제주 설화의 생태학적 인식

Abstract

Jeju folktales are interpreted on an ecological and reasoning basis in this paper. The paper attempts to sketch out how Jeju people lived in the past. By examining the stories of Jeju folktales, the nuances of veiled historical references and plot implications, can shed light on the underlying general attitudes of Jeju people, of the time, in dealing with life and nature. Consequently, the paper suggests a sense of direction for people living in the ecological crisis of today.

Since there has been little research on the ecological aspect found in Jeju folktales, the researcher took the methodological guidance from ecological researchers of other subjects, to include: Jaehae Im, Ghee?]uk Lee, Ganghyun Ju, Byungju Kim, and Sanghae Lee.

The research focused on stories of myths and legends selected because they depict ancient lifestyles from which, can be induced, a sense of ecological awareness. Myths were studied so that the ecological reasoning can be inferred, while legends provided an ecological basis to apply the analytical methodology adopted from the Gaia theory of James Lovelock and the Theory of Global Life by Professor Hoe?]ik Jang.

The basis for the ecological awareness lies in the hope that guidance can be given to humans who are under the threat of destruction from the current global ecological crisis; caused by the human ?enotion of man?]centered dominance?f and materialistic expansion

Jeju folktales provide a record of lifestyles in which humans have practiced sustainable living and coexistence with nature, since ancient times. Hence, the research is meaningful to present these lifestyles of old so that people of today can live and mutually exist with nature.

From the Jeju myths, the researcher identified and analyzed the symbolic representation of life based on the Gaia theory, as well as, the adaptation method in the Theory of Global Life. Ecological awareness is found in shamanistic epic poems, to include , , and . The , as Cheonjiwang representing the sky, ground, and the king, reveal the monistic view of the universe as a single system and existed in the epic era on which the myths were based. It also illustrates that humans overcame natural disasters with ecological wisdom learned from previous experience.

In the , with Segyeong representing the Goddess of agriculture and good harvest, the researcher paid attention to relationships influenced by the interactions between an agricultural God, Jacheongbi, a God of man, Mundoryeong, a God of cattle, Jeongsunamee, and the daughter of the horticulturist Sarajangja, by reviewing their life activities in the notion of the Theory of Global Life. Ecological awareness is also found in the rituals for good harvest, an exorcism performed in the .

In the , Igong represents the God of a flower that takes the souls from children. The researcher compared life activities with the Theory of Global Life focusing on the Guard of flowers, Hallagungee, a Goddess for the home, Wongangamee, and another Guard of flowers in the world after death, Saradoryeong, with the anti?]life activities of Jaeinjangja. It is to highlight the role of life in the Theory of Global Life, from the flowers of the Seocheon flower garden that exist in the world of the dead and the ecological awareness in the ritual of desiring flowers.

In reviewing Jeju folktales, the researcher looks into , the founding Goddess of Jeju, and the associated story about the founding landscape, as well as, the stories of the snake worship spirit. The research focused on the ecological foundation and interpretation of the culture and environment to discover the significance that can be used by modern society.

In the story of , the research examines the reason why the super?]creature of a life, as per the definition in the Gaia Theory, lost its divinity and heroic character, to become a comical character, and to seek its meaning.

The folktale stories are reviewed to explore Jeju people?fs perceptions of nature. The examination is made to determine whether a useful message can be derived from Jeju?fs traditional use of landscapes and the environment to help in this modern ecological crisis.

In the folktale stories of worshiping snakes, the researcher found out that the spiritual worship of snakes evolved from an ecological view and was widely practiced. Research also delved into the meaning and the significance of snake worship to the people of Jeju.

In conclusion, the researcher looked into the way to implement the findings and meanings drawn from the study on ecological awareness. The analysis was presented in the order of the chapters arranged in the research. It is suggested, as the researcher?fs opinion, that ?ethe spirit of our ancestors who sought to live their lives through coexistence with the sky, the ground, humans, and the biological world together?f, is the very direction for our community to take to overcome today?fs ecological crisis. However, the research can be further enhanced by scrutinizing in more depth, the scientific examination of ecological awareness, and by applying a more detailed approach to the research objectivity and methodology.