Memory of Jangseungje and the Continuity of Community Belief through Oral History

This study explores the continuity of community beliefs embedded in traditional Korean folk rituals by analyzing oral histories of elderly residents regarding the Jangseungje (village guardian pole rite) once practiced in Eumnae-dong, Daedeok-gu, Daejeon. Utilizing the theoretical framework of memory studies, the narratives were examined not merely as recollections of the past but as socio-cultural constructs shaped by spatiality, emotion, linguistic performance, and embodied practices. The findings indicate that oral testimony functions as a performative act of collective memory, allowing traditional rituals to be revived and recontextualized even after historical disruption. Through the case of the Eumnae-dong Jangseungje, this paper highlights the potential for folk religious practices to persist within contemporary communities via mediated memory, and underscores the importance of long-term strategies for sustaining local culture and transforming memory into a shared community resource.