To celebrate Korea Day (1 March 2006), the Christchurch Korean Society will host, for the first time in Christchurch, the World Strongman Ssireum Competition. Ssireum is a traditional Korean sport that dates back a hundred years. It involves two contestants attempting to throw their opponent to the ground.
The major distinction between Ssireum and other combat sports like judo or wrestling, is the objective - if a competitor can force any part of the opponent's body above the knee to touch the ground, the competitor wins the bout.
The competition, along with a variety of other Korean entertaintment by traditionally dressed Koreans, and a host of food stalls will be held in Cathedral Square from 11am to 3pm on Saturday, 4 March.
Korea Day Program and Introduction57KB free PDF reader]
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Hillmorton Kapahaka perform in Jeonju, Korea, October 2005 |
Last month Deputy Mayor Carole Evans invited Hillmorton High School’s kapahaka group to perform at the Civic Offices prior to her formally farewelling them on their trip to South Korea and Japan where they will represent Christchurch.
The group has been gearing up for the trip, practicing and fundraising for most of the year. This year is the 10th anniversary of Christchuch’s sister-city tie to the Seoul city of Songpa.
The kapahaka group’s trip has been organised by the Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee, which is delighted to have these young people represent Christchurch at the famous Hanseong Baekjae Cultural Festival in Songpa. They will also perform at three Songpa schools which have sister-school relationships with Christchurch schools, at a dinner in Seoul organised by the New Zealand Army for defence attaches from 25 nations and senior South Korean military officials and at the Jeonju international festival, where there will also be groups performing from Xian in China, Florence and Kyoto and Nara in Japan.
In Japan, they will perform as part of an international friendship festival in Kurashiki, Christchurch’s Japanese sister city.
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| Hillmorton Kapahaka in Hanseong Baekje Street Parade, Songpa, September 2005 | A highlight of Songpa's sister cities Welcome lunch with Cr Harrow, Christchurch |
The 'Kia Ora' sculpture, an artwork being gifted to Songpa Gu, Seoul, Korea by the people of Christchurch, has arrived in Songpa-gu and will be unveiled in April.
Created by Christchurch artist, Leah Mary Fraser Henderson, the sculpture features a face made of stainless steel with a mirror finish, mounted on a large slab of Halswell Quarry stone.
The artwork was commissioned to celebrate Christchurch’s ongoing friendship and sister city relationship, which was formalised in 1995. It will be installed on the western shore of West Seokchon Lake, opposite Lotte World, a famous complex with hotel, department store and theme park.
“People (in South Korea) will be able to see themselves in its reflection while we borrow the view of their park in place of our botanic gardens… the average South Korean will be looking eye to eye with it, in a sense looking through our eyes how we see the world,” Mrs Fraser-Henderson said.
The name Kia Ora was chosen as it is a phrase full of friendship and heartfelt thanks, she said.
Artist Leah Fraser Henderson and the Kia Ora Sculpture, photo taken at Halswell Quarry Park, before the sculpture was shipped to sculpture and it's plaque.
Artist Leah Fraser Henderson and the Kia Ora Sculpture with members of the Christchurch Songpa-gu Sister City Committee and Christchurch City Council's International Relations Team at the unveiling of the sculpture in Christchurch, July 04.
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| The $30,000 bridge, built in a traditional Korean style, was donated by the Embassy of the Republic of Korea and a local Korean war veteran, Seong Bang (Charlie) Lee. |
A memorial bridge honouring the sacrifice of 33 New Zealand troops who fought against communist North Korea 50 years ago, was officially opened in the Songpa-gu Garden at Halswell Quarry Park during the Canterbury Korean Veterans Association ceasefire reunion on 29th July 2003.
The Songpa-Gu Folk Art Group of 37, directed by Professor Kim Kwang Ja of Suwon Women's College, Seoul visited Christchurch from 3-8 October 2002 and gave three wonderful performances.
The event was styled “Sights and Sounds of Korea” and it certainly presented the beauty of Korean traditional dance and the vibrancy of Korean music. The full programme was performed in the James Hay Theatre (Christchurch Town Hall) on the Saturday evening, 5 October. Shortened programmes were presented for the outdoor lunchtime performances in Cathedral Square Friday, 4 October, and the Arts Centre Saturday, 5 October. All performances were attended by large and enthusiastic crowds. HE Chong Woo Seong, Ambassador Republic of Korea, visited Christchurch for the event. In all respects the group’s visit was an unqualified success and our objective of showing first class presentations of Korean culture to Christchurch audiences was achieved.
The group was led by Mr Chang Moon Hag, Director General, Administration Management Bureau, Songpa-Gu Office and accompanied by four other staff members from Songpa-Gu Office, including Mr Ok, Head of Songpa-Gu's Parks department. All the visitors really enjoyed their time in Christchurch, with local sightseeing, shopping and a day trip to Hanmer Springs keeping them busy when they weren't performing or rehearsing.
The visit, organised by the Christchurch Songpa-Gu Sister City Committee, was generously supported by the Christchurch Casino, who hosted a welcome dinner, Christchurch International Airport, ASIA 2000 Foundation, Gary Cockran Hyundai, New Avonhead Travel, ASB Bank, the Korean Embassy, Songpa-Gu Office and Christchurch City Council.
See photos of Friday's lunchtime performance in Cathedral Square and the group in a more relaxed mode.
See photos of Saturday evening's 'Sights and Sounds of Korea' at the James Hay Theatre.
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| The Art teacher from Ogum High School at the ‘Ways of seeing’ exhibition at the Centre of Contemporary Art in Christchurch, February 2001 |
'Ways of Seeing' was the theme for the 2001 exhibition, the second exhibition featuring works from Songpa-Gu at the ArtZone, Centre of Contemporary Art, Christchurch.
Works exhibited were from high school students in Songpa-Gu and three schools in Christchurch: Hornby, Burnside and Aranui High Schools. The month long exhibition was a fantastic display of the skills of these young artists.
The Art Teacher from Ogum High School, Songpa-Gu, who visited at the time of the exhibition, was very proud and delighted at the way the artworks were exhibited at the Children's Gallery.
From 19 February to 26 March 2000, 100 works of art by Songpa-Gu primary school children were featured alongside the artworks of local primary school children, in the first exhibition in New Zealand's first Children's Art Gallery. Artworks were based on the children's concepts of what they imagined their environment and activities taking place in it will be like in the year 2100.
A competition was held in Songpa-Gu and the best 100 artworks were chosen and sent to Christchurch for the exhibition. Following this, the Christchurch children's artworks, together with the Songpa artworks, were sent back to Songpa for an exhibition there.
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| To view a selection of the Songpa-Gu children's artworks visit the GlobalNet website. |
Christchurch Deputy Mayor, Cr Lesley Keast and Cr Carole Anderton together with Mr Clyde Sugden, Chairman of the Christchurch-Songpa-Gu Sister City Committee and Ms Julie Battersby, City Promotion Co-ordinator, travelled to Songpa-Gu, Seoul, Korea from 17 to 25 September 2001 to represent Christchurch at Songpa-Gu's Baekje Festival.
The biennial festival takes place over five days. It celebrates the time when Songpa was the capital city of Korea's Baekje Kingdom for 500 out of the 678 years of the Baekje dynasty, around 2000 years ago. The festival includes cultural performances and a parade through the streets of Songpa-Gu.
Christchurch celebrates 'Korea Day' on 1 March each year.
Asia 2000 support helped the Christchurch Korean Society organise some outstanding cultural activity to celebrate the first Korea Day of the new millennium.
Korea Day 2000 celebrations included the visit to Christchurch of a group of 38 performers from Songpa-Gu, including a group of professional drummers, from 1-6 March. Their incredible performances at Riccarton High School, Cathedral Square (at the conclusion of a street parade), the James Hay Theatre and the South Quad of the Art Centre were enthusiastically viewed.
Group leader Kim Kwang Ja said performances at the Arts Centre and the Christchurch Town Hall were her most memorable in 20 years of teaching as professor of dance at the Hyun Soo Won Women's University in Seoul.
Christchurch residents responded enthusiastically to the magic beat of the samul nori percussion group performing on both skinned drums and on a traditional bamboo matrix.
The grace and rhythmic beauty of the Bu Chae Chum fan dance drew gasps of admiration as did other traditional performances.
Perhaps the greatest success of the performers was in their ability to involve and incorporate willing audiences into aspects of the performance.
During their stay the group performed at Riccarton High School, in an open air presentation in Cathedral Square following a parade through central Christchurch, before nearly 1000 persons in the Christchurch Town Hall theatre, and in a well attended Sunday afternoon open air fiesta at the Christchurch Arts Center.
The Director General of Songpa-Gu's General Affairs Bureau led the delegation, and was accompanied by four Songpa-Gu Office staff members.
The Songpa-Gu Cultural group planted a tree in the Songpa Garden, at Halswell Quarry Park in March 2000 - they finished with a song to encourage the tree's growth
The Committee arranged for Professor Kim Dong-Ho from Songpa to participate in Art in the Park 2000, a sculpture symposium from 1-20 February 2000.
Alongside 22 other sculptors from 15 different cultures Professor Kim sculpted a symbolic piece, in the shape of a large urn, with Korean characters on it.
Professor Kim was home-hosted while in Christchurch and took home with him an appreciation of this unique symposium.
A Korean resident bought the sculpture and is seeking a suitable place for it to be publicly displayed.
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| Korea Day Parade, March 2000, Christchurch |
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| "Painting the Masks" art class, Tosung Elementary School, Songpa-Gu |
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| Songpa-Gu traditional dance troupe, March 2000, Christchurch |
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| Cultural group in Songpa-Gu, Korea |