The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1917-01-17
KOREAN SORCERERS
SHOO EVIL SPIRITS
INTO THE JUNGL.ES

1speclal correspnndenee. !,

Washington. Jan. Ito the ma
tiyos ~ Korea. the world IN ponulous
with active and m%aleyulent beings
who are ready ut any moinen to fan
upon them in wrath. according Ia a
statement made 10y Dr. l. NJ Casan-
owicz, assistant curator OF old world
archaeology. OF the United States
national museum. concerning the
paraphernalia % q Korean sorcyress
now deposited n the museum collec-
tiuus.
Dr. Casanowicz says the Korean
believes hat these beings OF spirits
haunt every tree. mountain, ana wa
t%ercourse. are on every root. fire.
place, ana beam, and infest ven
their chimney. living rooms. aud
kitchens; thar they besct them at
home ana waylay them when abroad
They seem 20 pc everywhere ~ all
times aud maze their lives miserable.
To their influence the koraus attrib-
ute every ~ an bad luCk. official
malcyolcncc. loss OF power or posi-
tiOt, ana especially sickness. The ma
t.vcs divide these countless losions
~ spirits into TWO main classes de-
mons. cousistiug uf solt-oN,sttu' ma
llciuus spirit, and spirit ut departed
impoverished pcfsons who died in
distress. and spirits whose natures
are partly kindly. when include the
ghosts uf prosperous and good peI-
pie. bat wen the latter appear 20 be
easily offended and extraordinarily
CnprICiuus
Two Glasses of SDICcTcrs.
To cope with these Two forms OF
spirits aud be- assured ~ t little peace
and quiet. the Koreans ha,c two
classes 81 sorcercrs or. as they call
them "shamnn. tho ransu and the
Mutaug. Both classes ate mediators
between the people ana the spirits.
bat they hear little relation To- each
other. The former are "fortuuc-tcl-
lcrs." and the latter. the "dccciyins
crowd. or mad lot In this con
ucctiun. pr. Casauowic1 said,
The Office of the pansu Is re-
strictcd 20 blind men. perhaps owing
tu the common belief among prim-
tive peoples that those who have
been deprived of physical sight have
been given an inner spiritual vision.
Tho Mutane * always a woman,
generally from the lower classes end
Of bad repute. and her calling Is con
slicred the very lowest In the social
scale. While the Pansu IS. as IL were.
born or made 10y dint ut his loss OF
eycsisht the Mutaug enters upon
her nc in consequence 81 y ''su-
p|cruntural call. consisting IN the ass
aunnce Of dcmonlacal possession.
the demon being supposed to have be-
come her doubl" and 90 have super
imposed his personality upon hers.
The possession b. often accompanied
by hystcrical and pathological symp-
toms. The spirit may seize any wo-
man. maid or wife. rich or poor. pie
beian or patrician. and compel her
to serve HIM. and on receiving the
call of the spirit 4 woman viii
break every tie Of custom and rela-
tionsh.p. leave home and family To
become henccforth a social outcast,
so that she is not even allowed ~
live within the city walls But not
"withstaudlug ner low social status.
her services are In constant Oemaui.
\ Profitable Form of Graft.
In travelling through the country
the mutang or sorccrcss is constantly
to be seen COINS through The various
musical pud dancing performances ="
tho midst ~ a crowd iu front Of o.
house whore there is sickness And