mudang

mudang

In Korean religion, a priestess who effects cures, tells fortunes, soothes spirits of the dead, and wards off evil. Her male counterpart is called a paksu. The principal occasion for a performance by a mudang is the kut, a trance ritual in which singing and dancing invite happiness and repel evil. The kut addresses a series of gods or spirits, such as the gods of childbirth, harvest, and households. After an altar is set on the floor and offerings are made, the mudang goes into a trance, during which the god is said to arrive, to be placated, and then to communicate a message intended for the client.