[KS] Re: Still Invaded Economically and Culturally

Lauren Deutsch ldeutsch at lalc.k12.ca.us
Sat Jul 22 02:17:37 EDT 2000


I have three observations. The first is that within the hallowed halls of 
the organized Jewish Community in the USA, I've heard Korea referred to as
the "Jews of Asia". Of course, this is not quite accurate.

The Jewish experience, quite ancient, has at the current bottom line, two
forced exiles from the "land of origin" -- the political center and the soil
itself, the modern nation state of Israel notwithstanding. As a 4th
generation Jewish Yankee, I feel very connected to the soil of my ancestors
... New Jersey. This is of course quite different from those of my extended
tribal members / coreligionists (and perhaps distant relatives) who suffered
during Hitler's Holocaust or the Russian Pogroms.

Koreans of the past 150 years and of the instances noted prior, have
undergone an internal exile with each wave of invasion. But, Koreans still
have Korea, the soil, and I think this is a critical factor in the cultural
psyche. Living as I do in Los Angeles' burgeoning Koreatown, I believe that
a little home"land", literally, would do wonders for my neighbors' soul. I
also sense the longing for land among those from the north who fled south --
even if it's simply a mountain vista or seascape. Is this not the stuff
"han" is made of?

We must ask ourselves, what's inherent in soul that keeps us grounded?
Here's a hint.

At a reception I attended for an exhibition of Korea's invention of moveable
type (a claim debated with Getty scholars promoting Guttenberg), there were
yellow, red and blue paper plates offered guests for the buffet. Playing the
devil's advocate, I asked a Korean gentleman in line in front of me, why
there was yellow colored plates. "I thought the Korean flag was red, blue --
with white and black, of course. What's with "yellow" plates?" He stopped,
this business man - type, and inhaled in a pensive manner. Grinning and
puffing up his feathers, he replied, "I am Korean. I am yellow!" He then
laughed. I told him that I didn't think that was the answer.

"Would you like my idea?" I offered. He said yes. "I know that the red and
blue are yin and yang symbols from China, like the 4 black i-Ching symbols.
That's Taoism, a foreign religion. In Korea, traditionally, things are done
in threes. I bet the yellow stands for Korea's almost forgotten indigenous
beliefs, like shamanism. Perhaps someone remembered tonight!" He smiled, but
I really think I scared him!

When the foreign religions came in -- all of them -- this, too, was an
invasion. And the natural landscape, not just the status of shamanism,
suffered. In a similar note, Frank Tedesco has told me of the recent and
escalating number of arson attacks in Korea on Buddhist temples by some
fundamentalist Christians. When are people going to learn?

As an aside, I might offer that the impact of invasions on the daily lives
of women of the lowest socio-economic class might not be as significant as
on women of nobility and all classes of men. Who's in power is never a poor
woman.

Lauren Deutsch
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Lauren W. Deutsch
Director, Pacific Rim Arts
835 S. Lucerne Blvd., #103, Los Angeles CA 90005 USA
E Mail ldeutsch at lalc.k12.ca.us
Phone (323) 930-2587


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