9.6

Track 9 .6

Being celebrate birthdays in many different ways, they perform rituals for different ages.

The first birthday of a baby is like a festival.

The baby is dressed in very colourful clothes and wears a long belt wrapped around the body twice.

This symbolises the wishes for a long life and good luck.

They decorate a large table with different types of rice cakes.

There is also a bowl of rice and other kinds of food on the table.

Food is not the only thing on the table.

There is also a pencil, a book, money, a bow and arrow, a needle, a ruler and a pair of scissors for girls.

Parents sit the baby up on Korean cushions and the baby picks up the objects on the table.

These objects are considered signs of the baby's future.

Pencil or book, for example, means the baby is going to be an intellectual.

Money means the baby is going to be rich.

Another birthday celebration is the 100th Day celebration.

As its name suggests, they hold the ceremony on the 100th day after a child's birth.

During this celebration, the family prays and thanks God and also prays for wealth, long life and luck.

They share rice cakes with 100 people.

This means long life, so the family sends rice cakes to neighbours too.

Neighbours take the cakes and return the dishes with rice and money.

When a person turns 60, there is a special celebration.

Children prepare a party for their parents.

They bow to their parents to show their respect for them.

They play traditional music and sing songs.

Adults and teens dress in children's clothes to feel younger.

They also sing children's songs and do children's dances.

Coming of age party is celebrated in Korea when a boy reaches 20 or a girl reaches 15.

Boys have their hair in a top knot and get a traditional Korean hat made of horse hair.

Boys also lift a heavy rock.

This is a test to show how strong they are and that they have become real men now.