Gawp Explained

Gawp (Jeju: ᄀᆞᆸ) is a cosmological concept in Jeju Island shamanism referring to the divide between heaven and earth, humans and non-humans, and the living and the dead.

• In the Jeju creation myth, a gawp between heaven and earth is said to be created from the original mingled state of the universe. Later, the god Daebyeol-wang creates a gawp between humans and non-humans when he numbs the tongues of animals, plants, and rocks so that they can no longer speak, and physically separates the living from the dead.
• In the Buldo-maji, a series of rituals held for fertility gods, shamans create a gawp between Saengbul-halmang, the goddess of childbirth and patron of young children, and Gusamseung-halmang, the goddess of dead children who send illnesses to kill babies and bring them under her dominion.
• In the Durin-gut, a ritual held to cure mental illnesses, shamans endeavor to create a gawp between the human patient and the malevolent dokkaebi that has entered their body and is responsible for the insanity.

References

Works cited

• Book: 강정식 (Kang Jeong-sik) . Jeju Gut Ihae-ui Giljabi . ko:제주굿 이해의 길잡이 . A Primer to Understanding Jeju Ritual . Minsogwon . 2015 . 9788928508150 . Jeju-hak Chongseo . July 11, 2020 . .
• Book: 고광민 (Ko Kwang-min) . 강정식 (Kang Jeong-sik) . National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage . Jeju-do Chuneun-gut . ko:제주도 추는굿 . The Dancing Ritual of Jeju Island . Pia . 2006 . 89-86148-28-5 . July 28, 2020 . .
• 김선희 (Kim Sun-hee) . 'Bepo-doeop-chim'-ui changjo-sinhwa-jeok seonggyeok . ko:「베포도업침」의 창조신화적 성격 . The nature of the Bepo-doeop-chim as a creation myth . Yeongjueomun . 1598-9011 . 22 . 2011 . 61–90 . June 8, 2020 . .