Nigerians, Koreans Celebrate Chuseok Festival

Chuseok also known as Hangawi or Jungchujeol, is a major Korean cultural/religious thanksgiving Festival usually celebrated around the autumn equinox; either at the very end of summer or in early autumn, to celebrate a bountiful harvest while at the same time look forward to a better harvest in the coming year.

Celebrated on the 15th day of the 8th month of the lunisolar calendar on the full moon, in South Korea it is marked with a three-day holiday which begins on the 14th and ends on the 16th day of the 8th lunar month.

As a result, the dates for festival varies each year. For instance, in 2023 the festival was marked from 28th to 30th September, this year it was marked from 16th to 18th September however, in 2025, the festival would be marked from 5th to 6th October.

INSIDE ABUJA checks further revealed that some people perform ancestral worship rituals early in the morning, visit the tombs of their immediate ancestors afterwards to trim plants, clean the area around the tomb, and offer food, drink, and crops to their ancestors to honour them for a bountiful harvest.

Just like it’s done in major tribes in Nigeria including the Igbos, Idoma’s and others, during the celebration of the annual New Yam festivals where their ancestors are honoured for a bountiful harvest.

A season of home coming and family time for Koreans, during the festival families offer food and wine made with fresh fruits and the newly harvested crops to friends and relatives to celebrate yet another bountiful harvest, rally round to address family needs and concerns.

Although several dishes are prepared, the most characteristic dish of the day is songpyeon, a rice cake shaped like a half-moon and stuffed with fillings, such as sweetened sesame seeds, mung beans, or red bean paste.

Chuseok

Never found wanting in giving Nigerians an opportunity to have a feel of festivities and events happening in Korea, the Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria (KCCN) thrilled some Nigerians to activities lined up to mark the 2024 Chuseok Festival.

One of such event was the cooking class organised for Korean food enthusiasts to learn how to make some Korean snacks unique to Chuseok Festival. Culture and Event Officer KCCN, Habiba Yakubu noted that the cooking class was a good way to usher the Chuseok Festival.

“So in those days, Chuseok was considered like the celebration of new harvests, just like we have New Yam harvest festival here in Nigeria.

Chuseok was a time when people would like to have their new harvests and also celebrate or honor their ancestors for giving them plenty, helping them to have a good harvest.

“At present, is also a time to celebrate New Beginnings, family, because families need to get together and do many things. It’s somewhat similar to Christmas, end of the year gatherings where people travel to their villages to celebrate with the elderly.

Certain dishes are made, and one of it is what we’re doing here. “We are making the kind of snacks you eat during the celebration. We’re making pancake, which is made with marrow and some other things, but we’re focusing on the marrow.”

The festivities

The first snack, Hobakjeon; pan-fried battered Zucchini, was prepared with marrow, salt, cooking oil, eggs, black pepper, water, flour and dark soy sauce (Jinganjang). It’s a simple snack where zucchini coated in flour is dipped in beaten egg and fried.

The second snack, Kkochijeon; pan-fried skewers was prepared with oyster, mushroom, beef, crab sticks, garlic, salt, cooking oil, eggs, black pepper, water, flour, spring onion and sugar.

Speaking to INSIDE ABUJA, Deborah Olabelure who described every opportunity to cook and eat Korean food as mind blowing and exciting, noted that although the preparation of Hobak jeon was not so complicated, it requires a lot of cutting in certain ways to achieve the desired output.

“Korean foods are actually nice. What we are preparing, today is like a Korean side dish but in form of pancake. “When I’m preparing the meals I usually watch I’m like oh my God, I’m doing it. So it’s actually exciting if you’re a Korean fan.

Their foods are actually nice, it’s not weird.” Comparing the different ways Koreans and Nigerians prepare pancakes and other dishes, she said, “.

I just feel like we need to put in more vegetables in our fruits, because Korea eats a lot of vegetables and beef. “Aside that, we need to also be creative with our food because everything Korean meal is always looking pleasing but I think both countries are actually doing great.”

Gift John also described the whole process of learning how to make Korean snacks and dishes as “quite exciting” and fun. If available, she never misses out on any opportunity to participate in the KCCN’s cooking classes.

“Korea has made a name for themselves through K wave. The first attraction is their movies and from the movies you see their food, their music, and every other thing.

“You just get to fall in love with everything Korea, just based on watching their movies that’s the same thing for me; from their movies to their food to their music and dance. “On impact of past KCCN cooking classes she has participated in, she noted, “I’ve learnt about Korean foods, their ingredients.

Before now it was strange for me but now my palette has adjusted so now I can eat Korean dishes and it feels normal to me,” John said. For Hauwa Ibrahim, the Chuseok cooking class has been the best since she started participating in the KCCN tasty Korea cooking classes.

Giving reasons, Hauwa who was one of the top contenders for the just concluded N1m star prize Hansik (Korean food) contest in Abuja noted, ‘that’s because the dishes are very simple, they’re so delicious and everybody’s having fun making them.

“It’s like something you can actually make yourself at home,” she said. On why she keeps learning Korean dishes, Hauwa noted: ” I don’t even know why, because at this point, anything cooking Korean food, I’m really excited.

“I think it shows that I really really enjoyed the competition and all the classes, because it’s just great to meet new people, make new dishes, eat good food. It’s just good vibes.

“Since the competition, I have actually been making Korean dishes more than Nigerian dishes. I don’t know if that will last or if it’s just right now, but I’m really enjoying making Korean food.”