By Ochiaka Ugwu
A Korean traditional Wrestling sport Ssireum has been used to celebrate Chuseok or Korean thanksgiving by the Korean Cultural Centre in Nigeria (KCCN).
The One-Day-Ceremony which held in Abuja Nigeria’s capital City Thursday drew at least 25 participants and other dignitaries with winners emerging afterwards in its demonstration.
Speaking during the opening ceremony, Director of KCCN, Mr. Kim Changki who welcomed the brave participants noted that Chuseok was a Korean thanksgiving and one of the biggest Korean holidays observed for three days straight.
Continuing, Kim said that Chuseok was traditionally marked to thank the heavens for a successful harvest and to be hopeful in the year ahead.
He informed that families use the occasion to gather, weed their ancestral graves, perform ancestral memorial services on Chuseok morning and perform the religious bow.
Kim spoke on the variety of activities, saying that Korean traditional wrestling, Ssireum will be performed to herald the celebration.
His words, ‘Once Korea’s most popular sport in the 80s and 90s, Ssireum’s popularity dropped because the focus was only on heavy weight wrestlers. However, its status rose again now that various lower weight classes were introduced Weights like you and 1 keep in mind that Ssireum is different from Japanese Sumo Wrestling.
“This year’s Ssireum event will be done a bit differently. As opposed to the general public, we focused only on individuals from different organizations but with a sports background, for a heightened and intense sportsman experience.
Also speaking, Head coach of Taekwondo at the KCCN, Bola Ogunmuyiwa said that Ssireum was a traditional Korean sport trying to get international popularity informing that the contest was categorized into four, namely: Male Heavyweight and Lightweight, Female Heavyweight and Lightweight.
Event and Communication Officer at KCCN, Jennifer Ezeonyeasi said that Ssireum was not new and there was desire to promote it and make it popular among other nationalities.
She stated the event had held three times between 2021 and 2023, but this year’s own focused on organizations and sports personnel.
However, the contest saw Moses Amos of the Federal Road Safety Corps defeating Willams Dare of the Nigeria Defense College to emerge overall winner of Ssireum Heavyweight (Male Category) with Olariwaju Abdulaziz defeating James Soadigo at Men Lightweight category to clinch the first position.
At the Heavyweight (Female Category), a teenager, Efemena Overume of Word of Faith School won while Ella Ola of Korean Cultural Centre Nigeria emerged runner up. Mayte Martins defeated Aziza Gift both of the Korean Cultural Centre to clinch first position in Lightweight (Female Category).
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
