The Sacrificial Day

[exciar28]

Today is the sacrificial day of my grandmother. I have a few (almost nothing) memories of my grandmother cause she passed away very earlier than when I, at last, have a self-conciousness. Koreans usually do a special rite in their relative's deathday. I searched over Korean-English dictionary for the translation of the word Je-sa, the original Korean word for a sacrifice rite, but I haven't find a perfect translation. Je-sa has a different nuance in comparison with Sacrificial Rites. However my blog goes on.

Nowadays, there are not many ceremonial meanings left in Je-sa. Rather, Je-sa is the gathering day of relatives in the age of nuclear families, which (I'm not sure that usage of this relative pronoun is right, if you know, notify me please) relative-families have a few chance to gather. Chatting, drinking So-ju all night, playing flower cards... Foods of Je-sa are the most delight. You will never know!

Almost forgotten, but there's also ceremonial and spiritual meaning. It is said the soul of the dead comes down to earth in his/her Je-sa. Eating, drinking their offerings and their life in Juh-sung, the world of the dead - not meaning heaven or hell, will be flourished. It is said that the soul of the dead comes in a bird's body. My friend once said to me that she usually see footprints of bird on boiled rices, the pricipal food of Korean, in a cauldron when she prepares the table for Je-sa.

(from my myspace blog)

 

[azal]

We have similiar traditions in Serbia.

 

[xfer]

holy shit i didn't realise koreans were so hardcore. you guys sacrificed your grandmother?!?!

 

[coelacanth_M]

alex is disrespectful to asians.

 

[xfer]

I'm like Crash x10.

 

[mindspell]

Seriously, instead of all the mourning and crying I should institute that family will do a party every year for our dead. I'll propose and we'll see.

 

[xfer]

There's an American who demanded that tradition for himself when he dies. His name is SHAQUILLE O'NEAL.

 

[minxnim]

uh if it's not like arabic-eastern then alex just isn't down.

also, exciar my friend recently went back there for a je-sa for his dad.

 

[xfer]

FYI indians/pakistanis are "asians"

 

[minxnim]

that's why i said 'arabic asian' but thanks EXPERT GUY

 

[xfer]

and technically "middle eastern" is RASCEST like calling african-americans "blacks" or japanese people "chinese". the new term is SOUTHWEST ASIAN. so technically they are asians too!

-- EXPERT GUY

 

[minxnim]

i didn't even say middle eastern!
god you're such a know it all sometimes it's obnoxious.

P.S. my grandfather is black and calls himself black.

 

[minxnim]

haha i just called my pakistani friend and he almost died laughing when i asked if he was a 'southwest asian'.

 

[xfer]

you also didn't say arabic-asian! HAH

and your grandfather is probably exactly who Edward Said is talking about in Orientalism when he refers to "reflexive race-induced stereomongering, typified by Dominican prepfathers"

 

[xfer]

pakistanis are not southwest asian, nor are they middle eastern! they are "south asian"!

--EXPERT GUY

 

[minxnim]

thanks for clearing that up too WHITE GUY!

 

[minxnim]

my friend is gonna love that response. he was like 'let me guess, white guy...?'

 

[minxnim]

its cool now i can txt you and be like "f u"

 

[xfer]

amanda: "even worse! white guy with indie rock jungle fever!"

 

[xfer]

haha we totally ruined exciar's grandmother thread