SoRi-MoRi [“gathering of sound”] is the Korean American cultural affiliate of NAKASEC based in Philadelphia, whose repertoire include Poongmul (traditional Korean drum) and traditional dance. SoRi-MoRi inspires community activism through exposure to Korean culture. On September 11, 2002, SoRi-MoRi participated in the Interfaith Service for Peace and Justice attended by different faith-based (including Muslim, Christian, and Jewish) and community organizations in the Philadelphia area. The service concluded with a candlelight vigil and a march through the streets.Hundreds of participants marched to SoRi-MoRi’s musical rhythms and held candles to commemorate the victims of 9/11 and its aftermath.SoRi-MoRi played a Poongmul finale, which encouraged people to leave with a sense hope and peace.
For Chusok, SoRi-MoRi hosted a festival at Korea town in Philadelphia.People from the community as well as friends and family members came to celebrate the full moon together. Starting with a gosa [ceremony] to thank our ancestors for the good year and to wish for better luck in the coming year, the festival continued with Poongmul-nori (Korean drumming and dance), traditional Korean children’s games, and Ganggangsulrae (circle dance).Participants were asked to write their wishes on white papers and tie them to a hanging piece of long hemp rope. At the end of the night, people gathered in a circle, shared their wishes, and burned the wishing papers hoping that they would come true.
The annual “Peoplehood” was another event to invite the traditional folk music and dance of the SoRi-MoRi.On October 26, 2002, diverse groups of people in Philadelphia came together for the parade organized by the Spiral Q Puppet Theater to celebrate the community, diversity and the challenges and triumphs of the life in Philadelphia and its neighborhoods
