Rhythmic beatings of hourglass-shaped drums, barrel drums and small and large gongs resonated at Huron High School last night as Sinaboro, the University’s traditional Korean drumming student organization, performed its second annual concert.
- Paul Wong
- (John Pratt / Daily)
About 150 people filled up the auditorium as Sinaboro members performed samulnori, a traditional Korean drumming comprised of four different types of drums: Kkengawari, changgo, buk and jing.
The main purpose of this year’s concert was to raise money to aide North Koreans who are suffering from extreme food shortages. The concert included a short video clip showing North Korean suffering from severe droughts from the past.
LSA senior and Sinaboro President Yohan Ghang said the concert raised about $2,000 from ticket sales and individual donations. All of the money raised will go to The Korean American Sharing Movement – a non-profit organization founded in 1997 to aide famine victims in North Korea.
Besides raising money “we also want to increase the awareness and appreciation of Korean culture in the University and in the communities,” Ghang said.
The traditional drums were played in the farming communities in Korea during the harvest season to express thanksgiving. Each drum represents lightning, rain, clouds and wind – the four most important elements of nature according to Korean farmers.
University students were not the only ones sitting in the audience or performing on the stage. The concert also included a traditional Korean fan dance by adopted Korean children, who learned the dance from Business school junior Hahna Kim, the vice president of Sinaboro.
“It’s so important for us to care for our children and for them to have this connection with this group and with the Korean culture,” Ypsilanti resident Beverly Fish said. Fish, a mother of a fan dancer, said next year the girls will also learn to play the drums.
“It was very entertaining and different,” said Jesse Thomas, an Engineering junior who called himself “uncultured.” Thomas added that the concert was his first time watching a traditional Korean drum performance.
“You really get into the beat” of the drums, LSA sophomore Jen Oh added.