We finally conquered Halla Mountain on this trip to Korea. As may not be completely apparent from our picture on the left, the hike completely knocked my wife and I out. The 9.6 Km (6 miles) hike up the mountain was both exciting and exhausting. While visiting the island, I realized how much my reading and thinking over the past year (mainly reading books on theology, philosophy, anthropology, missiology, etc. and thinking about peoples, cultures, and their religions) have really impacted my awareness factor. I was able to see and get a deeper glimpse into the life and beliefs that shape the people of Jeju, from the way their farming and fishing techniques are influenced by the geological makeup of the island, to the way it influences their belief structures. While I can by no means claim that I actually know much about the people of Jeju, I can nonetheless see how much more aware I have become of how culture and beliefs shape and are shaped by their contexts – both their cultural perspectives and the physical situations that people find themselves in.
The image on the left is the huge volcanic mountain (Hallasan – Halla Mountain) that stands in the center of the island. The hike took a total of about 8 hours, leaving us all with blisters on our feet (as well as our arms, necks and faces - note to self: Don’t forget the sunscreen next time.)
This trip I also was able to get a chance to learn a bit more about the shape of Buddhism and Shamanism in South Korea. In some places you can see a clear overlap, where shamanistic practices have made their way into the major Buddhist culture. Perhaps later I can post a bit more in depth on the folk religion in Korea and the differences that I have noticed in comparing the farming and fishing communities.
Since this is my first post, I can only mention that eventually I plan to set this blog-site up into a multi-layered blog, with blogs separated based on life, travels and experiences; personal growth and ministry; and finally, a blog on random anthropology notes I want to share about the places and people I have encountered throughout the world. For now, shall I simply say stay tuned…
Here’s a book, “Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling” a friend told me about which looks intriguing but which I haven’t read except for this online sample: http://www.ivpress.com/title/exc/3394-sample-1.pdf
Hi Mike, a friend recommended to me this book, “Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling” by Andy Crouch. (If you’re looking for another book to read.) I haven’t read it though except for the first two chapters that are posted online: http://www.ivpress.com/title/exc/3394-sample-1.pdf