죽창가 Bamboo Spear Song

[soryang]

Last edited Sat Aug 7, 2021, 12:51 PM - Edit history (1)

The original poem is attributed to Kim Nam-ju ( 故 김남주 시인 ) according to an article in the International Newspaper July 16, 2019 shortly after the final episode of the dramatic series Noktu Flower ( 녹두꽃 ). Noktu Flower portrays the Tonghak reform movement in late 19th Century Chosun.*

* 조국 게재한 죽창가 가사 내용은? 정치권 의견 분분, 이영실 기자, 7.16.19 국제신문 ; http://www.kookje.co.kr/news2011/asp/newsbody.asp?code=0100&key=20190716.99099007677

This mountain village, soar together!
Let's become a flower. The flower
nurtured by falling tears and broken feet
let's become noktu flowers

This mountain valley all together take flight!
Lets become a bird. A bird
To north and south it cries,
Let's become the flying blue bird

This field alight together
Let's become a fire. A fire
burning plains lighting the darkness
Let's become the field afire

Let's do that, it's time for that
One more time, this village
Let's become a rebellion
Green pine green bamboo fixed in our heart
Let's become the bamboo spear

( 죽창가 / 김남주 시, 김경주 곡 )

I've taken a liberal rather than literal interpretation in order to convey the aesthetic and emotional appeal of the original in hangul. From watching the Noktu Flower drama series and learning from other sources about the period I tried to capture the spirit of the uprising's Bamboo Spear Hymn. The poem by Kim Nam-ju won a literary award in 1989. At some earlier point it was set to music by Kim Kyeong-ju, and sung by college students during the uprising against the Chun Du-hwan dictatorship. A song with similar imagery actually arose during the Tonghak rebellion period. There is an academic argument about the use of the symbolism of the "blue birds" as compared to the use of the symbol in '새야새야' ( Birds! Birds! )a folk song from the period in which the birds could be interpreted to symbolize invading foreign armies alighting on the mung bean (noktu) fields offending the spirit of the ancestors whose souls reside there to ward off the birds.* The seasonal coming and going of the birds takes a entirely different meaning in The Bamboo Spear Song.

*조국 수석의 '죽창가' 인용, 무엇이 문제란 말인가? 19.07.23 12:01l최종 업데이트 19.07.23 19:05l추준우 ; http://www.ohmynews.com/NWS_Web/View/at_pg.aspx?CNTN_CD=A0002555923

The poem and the song are politically controversial in the early stages of the current South Korean presidential political campaign. It is said by conservatives to represent "harmful" populist nationalism in South Korean politics. There is more on the historical background of the poem in the article at the link below:

https://civilizationdiscontents.blogspot.com/2021/08/bamboo-spear-song.html

[lillypaddle]

1. Not sure about the politics of it

but it's a beautiful poem.

[soryang]

2. thanks

lillypaddle I tried to do it justice.

The politics may be too obscure. It reflects the spirit of popular opposition to oppressive politics, as a natural occurrence. The drama Noktu Flower was also beautiful. I'm of the opinion that aspects of the theme of Noktu Flower were borrowed and led to the success of the Netflix production Mister Sunshine.

[lillypaddle]

3. I'm hopeless

don't have or watch Netflix, and never heard of Mister Sunshine. But all of that aside, the poem was truly beautiful, so I thank you for sharing it. And thanks for the additional info.

[soryang]

4. I'm not a big netflix fan either

I piggybacked on someone else's account as a family member when visiting. I use it a reference that others can relate to. I mostly watch South Korean broadcasts on the internet.

I appreciate your comments because most people don't react. If I translate some cultural thing like this I find interesting, I look for the best or most relevant place to post it. So I was pleased to find this group. One of my hobbies has been translating more traditional Korean popular music which is a lot like poetry to me.

Sometimes it seems the older I get the more irrelevant my interests seem. So I'm so pleased this got some views here.

[lillypaddle]

5. The fact that you translated it

is amazing in and of itself.

[soryang]

6. Originally a friend recommended that I post what I translated

Originally, i did it to learn the language. I translated news articles mostly. She encouraged me to write down what i was doing. I listened to songs and memorized them when I was a driver to pass the time. Eventually i realized how beautiful some of the song lyrics were and began writing them down. When my friend died I translated this song:

친구여 조용필 가사 Dear Friend, by Jo Yong Pil, lyrics
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=fCTbT85876s

꿈은 A dream
하늘에서 잠자고 In the sky sleeping
추억은 Memory
구름따라 흐르고 flows following clouds
친구여 Dear Friend
모습은 어딜 갔나 Your visage, where has it gone?
그리운 친구여 Missed dear friend.

옛 일 Past days
생각이 날때마다 each time those thoughts arise,
우리 our
잃어버린 정 찾아 lost affection, I seek
친구여 Dear Friend
꿈속에서 만날까 in a dream shall we meet
조용히 눈을 감네 Quietly, close our eyes

슬픔도 기쁨도 Sadness and Joy too,
외로움도 함께 했지 loneliness too, we had together.
부푼 꿈 을 안고 Risen dream, embrace
내일을 다짐하던 Tomorrow, our promised
우리 굳 센 약속 어디에 Our sure strong pledge where is it?

꿈은 The dream
하늘에서 잠자고 Sleeps in heaven
추억은 The memory
구름따라 흐르고 flows following clouds
친구여 Dear Friend
모습은 어딜 갔나 Your visage, where has it gone?
그리운 친구여 Missed dear friend.

If overtaken by events and I stop to listen to or work on some translation of a beautiful song, it restores my sense of balance and well being. I know poetry or other great art can do the same. These are not my lyrics, but I want others to experience the beauty of these songs.

[lillypaddle]

7. A lovely tribute to your friend nt