What is Chuseok All About?

 
This year, Chuseok falls on Thursday, October 1 (be ready for the biggest full moon of the year), and we would love to celebrate on Friday, October 2 in a non-pandemic world. If only we could offer some delicious Korean food and martial arts action sharing the fruits of a busy summer with the community. Anyway, check out what we would plan, what it's all about, why we celebrate it, and more.

 

What We Would Plan...

Chuseok 2020 falls on Thursday, October 1 (NOTE: we would celebrate on Friday, October 2), and MSMAP would again keep in the Chuseok-spirit by sharing the fruits of a busy, productive summer with the community in a non-pandemic world. We would love to share some authentic Korean food celebrating beneath the Harvest Moon, the biggest full moon of the year.

Looking forward to some delicious Korean food!
Korean Martial Arts Action!
 
More Korean food!
 
MSMAP'S CHUSEOK TRADITIONS: FOOD & ACTION.
These scenes from our Chuseok 2013 celebration are a good record of what we offered. Authentic Korean food came from Zippy's Korean BBQ in Redding. Action was provided by red/blue belts. $300 was contributed by over 50 attendees.
 
Korean Thanksgiving Food

KOREAN FOOD!    What is Thanksgiving without food? We load up on a variety of delicious food: bulgolgi, kimchee, rice, Korean hamburgers, watermelon...more?

EXCITING MARTIAL ARTS ACTION.    Watch area children, teens, and adults do their thing: cool skills (jumping kicks, flying kicks, board breaks, more) with exceptional manners. See the accomplishments of amazing people! Check out the highlights from the previous events:

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Chuseok: What is it?

Chuseok (or, Full Moon Harvest Festival) is the most important holiday on the Korean calendar. Often described as “Korean Thanksgiving,” this description doesn’t quite do it justice as it also includes elements of Grandparents’ Day, Memorial Day, Halloween, and Christmas. It is a time of thanks, bounty, and happiness.

 
OUR FIRST CELEBRATION OF CHUSEOK IN 2011.
We offered authentic Korean food from Silva's BBQ in Weed and taewkondo action to the seniors at Mt. Shasta City Park. Students from the Oak Leaf independent classroom attended also and learned a little bit about Korean culture and cuisine.
 

WHEN IS IT?    Occurring on the 15th day of the eighth month of the ancient lunar calendar (September or October), Chuseok is a celebration “on which Koreans, an agrarian people throughout most of history, thank their ancestors for the year’s harvest and share their abundance with family and friends.” 1 It is a holiday that brings families together to celebrate, be thankful, and express respect for their ancestors.
 

 
WHAT HAPPENS?    The holiday is celebrated beneath the Harvest Moon, the biggest full moon of the year. Part of a traditional celebration includes folk dancing, games, and a whole lot of food.

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Why does MSMAP celebrate Chuseok?

We started celebrated Chuseok in September 2011 at the Mt. Shasta City Park because we wanted to help out the community in another way. In addition to learning more about the culture that created both taekwondo and yongmudo and sampling traditional Korean food, Chuseok is a nice excuse to honor the seniors in our community via the Senior Nutrition Program by sharing some energy with skills and food.

“Just as strong roots will bring a plentiful harvest, Koreans find that connecting with the past brings rewards in the present.”6 And connecting with seniors is a great way to build strong roots within our own community.
 

 
About the Senior Nutrition Program
“Since 1974, there has been a hot lunch program for senior citizens at the City Park Recreation Center...55+ meals are delivered to homebound seniors in the South County (Meals-on-Wheels). Transportation to and from the Mt. Shasta lunch site is also available...The Senior Nutrition Program strives to not only meet the nutritional needs of its senior participants, but also recognizes the importance of socialization and life enrichment. Informational programs, special events, and other activities are a regular component of the senior lunch program schedule.” More...

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References

1. Korean Thanksgiving Holiday — Chuseok Traditions! (Seoul in Korea)
2. Hidden Korea: Ch’usok (PBS Online)
3. A detailed explanation of ‘Chuseok’(AllKPop.com)
4. Chuseok Holiday in Modern-Day Korea (Visit Korea)
5. Chuseok — Full Moon Harvest Holiday (Visit Korea)
6. Harvest Festival in Korea: Chuseok (Asia Society Kids)

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Chuseok Videos

Play Video!

Korea's Chuseok Holiday (Korea Today)
See what we're talking about: rites, food, gifts, games, travel.
Watch: Korea's Chuseok Holiday (4:13)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkySuOoQO_Q


Play Video!

Traditional Games & Music (Korea Today)
Check out some of Korea's traditional games.
Watch: Traditional Games (6:32)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7asHcw2V6FM


Play Video!

Chuseok Dishes (Korea Today)
Learn more about Chuseok food items.
Watch: Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving video (6:32)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O3D8p55f57I


Play Video!

Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving Day (Documentary)
See what we're talking about!
Watch: Chuseok, Korean Thanksgiving video (9:04)
Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e9N9IAGKYU


Next Page: On-The-Menu      

Looking forward to some great Korean food!

Food, Action, & Community Spirit
A huge spread of Korean cuisine, impressive taekwondo demonstration, and $300 to support the Senior Nutrition Program.
November 7, 2013; Mt. Shasta Area Newspapers

Introductory Remarks -- chompin' at the bit for action!

Celebrating Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving)
At City Park with the seniors starts the fall and winter holiday season off early with authentic Korean food and cool taekwondo action.
September 28, 2011; Mt. Shasta Area Newspapers

HARVEST MOON: This is the full moon closest to the northern Autumnal Equinox (i.e., the first day of Autumn) which occurs on Monday, September 8. In years past, farmers depended on the light of the Harvest Moon to gather ripening crops late into the night, hence the name. These days (nights!), we appreciate it mainly for its beauty. Be alert in the nights ahead for Harvest Moon halos, coronas and 'dogs: meteorological phenomena associated with our Marine Fog layers and moisture in the air.
 

 
MOON ILLUSION: Look for the apparent enlargement of the rising Moon. This is one of humankind’s oldest puzzles — why the Moon appears to be larger and closer on the horizon than when it is high in the sky. Low on the horizon, it will also take on a ruddy caste (because of the refraction and dispersion of the Moon’s light through the Earth’s atmosphere). For an exhaustive analysis see:
http://www.lhup.edu/~dsimanek/3d/moonillu.htm

Source:
Professor Ron Olowin
St. Mary's College of California