Pansori As A Relic Of Korean Tradition

Voices from the Straw Mat: Toward an Ethnography of Korean Singing by Chan E. Park is the review of the p’ansori Korean singing tradition. It not only describes p’ansori and the history of the music in the setting of the modernization of Korea but an outsider’s perspective on joining a tradition that is normally passed through generations. Voices from the Straw Mat is an enlightening ethnography because of its unique perspective from an author that is both a p’ansori performer and academic.

Although Chan E. Park was originally a Korean citizen, she grew up in a time of modernization separated from the history and tradition of p’ansori. Throughout early childhood, she went through a cycle of love and distance from general Westernized vocal practice and choral class. It was not until her M.F.A program at the University of Hawai’i when a real interest of the folk Korean tradition sparked. After a trip back to Korea to study the tradition over the summer, Park learned one of the traditional storytelling songs, Ch’unhyang, a song about wife fidelity. This not only started a p’ansori apprenticeship under Chong-sonsaegnim and a love for performance art, but a lifelong interest and study for the functions of this culture. Park now finds herself in an interesting position to educate others on p’ansori, having chosen rather than been chosen genetically to carry on the practice. Through the non-hereditary development of herself as a kisaeng, a female p’ansori singer, she brings an interesting view as she cultivates a learning process for her audience similar to what she experienced throughout her later education.

A p’ansori is a type of Korean vocal music that communicates narrative literature and tells a story. It’s a simple art that is performed by a singer in simple clothes with a fan and a simple drummer that accompanies the piece. They rotate between actually storytelling and audience engagement, creating a diverse environment where p’ansori can continue on for hours.

Although p’ansori used to be a huge singing tradition in Korea, it’s popularity dwindled to near nothing during a period of modernization. In the 1970’s, there was a huge focus on making the transition from “underdeveloped” to “developing”. Along with that came an underlying disdain for anything that seemed remotely “folk” or “native” as the society tried to distance themselves from their roots and take a step towards westernization. It’s due to the social stigma that has limited cultural distribution of this practice and initiated Park’s interest as one that was purely scientific and observational before she began to take part in the practice. As time has passed, p’ansori has become a subject studied across the world and enjoyed a revival of its own right back in its homeland, being shaped in the modern world into many interpretations such as an outlet for the feelings, thoughts and emotions of Korean women.

Through my own personal journey through this ethnography, I’ve learned a lot about Korean society and the effects and history of p’ansori. Although, I feel as if my ability to gain knowledge from this ethnography has more to do with my family background of having a Korean mother, but given that the ethnography felt that it was structured towards an audience with a background in Korean music/studies, it might have been more difficult for someone without my life experiences to understand. It definitely built on my knowledge and understanding of Korean history and resonated on a deeper level given that I recognized some of the words, places and culture.

P’ansori is a folk singing tradition in Korea that has experienced its share of highs and lows throughout the decades. This ethnography was not only personal, but informative of the history, the implications of the music and the style itself which allowed it to span multiple perspectives with such a diverse and well-rounded author. Although there were issues with a lack of background information on certain terms, overall, it created an intriguing in depth evaluation of the tradition for those with prior knowledge of Korean culture.