The Formation Process and Transmission Measures of Cultural Asset Ganggangsulae

Ganggangsulae is a representative Korean play song from which Haenam and Jindo Ganggangsulae were designated as important intangible cultural asset in 1966 and in 2009, they were designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. This article examined the organization changes and musical changes of Ganggangsulae before and after the designation of cultural heritage; the regional differences between Haenam and Jindo; and finally, the changes triggered by the generation shift of transmitter from the point view of musicology.Before the listing, Ganggangsulae was mainly transmitted by songs such as Jinganggangsulae and Jajinganggangsulae, and subordinate plays existed as independent entities. However, since the contest in 1975, a form emerged in which different subordinate plays are played in order like the present time. Since then, Jindo has added new playes with generation shifts while Haenam has adhered to the form of 1975.As a result, in the present Ganggangsulae, “Haenamganggangsulae”, “Jindoganggangsulae”, “Cultural asset Ganggangsulae” are performed in different manners. There is gamadeung in Haenam, absent in Jindo while there are Gaegoritaryung, Botgali, Sonchigibalchigi, Deoksukpyugi, Gangajitaryung, Okdanchu in Jindo, absent in Haenam. Also, in many songs such as Namsanga, there are differences in forms, melodies, and lyrics.There are issues about transmission measures through above-mentioned changes. Firstly, there needs to be an arrangement on integrated management of Ganggangsulae for Haenam and Jindo. It is a feature of folk arts to see different transmission from village to village, therefore, local identity needs to be respected and should be allowed to transmit according to their characteristics.Secondly, there needs to be Ganggangsulae with open structure which is not bound by the current cultural asset Ganggangsulae. Even now, there are new Ganggangsulae plays and songs from various villages in Jeonnam that are under study. Haenam and Jindo also saw unique plays and songs in their premises, so there must be new possibilities for novelty.In addition, in order to expand Ganggangsulae to a new variation, there needs to be a extensive research on Ganggangsulae in many villages that are not linked to cultural assets. Relying on some artisans and their memories is bound to be limiting. Ganggangsulae with open structure shall be a measure to transmit Ganggangsulae as a cultural heritage based on the new cultural properties protection law.