An Implication of Cannibalism Motif in “the Myth of Seolmundae-halmang” of Korea

Year 2023, Volume: 18 Issue: 139, 168 - 180, 30.09.2023

Hongyoun Cho

https://doi.org/10.58242/millifolklor.1001032

Abstract

"Cannibalism" is widely regarded as an absolute taboo for cultivated humanity. Not only does the bare citation of the word" cannibalism" and encountering images about this subject make utmost people extremely uncomfortable. Nonetheless, the “ cannibal motif ” exists in humanities folk literature, and why is it being repeated in modern literature, media, and culture? If humanity can achieve a sense of spiritual satisfaction or there's a universal idea that desperately wishes to partake through such a horrifying motif, what kind of content can it be? When trying to address this curiosity, there's an interesting text which is worth noting. It's “ the myth of Seolmundae- halmang( Grandma Seolmundae) ”, which is being passed down on South Korea's Jeju Island. Seolmundae- halmang was worshipped as the creator goddess of Jeju Island, yet in the stories about her death, she's eaten by her own sons. Why did this goddess have to experience such a terrible death? Also, if “ myth ” contains motifs of universal human life, what was the content that Jeju Island's mythology group wanted to share through the death and devouring of the goddess? To find answers to these questions, several former studies on the conception of cannibalism were examined, thereby the aspects of cannibalism that was in human life was verified. As a result, the cannibalistic motif of this myth confirmed that the endo-cannibalism concept of the primordial mythology enthusiasts group was the result of the divine succession process from Seolmundae-halmang to her sons. Furthermore, when interpreted in the context of symbolism for human reality, it is also revealed that children who have grown up at the expense of their parents have embodied the universal and realworld principle of human life in which they realized their parent's sacrifices and inherited their lives. The significance of such research results can be recognized for investigating the mythological meaning and value of cannibalistic elements of the Seolmundae-halmang myth. This allowed us to reveal the meaning and value of one of Korea's major mythological materials more fully, as well as confirm the universal value of Korea's mythological materials.

Keywords

Korean mythology, Seolmundae-halmang, Cannibalism motif, Symbol of Cannibalism, Taboo

Kore'nin “Seolmundae-halmang Miti”ndeki Yamyamlık Motifine Bir Bakış

Abstract

Uygarlaşmış insanlık için “yamyamlık” kavramı mutlak bir tabu olarak kabul edilmektedir. Bu davranışı uygulamak bir kenara dursun, sadece yamyamlık kelimesini dile getirmek ya da konuyla alakalı görsellerle karşılaşmak bile birçok insanı son derece rahatsız etmektedir. Buna rağmen, "yamyam motifi" insanlığın halk edebiyatında mevcuttur ve bu motifin modern edebiyat, medya ve kültürde devamlı olarak dile getirilmesinin sebebi ne olabilir? Şayet insanlığın bu kadar korkunç motif aracılığıyla elde edebileceği manevi yollu bir tatmin ya da umutsuzca paylaşmak istediği evrensel bir fikir varsa, bu nasıl bir içeriğe sahip olabilir? Bunun gibi merak ettiğimiz konuları çözmeye çalışırken dikkatimizi çeken bir metin bulunmaktadır ve bu metin, Kore'nin Jeju Adası'nda nesilden nesle aktarılmakta olan Seolmundae-halmang ve Obaek-janggun mitidir. ‘Seolmundaehalmang’ Jeju Adası’nda ‘yaratılış tanrıçası’ olarak hâlen saygı görmektedir, ancak ölümü hakkındaki hikâyeye bakıldığında, kendi oğulları tarafından yenilmiştir. Bu tanrıça neden bu kadar korkunç bir şekilde ölmek zorunda kalmıştır? Ayrıca eğer "mit" evrensel insan yaşamına dair konuları içeriyorsa, Jeju Adası mitoloji grubunun bu tanrıçanın ölümü ve oğulları tarafından yenmesi aracılığıyla paylaşmak istediği konu ne olabilir? Bu sorulara cevap bulmak için yamyamlık kavramıyla ilgili daha önce yapılmış birkaç çalışma incelenmiş ve böylece yamyamlığın insan yaşamında var olan yönleri kontrol edilmiştir. Bunun sonucu olarak; bu mitte yer alan yamyamlık motifinin ilkel mitoloji severlerin endo-yamyamlık kavramının, Seolmundae-halmang'dan oğullarına yansıtılan, ondan oğlunun nesline geçen ilahi ardıllık sonucu olduğu kanıtlanmaktadır. Aynı zamanda insan gerçekliğine ilişkin semboller bağlamında düşündüğümüzde, ebeveynlerinin fedakarlığıyla büyüyen çocukların, ebeveynlerinin kendileri için yaptıkları fedakarlıkların farkına varıp onların hayatlarını miras aldıkları evrensel ve gerçek insan yaşamının nesiller arası miras ilkesini somutlaştırdıklarını da ortaya koymaktadır. Bu ve bunun benzeri araştırmaların, bahsi geçen Seolmundae-halmang mitinde yer alan yamyam motifinin mitolojik anlamını ve işlevini ortaya koyması noktasındaki önemi kabul edilebilir. Bu, Kore'nin temel mitolojik materyallerinden birinin anlamını ve değerini tam olarak ortaya çıkarmamıza ve aynı zamanda Kore'nin mitolojik materyallerinin evrensel değerini doğrulamamıza olanak sağlamaktadır.

Keywords

Kore mitolojisi, Seolmundae-halmang, Yamyamlık motifi, Yamyamlığın Sembolü, tabu.

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