton.  In the old days, only the nobles could wear brightly colored clothes.  Servants and people of the lower class were required to wear plain white clothes.  You’ll see a parade of people walking in white clothes to commemorate the people of the lower classes; who were often laborers, farmers and fishermen.  Many of the people of Jeju Island (제주도) have ancestors who were of the working classes, and so musumnal (머슴날) is a day to pay respect to all the toil and hard work of the working class.

On that note, I just want to thank everyone for reading my posts and keeping up with this blog despite all the busy things you have to do!