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| yna@yna.co.kr 2022-08-09 15:31:00
SEOUL, August 9 (Yonhap) -- Traditional baskets made of weaving straw, grass, and wood were widely used as containers for storing and transporting things in everyday life.
It was usually made with materials that are readily available in the area and was utilized to make them to the shape and size desired. This also means that it had different shapes depending on where one lived and what kind of lifestyle they led, which is why it is considered an important material that gives a clue of people’s lifestyle during that time.
The National Folk Museum of Korea announced on Tuesday that it has published a report “Weave and Contain: Korean Living Culture Appeared in a Basket” which examines the living culture of that time based on baskets, a representative living tool.
After classifying baskets according to its use, the report looked at the history, variation of the meaning, and production process.
Ancient people made baskets by selecting suitable plants from their native land.
The wisdom of our ancestors is embedded in the entire process, from processing the material characteristics, including rice straw, honeysuckle, bamboo, willow, and sagebrush, and weaving the baskets to fit its purpose. In a way, it is a kind of treasure trove of traditional knowledge.
"The decline of baskets woven with grass and wood does not simply mean the disappearance of everyday tools, but also means the disappearance of all traditional knowledge surrounding the basket, including folk knowledge about plants, crafting techniques, and tools,” the museum explained.
The report also discusses the change in the use of baskets, where while it was considered an essential household item in the past, it is now mostly used as ornaments.
At a time when the industrial base was lacking, baskets also gained attention as a way to make money as a side job.
However, with the industrialization, chemical baskets started to gain popularity, and the the perception of the existing baskets was changed to be a craft product that allows one to feel the local atmosphere.
Moreover, as cheap imported baskets were introduced, the relatively expensive domestic baskets started becoming burdensome to use in real life, with the report even mentioning that they were used as an ornament in a household.
“While the purpose of the basket, which is to store and hold things is the same from prehistoric times to the present, the cultural meaning that it holds is completely different,” explained the report. “The process of adding new values to the basket and the process where the basket changes helps us understand what it is today.”
The National Folk Museum of Korea has about 850 pieces of basket relics made with grass and wood.
The detailed information about the report can be found on the website (https://www.nfm.go.kr/).
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