In our world, two contradictory ideologies have always been in city developers’ minds, especially when they think of renovating old villages, towns, and cities. Some authorities, who don’t crave to perceive aged domicile, have not come up with any thought other than to knock them down and reinstate them with new skyscrapers. Others, with a desire to protect their historical places as they are, are furnishing them and changing them into tourist destinations to create jobs and generate income.
Thanks to the invitation by Korean Cultural and Information Service, I visited the Gemcheon cultural village which is found in the nearby area of Busan- the second-largest city of South Korea. The densely populated houses that slept on the green mountain looked like a multicolored rock crafted by a renowned architect. The green mountain gave exceptional grace to the cultural village.
According to tourist document, Bandal Hill, located between Mount Gamcheon and Ami, was a flourishing route connecting Chenomasan Dong and Ami Dong. The road on the hill now connects Gamcheon 2-dong and the west part of Ami-dong.
Taegeukdo is a religion founded by Cho Cheol-jae in 1918 based on the idea of Jeungsan. More than four thousand Taegeukdo followers gathered around the Banda hill and formed a village. The current Gamcheon 2-dong was formally established in 1958 around this religious village.
Gamchoen Dong, which preserves the cultural traces of the Korean nation, consists of the Korean War and the territorial features; the hillside roads have significant cultural value.
Gemcheon Dong’s neighborhoods were built in the order of unique stair shapes from Oknyebong to the foot of Mt. Cheonma-san. The virtue of building houses can be sensed in Gamcheon-dong, as each house is built to not block the front view of the house behind it. For modern city people, it can be a place to reminisce about past memories. Gamcheon-dong is a beautiful village where the residents live closely with and care for one another, preserving the cultural tradition and archetypes of the people.
The cultural village is formed by houses built in a staircase fashion on the foot hills of the coastal mountain, earning this village the nickname “Machu Picchu of Busan.” Many alleys that cut through this community are vibrantly decorated with murals and sculptures created by the residents.
The cultural village started as a base for the hardships of the Korean War refugees in the 1950s and is a place that has kept the history of Busan, which is the second city of South Korea as it is, an aspect and trace of the modern history of the nation. The traced group housing arrangement along the foot of the mountain and the view of Miro Miro Alley through all roads show the peculiar cultural village.
The village art project, which was launched by local artists and villagers to revive the village’s characteristics and historical value, became a steppingstone. Starting with this project, it attracted various public offerings and has become a popular attraction, with more than 3.08 million people visiting in 2019.
When a visitor goes deeper into this cultural village, s/he can have the occasion to scrutinize the interior design and the services these houses are now providing. One of the houses, which is large, served as a museum. This museum contains traditional home-made appliances that former residents of this village used in their daily activities.
Some of the houses are well furnished and serve as guest houses for tourists interested in extending their stay in the village. They are formed in harmony with the beautiful scenery of Gamcheon culture village by remodeling empty and abandoned houses and bathtubs. These houses help visitors have a special day under the starlight of Gamcheon village.
The souvenir shops help tourists buy relics after touring the village. Visitors can buy winning artwork from the village. Tourist souvenirs as well as commemorative products of the village are also sold in these shops. Souvenir shops such as Asteroid B612 help you see the whole village from a panoramic point of view.
When tourists are inwardly bound into the cultural village, they look at a number of food shops. One of the bakeries found there is known for its moon-shaped sweat cakes. Restaurants brought into being in the cultural village serve various sorts of Korean cultural foods and help tourists experience new cultures. Mackerel soup, grilled mackerel, authentic Goraesha fish cakes, and nutty laver snacks are a few of the delicious meals that satisfy the interest of visitors.
Residents of the cultural village are busy producing and selling jewelry, relics, and other types of souvenirs for tourists. The old-age but audacious Koreans who are acquainted with the milieu history of the village are not refrained from propping up with English translators. When you go into the village, you appeal to them to verbalize in a soft voice to avoid causing any disturbance to the residents and refrain from taking pictures in ways that infringe on their privacy.
Wherever they are, the shabby but historical cities and towns can be renovated and flourish like South Koreans do in Gamcheon village. The village becomes a tourist attraction that can generate a huge amount of capital, aside from protecting the nation’s heritage as it is.
As to this writer balancing old and new architectural designs, not stripping the glamor of a building fully covering it with another, including greeneries in construction works and focusing on developing touristic spots are the commonalities Ethiopia somewhat shares with South Korea.
BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD THURSDAY 1 FEBRUARY 2024
