Yeongdeung- Korean GodDeity"Wind Grandmother"

The Wind Grandmother's Visit

Yeongdeung, Grandmother Yeongdeung in the Jeju dialect, descends from heaven on the first day of the second lunar month and remains on earth until the fifteenth, when she returns to the celestial realm. Her arrival announces itself in strong winds that sweep across Jeju, and during her fifteen days the goddess walks the island's shores and waters.

Her departure is the critical moment. If Yeongdeung leaves under calm, clear skies, the coming year will bring abundant sea harvests. If storms accompany her going, difficulties lie ahead. Fishing communities watch the weather of her final day with fierce attention, reading the wind and clouds for the fortune of the season to come. In the Yeongdeung bonpuri, the quality of her departure depends on whether she travels with her daughter, who brings fair weather, or her daughter-in-law, who brings storms.

The Yeongdeunggut

The Yeongdeunggut is a large-scale shamanic ritual performed at coastal sites around Jeju during the goddess's annual visit. Professional mudang lead the ceremonies with elaborate offerings and songs, the largest at Chilmeoridang, an ancient shrine in Gunsan-ri, where teams of shamans perform for hours or days.

The haenyeo, Jeju's female free-divers who harvest shellfish and seaweed from the sea floor without equipment, gather each year for the Yeongdeunggut before the diving season begins. These women face the sea daily with each dive. Their prayers to Yeongdeung ask for calm waters and good catches.

The Dragon King's Mother-in-Law

In Jeju tradition, Yeongdeung is the Dragon King's mother-in-law. He rules the underwater realm; she governs the surface winds and the atmosphere above. Between the two of them, the sea belongs to family.