By Lee Solar-ho
On Sept. 4, I visited the U.S. Military Garrison Humphreys in Pyeongtaek, Gyeonggi Province, to have a good time Chuseok (Korean Harvest Competition) on the Morning Calm Heart, due to an invite from Lt. Gen. Christopher C. LaNeve, commanding common of the Eighth Military. This go to marked my second journey there this yr, following my attendance on the Eighth Military’s Change of Command Ceremony at Barker Area on April 5. Consequently, I used to be already acquainted with the faces of the newly appointed common and his spouse.
The cultural pageant was thoughtfully scheduled properly earlier than the five-day Chuseok lengthy weekend, which runs from Sept. 14-18 this yr, together with Chuseok Day on Sept. 17. This timing was supposed to keep away from the mass exodus from Seoul that sometimes happens throughout the vacation. We have been additionally lucky with the climate, having fun with a mild autumn breeze amidst what has been the worst warmth wave ever recorded within the nation.
The sequence of the particular cultural night occasions held contained in the American navy neighborhood organized by the Eighth Military was, I seen, beguilingly organized by reflecting Korea’s conventional customs, folklore legacies and heritage to the most effective of my information.
Roughly 250 navy and native civilian visitors in formal Korean or American ceremonial apparel have been gathered within the three enlarged banquet rooms, named Rose, Sunflower and Lavender, on the second flooring of the Morning Calm Heart. Many American individuals have been colonels and a few have been grasp sergeants, seemingly who’re assigned to completely different models below the command of LaNeve.
Other than fancy-looking full navy uniforms, some individuals wore conventional colourful Korean ceremonial apparel (hanbok), regardless of Individuals or Koreans. Amongst them, Mrs. LaNeve worn “dangeui” (a jade-green, royal-wear gown of a woman) on which a golden dragon is hooked up with tied red-color (for a lady whose husband is alive) coat strings, and the excellent costume marked her out because the queen of the ceremony, with whom I took a snap. Asan Metropolis Mayor Park Gyeong-gwi and his spouse additionally wore hanbok alike, and the mayor’s full costume obtained a lot consideration from individuals, as a result of he was the one male who wore the eye-feasting white hanbok.
Among the many meals and drinks provided, even “soojeonggwa” (fruit punch product of honey, dried persimmons, pine nuts and cinnamon), “songpyeon” (rice truffles) and “yakbap” (rice desserts) have been included to stimulate the appetites of visitors.
I used to be questioning whether or not household names like LaNeve and LaCamera would originate from France or Spain. Gen. LaNeve kindly taught me the correct origin from Italy, as I discovered from him throughout social hours.
Optionally available video games together with “tuho” (pitch-pot) let sport-loving individuals to take pleasure in good events to expertise the unique style and perfume of conventional Korean video games. The seven-man Eighth Military rock band featured musical performances to have a good time Chuseok and entertain visitors.
I want to prolong my appreciation to troopers and households of the Eighth Military to their gracious hospitality and pleasant welcome to the attractive Chuseok cultural ceremony on the garrison apart from their disciplined position and duties of a regional safeguard for native individuals. The robust bond and over 74-year-long inheritance for the versatile ties between the Eighth Military and Koreans have been ordained by destiny. Blessed and lengthy lives for all of us!
The author (wkexim@naver.com) is a contract columnist dwelling in Seoul.