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Dancing on Knives | National Geographic


in South Korea a land where Buddhism and

in South Korea a land where Buddhism and Christianity rain many still turned to

Christianity rain many still turned to

Christianity rain many still turned to the old folk beliefs of shamanism belief

the old folk beliefs of shamanism belief

the old folk beliefs of shamanism belief in a world inhabited by spirits but to

in a world inhabited by spirits but to

in a world inhabited by spirits but to become a Korean shaman a believer must

become a Korean shaman a believer must

become a Korean shaman a believer must pass an initiation called the Noreen

pass an initiation called the Noreen

pass an initiation called the Noreen coot a right so extreme that few would

coot a right so extreme that few would

coot a right so extreme that few would attempt it while some are born to their

attempt it while some are born to their

attempt it while some are born to their role as shamans others like GE on

role as shamans others like GE on

role as shamans others like GE on receive their calling through a mystic

receive their calling through a mystic

receive their calling through a mystic illness called shinbe young she may look

illness called shinbe young she may look

illness called shinbe young she may look healthy but Jiyeon has been tormented by

healthy but Jiyeon has been tormented by

healthy but Jiyeon has been tormented by spirits since childhood sometimes I’d be

spirits since childhood sometimes I’d be

spirits since childhood sometimes I’d be in so much pain that it left him almost

in so much pain that it left him almost

in so much pain that it left him almost completely paralyzed one day she had a

completely paralyzed one day she had a

completely paralyzed one day she had a dream she dreamed of a shaman but didn’t

dream she dreamed of a shaman but didn’t

dream she dreamed of a shaman but didn’t know how she was I saw a shaman all

know how she was I saw a shaman all

know how she was I saw a shaman all dressed up and participating in some

dressed up and participating in some

dressed up and participating in some activity I felt I needed to find her

the shaman Indians dream turned out to

the shaman Indians dream turned out to be real her name was Kim kumoi the

be real her name was Kim kumoi the

be real her name was Kim kumoi the acknowledged leader of northern style

acknowledged leader of northern style

acknowledged leader of northern style ecstatic shamanism Kim kumoi agreed to

ecstatic shamanism Kim kumoi agreed to

ecstatic shamanism Kim kumoi agreed to take Jiyeon into her home to prepare her

take Jiyeon into her home to prepare her

take Jiyeon into her home to prepare her for the initiation ceremony if Jian

for the initiation ceremony if Jian

for the initiation ceremony if Jian fails this test the spirit will not

fails this test the spirit will not

fails this test the spirit will not possess her and she will not be cured

it’s morning on the day Jose unfortunate

it’s morning on the day Jose unfortunate are include initiation with the beating

are include initiation with the beating

are include initiation with the beating of the drum and the banging of the gongs

of the drum and the banging of the gongs

of the drum and the banging of the gongs the Noreen clute begins jion puts on her

the Noreen clute begins jion puts on her

the Noreen clute begins jion puts on her first costume and prepares to summon a

first costume and prepares to summon a

first costume and prepares to summon a God she enters into what’s called an

God she enters into what’s called an

God she enters into what’s called an ecstatic trance these shamans believe

ecstatic trance these shamans believe

ecstatic trance these shamans believe that in this trance her mind becomes

that in this trance her mind becomes

that in this trance her mind becomes possessed and she speaks in the spirits

possessed and she speaks in the spirits

possessed and she speaks in the spirits voices jion and the other shamans dance

voices jion and the other shamans dance

voices jion and the other shamans dance for hours changing costumes after every

for hours changing costumes after every

for hours changing costumes after every spirit possession the time has come for

spirit possession the time has come for

spirit possession the time has come for Kim kumoi to call upon the knife writing

Kim kumoi to call upon the knife writing

Kim kumoi to call upon the knife writing general her guardian spirit as an

general her guardian spirit as an

general her guardian spirit as an indication of the general spirit within

indication of the general spirit within

indication of the general spirit within her she licks the blades and presses

her she licks the blades and presses

her she licks the blades and presses them against her thighs she climbs up

them against her thighs she climbs up

them against her thighs she climbs up onto the double-edged shock two knives

onto the double-edged shock two knives

onto the double-edged shock two knives and dances no blood is shed while she

and dances no blood is shed while she

and dances no blood is shed while she addresses the audience in the spirits

addresses the audience in the spirits

addresses the audience in the spirits voice announcing his presence finally it

voice announcing his presence finally it

voice announcing his presence finally it is jion’s turn

gian steps on to the knives and she

gian steps on to the knives and she begins to dance fortunately her feet do

begins to dance fortunately her feet do

begins to dance fortunately her feet do not bleed jion’s passed the final test I

not bleed jion’s passed the final test I

not bleed jion’s passed the final test I feel like I have the whole world in my

feel like I have the whole world in my

feel like I have the whole world in my hands but this is only the beginning she

hands but this is only the beginning she

hands but this is only the beginning she will have to undergo years of training

will have to undergo years of training

will have to undergo years of training under the guidance of cam kumoi

under the guidance of cam kumoi

under the guidance of cam kumoi hopefully she will find greater peace

hopefully she will find greater peace

hopefully she will find greater peace and happiness fulfilling her destiny as

and happiness fulfilling her destiny as

and happiness fulfilling her destiny as a shaman

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