The second Jeju Batdam Festival was held recently. Organizers and participants say it shed light on the island’s unique stone walls, and their importance to local culture. Minhoe Kim tells us more.




Report

The second Jeju Batdam Festival has wrapped up after two days of festivities.

[SLUG]
Jeju Batdam Festival draws to a close

There was a diverse and interesting set of events for 2016, which was the festival’s second year.


Despite the rain and wind, there were many visitors eager to participate in the activities.

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Visitors enjoy hike along batdam path

One event was to take a traditional bamboo lunch box on an ancestral walk along a Jeju batdam road, which gave participants the chance to experience a bit of traditional Jeju culture.

INTERVIEW
Kim Sun-yeong / Jeju City resident
I was born and raised in Jeju, but this is the first time I’ve done anything like this. I’m grateful for the opportunity, and I hope these events continue.
< 김순영 / 제주시 화북동 >
제주에서 태어나서 계속 생활해오는데 이런 체험하기는 처음이거든요. 너무 감사하고, 이런 유익한 행사를 계속 유지했으면 좋겠습니다.

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Variety of events

Many other activities, including a rock stacking contest and a cornerstone rolling contest, were held to help promote Jeju’s volcanic stone walls known as ‘batdam.’

INTERVIEW
Yun Hyeong-mi, Nam Hyeon-jeong / Tourists from Seoul
We came across this event by accident, learned about batdam, and enjoyed the activities. I hope this festival continues to grow into one of the island’s signature events.
< 윤형미 남현정 / 서울시 동대문구 >
여기 지나가다 우연히 들리게 됐는데 와서 밭담이 뭔지도 알게 됐고 볼거리, 즐길거리도 많고 재미있어요. 앞으로도 더 발전해서 밭담이 /// 널리널리 알려져서 제주의 대표 축제가 됐으면 좋겠습니다.

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Seminars give event an educational slant

There were a number of valuable seminars held over the course of the event that helped to distinguish it from others, which often focus on eating and drinking, by giving a glimpse into Jeju’s traditional culture.


The festival also provided an opportunity to discuss the preservation of Jeju’s stone walls and their cultural value.

INTERVIEW
Kim Geyong-hak / Provincial council member
We were able to discuss how to manage this valuable asset during the festival. I thought this was meaningful.
< 김경학 / 제주도의회 의원 >
여러 생각들을 하나로 모으고 보다 바람직한 방향의 돌담 유지 관리 방안을 고민해보는 의미가 있지 않나 생각해 봅니다.

INTERVIEW
Go Seong-bo / Professor, Jeju National University
I agree that all of the batdam across the island should be surveyed by type: fortress, farm wall, etc.
< 고성보 / 제주대 교수 >
제주도 전체를 대상으로 밭담을 진성, 환해장성 등에 따라서 별도 종류별, 시설별로 조사해야 된다는 것을 동의합니다.

The recent Jeju Batdam Festival was a place where visitors could learn more about the island’s old stone walls,

[Reporter] Minhoe Kim
[Camera] Kim Seung-cheol

and was also an opportunity to learn of the lives of the Jeju people and the importance of the island’s stone culture.

Minhoe Kim, KCTV