International Education Week

This past Monday, the Korean Folk Art Club brought a tradition that is thousands of years old to the Student Union as part of UB's International Education Week's festivities.

The club's performance of the ancient art of Poongmul featured a dozen costumed members who played four different percussion instruments while performing a choreographed dance.

Poongmul originally surfaced as a form of expression that gave farmers the spiritual strength to harvest crops. Now the tradition is an art form that allows the students to stay in touch with their roots and to spread their culture by educating others, according to KFAC president Sang Yong Park.

"We keep our culture with us by playing drums," Park said, "but our main purpose is to educate and spread our culture to others."

This year was the fifth time the KFAC contributed their Poongmul performance to International Education Week.

The ritual began with a procession down the sidewalk next to the Union, led by the conductor figure called the "sangswae." The sangswae created the formations and played a small metal gong, called the "swae," that harmonized with the "janggoo," or the source of the main rhythm, complemented by the "buk" (bass drum). The sangswae brought all of the instruments together in a unified circle for the main part of the routine.

The Poongmul performance personified the idea of unity, which goes hand in hand with International Education Week.

"Poongmul is a Korean tradition of music and dance that people did because they wanted to share everything with each other, whether it's joy, strength or sadness," said KFAC vice president Jun Young Chung. "It's all about being together."

The tradition is not only based on unity, but is also composed of symbols of the idea. Performers were dressed in costumes with a black top and white bottom to symbolize the harmony between yin and yang. Red, blue and yellow ribbons were also tied around the waist and shoulders, representing the harmony between the sky, earth and human, Chung said.

The idea of unity was the thread that allowed spectators to connect with the Korean ritual.

"The unity was the best part of the performance. It really integrated everybody," said Jillian Mertz, a sophomore English major.

Although the tradition is very symbolic and spiritual, there is also a lighthearted side.

"It's just about the fun," Park said. "The main purpose is to share our culture with other university students. Everyone is welcome (to join)."

The KFAC also participated in the Korean Harvest parade in the city and the Korean Thanksgiving parade this year. The performers, who have learned the music and dance steps through the KFAC, showcase their routine at an annual performance on campus every spring, according to Park and Chung.

"In our club, basically everyone happens to be Korean, but anyone can join," Park said. "Diversity is important. Just letting people know what other cultures are like helps."

Since UB is ranked 11th in the nation in international enrollment, the celebration of cultural diversity through International Education Week is a vital part of the campus community.

"It's a good opportunity for people to find out what other cultures are like," Chung said.

Mary Sarsfield, a junior English major, agrees that International Education Week provides a unique cultural opportunity for students.

"It's definitely important because UB has such a diverse student population and it's important to recognize that," Sarsfield said. "It's really cool that I could see a performance like this in Buffalo. It's very cultural."