Listening to the stories of ‘Neokdeulim’
On Jeju Island, there is a folk ritual called ‘Neokdeulim,’ which is usually performed for children or babies who become sick but at times extended to adults who are ill or need psychological/spiritual help. As a resident of Jeju Island, I wanted to know more about this ritual, and I spent two months of summer travelling the island, hearing various stories relating to the practice of ‘Neokdeulim’ from the indigenous people of Jeju. I talked to around twenty residents, most of whom were Haenyeos from Haenyeo’s Houses. Of the twenty residents I have talked to, seventeen were elderly Haenyeos, and the remaining three were male residents who were born and raised on Jeju Island. I wanted to hear the authentic stories of ‘Neokdeulim,’ and it seemed to me that there would be no better group of people to ask than those who have seen and experienced the ritual themselves. I took photos and videos of the time I spent along the coast and with locals and tried my best to immerse myself into the environment in which I had decided to put myself.
My Home, Jeju Island
Jeju Island is a large island located at the southern end of South Korea. It is the result of the volcanic activities of Halla Mountain and is shaped like a horizontal ellipse.
The area of Jeju Island is around 1,846 km2, and the length of the coastline is about 253 km. The villages of Jeju Island had primarily been located on the coast mainly because of its convenience in travelling, but also due to the convenient access villagers had to water supplies from rainwater that would seep through basalt from the upper grounds to the lower grounds near the coast. Although there are now many villages away from the coast as well, there still are places called ‘Haenyeo’s House’ in almost all towns along the coast, where they sell seafood to visitors and tourists. The Haenyeo’s House is jointly run by a group of Haenyeos from the local fishing community.
Searching for the meaning behind the folk remedy, ‘Neokdeulim’ (넋들임), for mental and physical health on Jeju island:
‘Neokdeulim’ is a piece of folk ritual found in traditional cultures in Jeju Island, which roughly translates into “the calling back of the soul.” Performed on a range of occasions for both children and adults, ‘Neokdeulim’ mainly seeks to relieve its receiver of a state of shock or a troubling health condition.
The traditional ritual of ‘Neokdeulim’ was a way for the indigenous people of Jeju to cope with psychologically disturbing events or even physical illnesses. Although the ritual itself had its roots in spiritual healing and communication, ‘Neokdeulim’ had significance for Jeju indigenous people in that it transformed their great power of community spirit into the one thing these people needed the most during the time: hope.
The people on Jeju Island had to go through harsh living conditions. They were pushed to their extremes both mentally and physically, and they always had to be on their feet to ensure basic survival and well-being. On top of this, medical care on Jeju Island was virtually nonexistent in many regions, even when psychological trauma and physical illnesses of various types were prevalent during the time. Considering these circumstances, it is no surprise that they turned to spiritual remedies like ‘Neokdeulim’ to mitigate the pain they went through.
‘Neokdeulim’ is still performed in some communities among the indigenous people of Jeju. Folk remedies are often lost and forgotten amid industrial and technological development, but the insistence these people put on the continuation of ‘Neokdeulim’ seems to communicate a certain message — that the ritual of ‘Neokdeulim’ is not just a silly fairy tale made up by desperate people, but rather a historical symbol of the courageous spirit they harboured in battling their harsh living conditions and their unfaltering will for the well-being of their children, family and neighbours.
Publications
What is ‘Neokdeulim’ in Jeju Island?
Author: Rayne Seobin Lee
ISBN #: 979-11-410-4522-7
Publisher: www.bookk.co.kr
