The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1917-03-30

"O THE natives of Korea, the
world is populous with active
and malevolent beings who are
ready at any moment to fall
upon them in wrath, according to
statement made by DR.. /. NJ Casano-
wicz, assistant curator OF old world
archaeology of the United States Ma
tional museum, concerning the para
phernalia of a Korean sorceress now
deposited in the museum collections
Doctor Casanowicz says the Koreans
believe that these beings or spirits
haunt every tree, mountain and wa
tercourse are on every roof, fireplace
and beam, and infest even their CHM
neys, living rooms and kitchens; that
they beset them at home and waylay
them when abroad. They seem to be
everywhere at all times and make
their lives miserable. To their influe-
ence the Koreans attribute every Ill,
all bad luck, official malevolence, loss
OF power or position, and especially
sickness; demons, consisting OF self
existenkMmalicious spirits and spirits
of deu4fted impoverished persons who
died IA distress, and spirits whose ma
lures are partly kindly, which include
the ghosts of prosperous and good peo-
pie, but even the latter appear to be
easily offended and extraordinarily ca
PRECIOUS.
Two Glasses Of Sorcerers.
To cope with these two forms of
spirits and be assured of little peace
and quiet, the Koreans have two
classes Of sorcerers, or, as they call
them, "shamans ;" the Pansu and the
Mutang. Both classes are mediators
between the people and the spirits, but
they bear little relation to each other.
The former are "fortune-tellers," and
the latter, the "deceiving crowd" or
dad lot" In this connection, Doctor
Casanowicz said:
1.-THE office Of the Pansu is restrict
ed to blind men, perhaps owing to the
common belief among primitive peo-
pies that those who have been de-
prived of physical sight have been Civ
en- an inner spiritual vision. The Mu-
from the lower classes and of bad re-
pute, and her calling is considered the
very lowest In the social scale. While
the Pansu is, as 1t WERE born or made
by dint Of his loss of eyesight, the Mu
| tang enters upon her office in conse
| quence of a supernatural CALL con
sisting in the assurance of demoniaca
| possession, the demon being supposed
to have become her double and to have
superimposed his personality upoI
hers. The possession Is often accom-
| panied by hysteria and pathological
| symptoms. The spirit may seize an,
woman, maid or wife, rich or poor
| plebeian or patrician, and compel hel
to serve him, and on receiving the cal
Of the spirit a woman will break ev
cry tie of custom and relationship
leave home and family to becom,
henceforth social outcast, so that sh'
is not even allowed to live within tn,
city walls. But Notwithstanding he
low social status, her services are II
constant demand.
"In travelling through the country
the Mutang or sorceress Is constant.
to be seen going through the various
musical and dancing performances II
the midst of a crowd in front Of
house where there is sickness. Ant
at the close of the nineteenth centur.
the fees annually paid In Korea to tn
sorcerers were estimated at $750,00O.
Pansu IL Master of SPIRITS.
"The Pansu acts as master of tn
spirits, having gained by his poten
formula and ritual an ascendancy owe
them. By his spells he can direc
them. The Mutang Is supposed to b
able to influence them with her friend
ship with them. She has to pray t
them and coax them to go. BY her per
formances she puts herself en- rappor
With the spirits and is able to ascel
tain their will and to name the ran