The Gangneung Danoje, which was registered as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO in 2005, is a traditional festival with a thousand-year history.
Danoje is a massive festival held in Gangneung from April 5 to early May according to the lunar calendar. Events on May 3 of the lunar calendar include the Yeongsin procession in which the ancestral tablets of Guksa Seonghwangsin (the god and goddess protecting the State Preceptor) and sinmok (divine tree) are carried to the altar and an exciting street parade highlighting the characteristics unique to each village. Dano, which is celebrated on May 5 of the lunar calendar, is regarded to be the day on which the greatest amount of yanggi (positive energy) is emanated, and it is also called Surit-nal, Cheonjungjeol, and Danyang. During the Dano Festival, the people of Gangneung traditionally prayed for a bountiful harvest and a big catch of fish by holding a rite for Daegwallyeong Guksa Seonghwangsin. This tradition was carried on even during the Japanese occupation period and the Korean War.
During Dano-gut (traditional Korean shamanic ritual) at Namdaecheon Stream, the main venue of the Danoje, the shaman sings a song plaintively to express an earnest wish for peace within each household and for children to enjoy long, healthy lives. Merchants from all over the country flock to the festival, offering all kinds of goods, and next to them, people share their joys and sorrows by sharing makgeolli (rice wine), gamja-jeon (potato pancakes), and surichwitteok (rice cake made from a kind of marsh plant).
The Gwanno Mask Drama, which can only be seen at the Gangneung Danoje, is a pantomime performed solely with dance and gestures. It expresses the wish for abundance and a bountiful catch as well as reconciliation through communication.
The Gangneung Dano Festival, which had not been held for the past two years due to COVID-19, was held in Gangneung for 8 days from May 30 to June 6, 2022, after the lifting of the social distancing policy. The festival kicked off with the Gwanno Mask Drama and delighted visitors with plenty of things to see and experience, such as nongak (traditional farmers’ music) performances, Gangneung Autonomous Community’s big party, a rendition of a traditional wedding ceremony, and experiential activities such as tasting surichwitteok rice cakes and sinju (liquor brewed for the rite) and washing hair in water infused with sweet flags.
The Gangneung Dano Festival 2022 concluded with the fireworks launched from Wolhwagyo Bridge.
공공저작물 자유이용 허락 표시