Gods and Things: Is “Animism” an Operable Concept in Korea?

Shamanship is a thing-ish practice. Early missionary observers in Korea noted that features of the landscape, quotidian objects, and specialized paraphernalia figure work shamans (mansin) popular religious practice more generally. Subsequent ethnographers observed similar engagements with numinous things, from mountains to painted images, things vested presence soul stuff (y?ng). Should this be considered “animism” as term being rethought anthropological discourse today? we consider shamanic materiality one ontological challenge nature/culture divide? Drawing on existing ethnography her own fieldwork, author examines (far uniform) premises govern deployment material Korean shaman She argues while question opens deeper inquiry into have been described but not well-analyzed, must used clarity, precision, caution. Most she describes becomes sacred through acts human agency, revealing an ontology mobile, mutable spirits who are inducted or appropriate objects. Some these quotidian, some produced for use, even gods landscapes can affected by agency. These qualities enable adaptability practices much transformed highly commercialized South Korea.