제주도의 말고기 식용과 사회적 통제로서의 부정 관념

Abstract

Horsemeat restaurants are thriving in Jeju Island nowadays and consumption of horsemeat is increasing there as well. These trends highlight the unique Jeju dietary traditions that are different from that of the mainland. However, there is also a peculiar belief that consuming horsemeat is impure ; a belief that has developed along with the culture of horsemeat consumption in the island. Horsemeat was neither used for ancient rituals nor in seasonal festivities. The locals regard the practice as taboo before an important occasion and therefore refrain from consuming horsemeat at least for a week before the occasion. As one takes a closer look at historical evidence however, such belief, quite clearly, had been manufactured. The tradition of horsemeat consumption is clearly evidenced in several Jeju Island myths and proverbs including the Segyeongbonpuli, Dangbonpuli of Guja-myeon, which have all been transmitted until today. Records of ancient recipes from ancient literatures such as the Joseon Dynasty Annals, Sanrimgyeongje, and Donguibogam also make it clear that horsemeat consumption was practiced even in the mainland. Such recipes include horsemeat jerky, horsemeat broth, and an antidote for horsemeat poisoning. Also, there was an old Jeju tradition of making horsemeat jerky from a mare in the last month of the year, which makes it clear that the notion of impurity existed originally. It is quite clear that horsemeat consumption was regarded as impure and was suppressed in Jeju Island due to the operation of horse ranches and abuse in royal offering of horses. Similarly, eating horsemeat in the mainland was discouraged because of the regarded sanctity of horses and the administration of horse usage as they became important for the purposes of war and post. Ancient literature from the time of King Sejong during the Joseon Dynasty reveals that 1,000 or more horse thieves were exiled. This legal act clearly shows the conflict and contradiction between the national policy on horse usage and the tradition of horsemeat consumption in Jeju. Since it was impossible to wipe out horsemeat consumption completely through policies that prohibited the slaughtering of horses and cows and exiled horse and cow thieves, it seemed that it was the local officials who intentionally created the belief of impurity to suppress horsemeat consumption since they had to make a royal offering of horses and patronize the owners of horse ranches. They had to control the locals who had, for generations, traditionally slaughtered horses for their food and livelihood in order to guarantee the supply of horses to the central government. Since there was already a well established belief of impurity on another type of meat-pork, they thought that it was probably easier to penetrate the consciousness of the locals with such a belief rather than physical control or persuasive arguments. The main reason why horsemeat is still regarded as impure for seasonal festivities, ancient rituals and weddings is because it had not been recognized by local officials and gentries, the class in charge of official matters. However, locals have shied away from horsemeat because they have wisely developed a close interest in horses as an important support to enhance their livelihood. They began to use horses in farming, such as Batbalim and horse yoke, building houses and producing horse-based materials. Also, it was quite clear that the belief of impurity was usually reinforced and limited by social censure or control, not from the horsemeat’s edibility.