Okay, so that might not be everyone's experience (and I'm happy to say not mine, besides the over-eating and football), but it's the tradition, right? And what is Thanksgiving if not a day steeped in tradition? The turkey and pumpkin pie, the Macy's parade, the Indians helping the Pilgrims survive the harsh winter, and the Pilgrims stealing their land and spreading smallpox in return. It reminds me of a Spanish class I had in middle school where a fellow student asked, "Mrs. Serrano, how do they celebrate Thanksgiving in Mexico?" He was utterly baffled to learn there is no Thanksgiving in Mexico.
How could this be? Aren't the Mexicans thankful for...stuff? Don't they love parades and stuffing their faces? Don't they love suicidal holiday shopping?! What could be more universal than a day to stop and celebrate the good things in life (while eating no less!)?
Of course, what our young, ignorant friend did not realize (and still may not) is that people all over the world DO celebrate thanksgiving, just not with a capital T. No, that distinction is reserved only for the unique overindulgence which takes place in the U.S. (and also some strange perversion of it in Canada). What most Americans have forgotten is that behind all the terrifying giant balloons and the mythical buckled hats, Thanksgiving is in essence a harvest festival. For hundreds of years, agrarian societies around the world have held celebrations where families gather to give thanks for their crops and to feast on the newly harvested food. So, in light of my upcoming world travels, and to give this wandering blog a point, here is a quick lesson about Chuseok - the Korean Thanksgiving:
Chuseok (추석) is a big deal in Korea. Well, that's my understanding anyway, since I haven't been there yet! The holiday falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunar calendar (which I don't understand at all), so it's actually on a different day every year. This year Chuseok was October 3, but much like Americans, Koreans usually like to make the holiday a three-day affair, from Oct. 2-4. Honestly there are a few more cross-cultural similarities, namely family and food. Everyone loves some holiday travel, right? For Chuseok, the whole country makes a mass exodus back to their hometowns to visit family and honor their ancestors. And what better way to honor them than with gluttony? Alright, well I can't say for sure if Koreans have as much a reputation for holiday binging as Americans, but they sure do make a good spread.
I don't know what most of that food is, but it looks delicious from here. Actually, the major food of Chuseok is called songpyeon, which are those colorful little cakes you saw earlier. Songpyeon on Chuseok is like turkey on Thanksgiving - it's not Chuseok without it. It's made of rice that's kneaded into perfect little pockets and then filled with things like sesame seeds, red beans, or chesnuts, before steaming them over a layer of pine needles. Yum, can't wait to try it!
This hearty feast you see is part of a Chuseok tradition called Charye. On Chuseok morning, families gather together to hold a memorial service to thank and honor their ancestors with all the delicious freshly harvested food. After the service, everyone chows down. But don't settle in for a nap, yet, because after the meal it's time to head to the graveyard and actually visit those folks that came before us. Plus a little weed-pulling and headstone-buffing to work off that breakfast. Traditionally, the rest of the holiday is filled with games and dances and music to celebrate the harvest. I'm not sure how widely practiced these activities are among your average Korean these days, but there are plenty of places for tourists to see a traditional Chuseok festival. I imagine that most Koreans, like most Americans, are just happy for some time to relax and visit family.
So now you can go ahead, slather gravy over everything, sink your teeth into that drumstick, and feel a little more worldly as you do. This time next year, I'll probably be explaining what a turkey is to Korean rugrats.
Happy Thankgiving!
First contact! I've been reading some of Lee's updates and it seems like he's celebrating American-Style Thanksgiving with a bunch of expats. This is just an excuse to celebrate two Thanksgivings.
ReplyDelete