Sitgimgut, the Art of Cleansing the Soul of the Dead

While traditional shamanism continues to decline around the world, it is currently undergoing a revival in South Korea. Though Korean shamanism has suffered centuries of ridicule and persecution, it is now acknowledged to be an important repository of Korean culture and indigenous psychology. The Sitgimgut ceremony is a shamanic ritual for cleansing a dead person's soul that comes from Jindo, a tiny island off the coast of South Korea. The islands remoteness has helped maintain its musical traditions and rituals in an unusually pure form. Read more.