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Nalmoe Drum Dance

  • Nalmoe Drum Dance Image
  • Nalmoe Drum Dance Image
  • No.2 intangible cultural property designated by Daegu-si

    Nalmoe Drum Dance

    • Artisan

      Jonggon Yun
    • Date of Designation

      Jul.25.1984
    • Training Center

      48-144, Ihyeon-dong, Seo-gu, Daegu
    • Homepage

      Homepage

Background and Origin

Nalmoe Drum Dance is the traditional dance passed down in Bisan-dong regions. In Nalmoe Drum Dance, people dance along the unique Dutbaegi rhythmic beat of Gyeongsang-do. Although Nalmoe Drum Dance has its root in Bisan Nongak (farmer’s music), it developed into a drum dance and such feature makes the dance very special.
The name “Nalmoe” is said to be originated from the following folk tale. Once upon a time, a woman hears a noisy sound of music from the western sky while doing the laundry in the riverside of Dalnae. When she looks up, she finds a mountain-shape cloud coming down from the sky. Frightened by the cloud, she yells “Hill is flying!” and the mountain-shape cloud falls and becomes the hill. The hill got its name from “Flying Mountain” and it was written as Bisan (飛山) in Chinese character. The current name of Bisan-dong originated from such folk tale.
Wongogae in Nalmoe was once a way to Seoul crossing the wide field between Dalseong and Geumhogang River. In the past, there was a local governor who was revered by the citizens. When the local governor passed away, people made a grave in the area and performed rites in spring and fall season to revere the local governor. During the rites, the people danced while playing the drums to comfort the spirit of the governor. The Nalmoe Drum Dance originated from this dance.
In regard to clothing, all performers wear white pants with a navy-blue traditional jacket and they put white band around their head. The dance process is composed of Jeongjuk Gunggi, Jabandeuki, Uper-Bbaegi, Dadreki, Huhu Gut, Modeum Gut, Dutbaegi Dance.

Awards

  • May.29.1990 Award from Jeonju Daesaseup Preservation Association (Award for Nongak part)
  • May.29.1990 Award from Minister of Culture (Excellence award for folk dance part)
  • Oct.17.1997 Award from Minister of Culture and Sports (Excellence award for Nongak part)
  • May.07.2005 Grand prize for Excellent Youth Instructor (Award from CEO of Youth Newspaper) – Grand Prize
  • Dec.17.2008 Excellent Culture Man Award from News Way (2008 Proud Korean Award) – Special Award

Transmission Activities

  • 1993 Handed down Nolmoe drum dance to traditional Korean music group : 19 groups / 1,600 people a year
  • 1995 Handed down Nolmoe drum dance to schools: 16 schools/ 2,155 people a year
  • 1997 Summer Nolmoe Drum Dance Training : 5 schools/ 120 people a year
  • 2000 Free Nolmoe Drum Dance Training : For the public/ 150 people a year
  • 2004 Formed Nalmoe drum dance branch and handed down the dance : 4 branches / 137 people a year

Overseas Performance Activities

  • 1995 Beer Festival held in Tsingtao, China (Affiliated Sister-City with Daegu)
  • 1997 Flower Festival held in Hiroshima, Japan (Affiliated Sister-City with Daegu)
  • 2005 Promotion of tourism marketing to Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Singapore (Supervised by Daegu)
  • 2008 Drum dance performance in World Folk Festival held in Miyaba, Czechoslovakia
  • 2010 Invited for performance in World Folk Festival held in Malaysia
  • 2013 Invited for performance in World Folk Festival, Zacatecas, Mexico

Performers

45 members

Performance Time

60 minutes

Performance Process

Table showing the Nalmoe Drum Dance Performance Process divided by its title and content.
Title Content
① Jeongjuk Gunggi A beat with Gunsa Gut element among drum dance rhythms. You can feel the masculine spirit with manly dance and simple and grand drum sound. A unique rhythm of Bisan-dong.
② Banjit Gut Also referred to as Madang Gut or Jabandeuki. You can enjoy high-level drum shows such as turning, sitting, standing, and jumping over the drum.
③ Uper Bbaegi Composed of fast Jajinmori beat. The movement of sitting and jumping over are repeated.
The part expresses the principle of yin and yang and shows manly and active dances.
④ Daguregi Gyeongsangdo’s expression for Hwimori beat.
You can enjoy brand drum beat and fast dances and splendid foot skills
⑤ Ganggangsulae All performances play drums while moving outside the circle and moving to the next side. The drums are played in the order of left-right-left.
⑥ Huhu Gut The performers dance by jumping while crossing their legs like running and by playing the drum in the order of Bukpyeon-Buktae-Bukpyeon. The manly dance expresses the spirit.
⑦ Obangjin A dance wishing for health and peace performed on 5 directions of north, south, east, west, and center. The performers move constantly while dancing
⑧ Modeum Gut The performers make two circles by jumping high.
The performers show various dances while gathering and scattering. Modeum Gut is the essence of Nalmoe Drum Dance for its diverse rhythms.
⑨ Individual Rhythm The best part of drum rhythm. The performers continue to play the drum with offbeat.
The performers show their individual skills such as hitting Buktae while turning with one leg.
⑩ Salpuri Composed of Gutgury rhythm. The dance expresses the abundance and joy.
The dance is slow and simple with gentle expression. The performers dance joyfully along the rhythm.
⑪ Individual Play During the drum dance, a few highly-skilled performers show their individual drum skills. It starts with Salpuri and ends with Jajinmori rhythm. You can enjoy the performance of the best drum players.
⑫ Dutbaegi Also referred to as Dutbaegi Rhythm.
It’s a developed form of Jajinmori rhythm and involves much shoulder dance. It best expresses the characteristics of dances in Gyeongsang-do

Details

Table showing the details of the Nalmoe Drum Dance divided into items, name, classification, designation (registration) date, location, manager (administrative body), and detailed questions.
Classification Content
Item No.2 No.2 intangible cultural property designated by Daegu-si
Name Nalmoe Drum Dance
Category Intangible property/ Traditional performance/ Dance/ Traditional dance
Date of Designation (Registration) Jul.25.1984
Location 403, Dangsan-ro, Seo-gu, Daegu (Ihyeon-dong)
Person in Charge (Institute in Charge) Jonggon Yun
Inquiry : Cultural Information Division, Seo-gu, Daegu (+82-53-663-2184)
Table showing the famous legend of Nalmoe Drum Dance, origin of Nalmoe Book Dance, old geographical names, formation processes, and 12 yards of the process.
Classification Content
Folk Tale for Name Once upon a time, a woman hears a noisy sound of music from the western sky while doing the laundry in the riverside of Dalnae. When she looks up, she finds a mountain-shape cloud coming down from the sky. Frightened by the cloud, she yells “The mountain is flying!” and the mountain-shape cloud falls and becomes the hill.
The hill got its name from “Flying Mountain” and it was written as Bisan (飛山) in Chinese character. The current name of Bisan-dong in Seo-gu, Daegu originated from such folk tale.
Origin of Nalmoe Drum Dance Nalmoe Drum Dance was originated in Bisan-dong, Seo-gu, Daegu and the historic and traditional Bisan Nongak (farmer’s music) is transmitted and developed until now.
The drum dance is only composed of the big drums and the name has its roots in Bisan Nongak. The distinguished drum dance with big drums is the representative traditional dance of Daegu.
“Wongogae” of Nalmoe (Present Bisan-dong) was once a way to Seoul crossing the wide field between Dalseong and Geumhogang River. When the local governor passed the road for his duty, the village people welcomed the governor by playing the music and dancing. Such tradition is the origin of 『Nalmoe Drum Dance』
Past Name The past name was Nalmoe Village, Dalseo-myeon, Dalseong-gun. (Present Bisan-dong, Seo-gu regions). Currently, Nalmoe Drum Dance is performed in overseas once a year and over 70 times in Republic of Korea. Also, Nalmoe Drum Dance is handed down together with Bisan Nongak to 20 elementary, middle, and high schools such as Daegu Seobu High School, Daegu iL Meister High School, Daegu Buk Middle School, Daepyong Middle School, and Daegu Bibong Elementary School.
Nalmoe Drum Dance Preservation Association is composed of artisan Jonggon Yun, 40 members, and 4 branches for the transmission and preservation of the dance.
Formation Process Around the 16th century, the respected local governor who served in Gyeongsang regions passed away. The local governor’s grave was made in Wongogae (Present Bisan-dong Wongogae Market) and people performed rites in spring and fall season. During the rites, people performed drum dance to comfort the spirit of lonely governor. This drum dance is passed down as the Nalmoe Drum Dance.
12 Performance Process Nalmoe Drum Dance is passed down and preserved after being designated as the No.2 intangible cultural property for Daegu in July, 1984. The Nalmoe Drum Dance is composed of 12 parts. The performers start with Jil Gut and Gil Gunak and perform in the order of Jeongjuk Gunggi ⇨ Banjit Gut ⇨ Uper Bbaegi ⇨ Daguregi ⇨ Ganggangsulae ⇨ Huhu Gut ⇨ Obangjin ⇨ Modeum Gut ⇨ Individual Rhythm ⇨ Salpuri ⇨ Individual Play ⇨ Dutbaegi. Then, the performers end the performance with a bow.

Bisan Nongak is a farmer’s music originating from Bisan-dong called Nalmoe. The Nongak is assumed to have basis on Jisin Puli performed together with Chunwang Mae-Gi Gut held during the 15th of the January in Chunwang-dang (Gichun-dang, Jungchun-dang, Malchun-dang) worshipped by the residents from the far back in the past.

There is also a folk tale that Bisan Nongak was performed not only in Chunwang Mae-Gi or Jishin Puli but also in Wongogae during the visit of the local governor. Therefore, Bisan Nongak has the characteristics of Gunsa Gut rather than Nongsa (Agriculture) Gut. Although Bisan Nongak is composed of 12 parts, during the heyday of Bisan Nongak, the parts could be extended and people enjoyed the music for a long time.

In accordance to the record, there were shrines for King Gichun, King Jungchun, and King Malchun before the Korean War. The shrine for King Gichun was near the Wongogae market in Bisan 1-dong, Seo-gu while the shrine for King Jungchun was near the former Indongchon Market in Bisan 1-dong. Also, the shrine for King Malchun was near the present Samsung Wedding Hall (Bisan 2-dong, Bisan 3-dong). Before the Korean War, people performed rites in the shrines. After finishing the rites, people had a pleasant time with Bisan Nongak.
However, due the urban development in 1965, all shrines were torn down. In 1988, Daegu-si started excavation work for Chunwang-dang and got grand prize from National Folk Art Contest held in 1989. In June 15, 1989, the Chunwang-dang was designated as the intangible cultural property of Daegu.
In Dalseong-gun, there is the Chunwang-dang keeping its original form and the drawings of King Chunwang can be found inside Chunwang-dang.