Korean culture has its separate fan base and no one can deny that! So, one of the most important traditional Korean holidays is DANO. People celebrate it as a shamanistic ritual that follows the annual sowing of the seeds here they worship the sky deity. From playing wrestling, eating wheel-shaped rice cakes to washing one's hair with sweet flags these traditional customs are associated with this special day.
Koreans believed that this ritual fills up the environment with positive energy killing all the evil powers; Dano is celebrated by singing songs, dancing, and drinking wines. People often wear new clothes mostly blue and red. All social class people went out together to look their best.
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Women practiced in danojang, it's a custom where they boil the roots of sweet flag and wash their hair in the steaming water to add radiance to their looks. Accessories like hairpins are also worn which are dyed in red iris roots they believe that the aroma will keep away evil powers. Men also wore iris roots around their waist to ward off evil spirits.
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People keep herbs out of their house the whole night before the D-Day which gets wet with dew by the morning. It is said to heal wounds & stomach aches too. Traditional foods like ssuktteok, surichitteok, and other herb rice cakes were eaten.
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It is not only limited to worship and food but there was a lot of fun to do as well. Town people took part in various games like geunetagi in which women compete who can take the swing the highest.
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Whereas, guys also participates in wrestling games called Ssireum. You all will be amazed to know what they receive as a prize. Well, it's a BULL! >_<
Families carried special rituals in which they offer freshly picked up cherries to their ancestors, and conducted ceremonies to pray for a rich harvest in the coming year.
After Seollal and Chuseok, Dano is the tiniest traditional holiday of South Korea celebrated every year on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.
In the ancient period, i.e., during Jinhan, people used to hold a ceremony for the gods which includes the sowing of the seeds in May which is called as Surit-nal. It is believed that ritual was carried on into the Silla Dynasty and its name got changed to Dano.
Well, as we aren't much aware of specific Korean festivals and rituals due to lack of information over the internet world, we in Seoul Box Blog gonna cover up 360 degree of Korea. Hope you reading it.
Author - Barsha Das
