lao-ocean-girl

On Sunday, I had the pleasure of attending my first ???, a baby’s one year birthday party.  The birthday girl was Susana, David and Cathy’s daughter.  I had met David at a photography class taught by Mike.  Walking into the banquet hall, I had no idea who would be at the gathering that night.  Guess who was also at the party?  Mike (The Metropolitician),  Joe (ZenKimchi), and Henry (another photography class member).  We sat around the table and caught up.

Because of the high infant mortality rates in the past, this celebration is considered to be even more important.  However, the highlight of this celebration is when the child symbolically foretells his or her own future.

For this ritual, the child is dressed in new traditional Korean clothes. A male child wears the traditional hood worn by unmarried youths, and the female wears make-up. The child is seated before a table of various foods and objects such as thread, books, notebooks, brushes, ink and money which have all been given to the family by friends and relatives. The child is urged to pick up an object from the table, as it is believed the one selected first will foretell the child’s future. If the child picks up a writing brush or book, for example, he is destined to be a scholar. If he picks up money or rice, he will be wealthy; cakes or other food, a government official; a sword or bow, a military commander. If the child picks up the thread, it is believed he will live a long life. [source]

At this party, things were a little more modern, with items that included a mouse and microphone.  So, what did Susana choose?

She chose the microphone!  After fortelling her future, Susie’s parents were sort of forced to dance.  It was really strange and funny at the same time.  Here were two people dressed in hanboks, being pressured to dance to techno music.

After the party was over, Mike, Henry, and I found a bar and had a beer.  We hung out and talked for a couple hours before I had to leave around 10:40pm to catch the subway back to Gunpo.  I finally walked in the door around midnight.