Yesterday, my wife and I (along with her eldest sister and mother) traveled to Taejon. The main purpose of the trip was for the elder sister to get ginseng products to take back to Germany with her (she's lived in Germany for the past thirty-five years or so). After that, we traveled to Taejon for me to meet with the bowyer who makes the laminated bows I represent.
We had dinner outside together, along with another archer who dropped by. Towards the end of dinner, the discussion turned to the horn bowyers. As is well-known, there are only a few of them left; what isn't known (and was news to me, too) is they are in danger of becoming extinct as a profession in the forseeable future. The problem? No access to horn and sinew anymore. It isn't that there isn't any--it's that the Korean government has cut off their suppy.
Korean bowyers got their horn from China. I also found out that, at least in recent years, they also got their sinew from China (long story). The Korean government has completely blocked imports of both materials from anywhere outside Korea, with one exception: waterbuffalo horn can be imported from Japan for use in making traditional stamp seals. Koreans are barred from getting horn from anyplace else, for any other purpose.
Needless to say, the news boiled me inside. The Korean bowyers have appealed to all reaches of government, to no avail. The government, in effect, said that horn bow making is not important and is only a niche industry. They implied that if it disappears, nobody will miss it.
I asked the people present if there is anything I or others can do; I was told no, that everything has been looked into. I don't believe that. I think some wheels need to squeak on this one. The horn bowyers are only going to be able to make bows with what horn and sinew supplies they currently have; after that, they are effectively out of business. Korean horn bows will become scarce, exceedingly expensive, and then non-existent. An art will have died, as will the bowyers, eventually.
I will look into the matter further. I'm not sure what recourse there is. Korea is surrounded by a sea of horns and sinew, but the bowyers have no place to swim.
Thomas
MJuingong
Is it possible to recruit Mr. Cua as a source?
Can a fund be set up?
Patrick Menzies
Thomas, Can Water Buffalo not be produced in Korea? I don't think the art will ever die out with people like yourself spreading the word and helping to preserve it with your videos.
It is sad when an art for a culture cannot be continued by that specific culture. I think at this point every type of archery is pretty safe for the long term. There is just too much interest in the varieties from around the world. The Korean bow will live on even if it isn't made by Koreans.
I think we've almost managed to revive the Scythian bow! :) Pat
Thomas Duvernay
The problem isn't finding sources of horn (either their previous source from China, or from Peter); it's getting it into Korea. I can tell you from my own personal experience, importing horn into Korea is near-impossible; Peter once sent me a few horns to show to the bowyer and the agricultural bureaucrats here almost went ballistic. However, as a shimmer of some hope, I eventually did get the horns (but after going through enough red tape to hold a battleship together). Bringing in quantities would be near-impossible with the government's current attitude.
I don't think the climate in Korea would support WB, even on the southernmost island of Cheju. I'm not sure how practical it would be, either, as there would have to be an enormous quantity to make it worthwhile. Also, if bringing horns into the country was difficult enough, can you imagine the reaction of the bureaucrats if someone asked to bring in the whole animal?
T
Romain
I guess the Ministry of Culture (if there is one in Korea) could help... If there is a petition to sign, count me in !
I'm surprised such a ban on horn can be imposed, but it is not limited to Korea. I saw Reto (a swiss-german ATARN member) last week in Beijing and he told me he had to pay 500 Swiss francs in order to receive his parcel of 2 horns ordered from Peter Cua.
Problem was not the VAT or tax level, but the mandatory fumigation treatment he had to pay for on arrival.
About sinew, on the other hand, alternate sources could probably be found in Korea. Unless the horn bowyers require only a certain type ?
Thomas Duvernay
Yeah, Korea has a Ministry of Culture (which, coincidentally, bestowed the title of intangible cultural asset on one Korean bowyer, Master Kim Bak-young). There is one national assemblyman I know of who is a trad archer himself; I will contact him about it, too.
As for the sinew, I couldn't understand the problem, either. When I talked with my paralyzed bowyer friend about it years ago, he told me he went to a slaughterhouse here in Korea personally to oversee the cutting of backstrap. What I was told about it last night was that when the backstrap is cut from the meat, it affects the quality of the meat, so the slaughterhouse would charge up to five times the sinew's value, to make up for the loss of meat. Beef is horrendously expensive in Korea (about $34/kg for domestic beef and $20/kg for imported). So, they started getting it from outside the country, to save on cost.
T
redhawk
hi you all,
the bureaucrates try everyday to make some trouble.
Maybe it will be possible to import waterbuffalo-horns into Korea,if it is cut into strips or somehow processed.
If I order osage-orange from my dealer in Missouri I can only import it into Germany if the belly-side of a stave is cut by a bandsaw.Otherwise they will send it back.This is a kind of fumigation.
I?m sure we are able to solve this problem.If there is anything to do,count me in Thomas
Dave
We should find someone in Japan who is willing to make little, if any profit by importing horn to Japan, then sending it on to Korea.
Just a hastily thought out bandaid-solution, may very well not be reasonable.
Dave in oz
Romain
If they are imported only to make seals, it won't work...
Customs Officer might check the end use of the product.
Maybe the solution would be to buy horn from a seal maker who could order more than he needs.
Thomas Duvernay
Redhawk,
The horn Koreans got in the past were also cut into strips before shipment; the problem is, all horn from other countries is banned, except Japan (The horn from Japan wouldn't do, either, as it is only to be used for the stamp seals people use here in Asia. Also, even if it were possible, I can only imagine how much it would cost to get it through Japan; bows would become prohibitively expensive, I'm sure).
T
Stephen Selby
Thomas,
Would there be a ban on importing hornbows in to Korea. Say, rather roughly built ones that would not really shoot very well because they contain much too much horn to be of much use... 8)
Thomas Duvernay
No, no ban on hornbow importation, that I'm aware of. However, I'm not sure how many could be sold, due to price, style, etc.
T
Romain
If the authorities really do not care about destroying their own culture (and one of the last in the world that still produces hornbows), maybe you could try to pass your message through the Press.
In France, it works very well, and usually the weird results of applying the law without thinking about the consequences are quickly corrected.
2 examples :
-when the famous Poilane baker in Paris was forbidden to use wood to make his bread (an old law forbade using wood fire in the city).
-when the new radars were set up along roads with a new procedure that disallowed appeals unless you first pay the fine (a farming tractor was supposedly caught at 150 km/h)
In both of above cases, newspaper joked enough that the untangible regulations was quickly amended.
In the case of the ban on horn and sinew imports, you must make a little research to see why it was adopted. Is it to protect the korean horn and sinew manufacturers ? Is it a matter of public health due to mad cow disease ? Before you contact the press you must demonstrate that this ban applied to archery is outside of the goals of the law and that the results will lead to destruction for no gains.
Thomas Duvernay
I am looking further into the issue. I would guess it was implemented due to various outbreaks in recent times, such as mad cow disease and hoof & mouth disease. Korea has no horn industry, as there are really no horns (with the exception of those from domestic oxen). Korean meat producers don't like to part with the backstrap sinew, due to a perceived reduction in meat quality from doing so. After I find out more info, I'll report back on it.
T
Stephen Selby
No, no ban on hornbow importation, that I'm aware of. However, I'm not sure how many could be sold, due to price, style, etc.
Was I being too subtle here?
Ok, all subtlety goes to the wind. What I mean is that we half-build crap hornbows in China and send them over to Korea so that the bowyers in Korea can rip them up and re-use the materials.
Stephen Selby
Subject to Members' comment, and with your support, I propose to send the following letter to the Korean Consul General in Hong Kong:
18 May 2005
Preserving the Ancient Korean Craft of Bow Making
Dear Mr Kim,
ATARN is the world?s pre-eminent research organization dedicated to maintaining and promoting the archery traditions of Asia. Based in Hong Kong, we maintain an Internet website at http://www.atarn.org .
The archery traditions and equestrian skills of Asia (for example those of Mongolia, China, Korea, Tibet, Bhutan and Japan) have at one time or another enjoyed cross-fertilization and exchange of techniques. Now some of these great traditions have disappeared, while others flourish, but in isolation.
Asian archery and equestrian traditions are rich in folklore, history, artistic expression, philosophy, technique, science and technology. Some, however, are in danger. In some Asian regions, the influence of western materialistic culture threatens to cause a loss of interest among potential new exponents. Sometimes, it is the craft of the bow and arrow makers which is under threat because of the dying-out of skills or the disappearance of sources of traditional materials.
Our members worldwide have long admired the archery skills of the Korean people. These skills are not only reflected in the outstanding results that Korean archers have obtained in the Olympics, but also in the preservation of Korean traditional archery using the horn bow (gaahk goong 角弓). Korean traditional archery has thousands of years of history and the craftsmanship of Korean bow-makers was recorded in stories from the time of the Chinese Tang Dynasty.
We have been happy to learn that Korean traditional bow-making has been supported by the Korean Government. For example, the Ministry of Culture bestowed the title of ?intangible cultural asset? on one Korean bow maker, Master Kim Bak-young.
It is therefore with great concern that our Members have learned that the Korean Government has recently banned the importation into Korea of dried water buffalo sinew and horn. Such materials cannot be found in Korea, and they always been imported from China. These two materials are indispensable materials for manufacture of the Korean traditional horn bow, and without access to such materials, the craft of bow-making ? that was so rightly recognized by the Ministry of Culture ? will die out.
Please accept this letter expressing our concern for the present situation and transmit it to His Excellency the Minister of Culture of the Republic of Korea. We should be grateful for a reply explaining the purpose of this import ban on horn and sinew by the Korean Government, and informing us of anything that our Organization can do to be of assistance.
Yours truly,
(Stephen Selby)
Thomas Duvernay
Great idea, Stephen. The letter looks good. However, please hold off for a short time, to see if I get a reply from the national assemblyman I wrote to; he might have some pertinent information regarding the matter. Also, I wrote to Col. Kim, to see what he knows about what's going on. If I don't hear from the official, or if his message is not encouraging, then let's go ahead with the letter.
Thanks!
T
Romain
Stephen Selby wrote:
Thomas,
Would there be a ban on importing hornbows in to Korea. Say, rather roughly built ones that would not really shoot very well because they contain much too much horn to be of much use... 8)
This is a brilliant idea Stephen if the lobbying doesn't work fast enough !
A sticker should be applied on the bows as follows :
Caution : If soaked into warm water, this overbuilt chinese bow could yield massive amounts of horn and sinew !
Romain
I could not find Korean customs regulation confirming the ban on Google.
However, I found a similar situation concerning antlers (too bad for the korean would-be neolithic atlatls recreationists !)
Ah, I see what you were getting at, Stephen. Sorry about my denseness today--not a lot of sleep in the last several days, I'm afraid :oops:
T
Thomas Duvernay
I did a search and found an article (in Korean) of a man who was caught by customs for smuggling in 60,000 WB horn strips and 2,900 sinew strips from China for horn bow crafting. I found other articles regarding the same subject and specifically saying they are prohibited. Here's one with a picture of the confiscated horn strips; notice the horn bows in the background:
I can't read the Korean; but I saw the word 'CITES', suggesting that there may be some misunderstanding that trafficking in endangered species is involved.
As that article is directly relevant, could I trouble you to ask Jon to translate it for us?
S.
Thomas Duvernay
The CITES statement was related to the ivory at the beginning of the article. Still, I'll have the article translated, as it is pertinent to our discussion.
T
Thomas Duvernay
Previously, I had said "intangible cultural asset" regarding the bowyer, Kim Bak-young. Actually, the title is "human cultural asset" (人間文化財)--my mistake.
T
Thomas Duvernay
Here's a translation of the pertinent section of the above-mentioned article:
"The Kwangju Customs Office is investigating Mr. Y who was arrested trying to smuggle in Chinese waterbuffalo horn and sinew on the 14th.
Mr. Y has been accused of smuggling in about one hundred and thirty million won's worth of traditional bow material, including 6,093 strips of horn (estimated at sixty million won), 2,903 strips of sinew (estimated at seventy million won), 38 times, dating back to June of 2001.
The Kwangju Customs Office is currently investigating related criminals like ivory smugglers, and will expand the investigation to other purchasers of the smuggled waterbuffalo horn."
Stephen Selby
I wonder whether there really has been a ban on these imports, or whether the people concerned were just sloppy about customs and health paperwork.
Thomas Duvernay
I was told last weekend that they are prohibited from being imported. As mentioned before, the only exception was horn through Japan for use in making stamps. Even in some of the articles I found mentioned the word prohibited items. Almost by definition, as a smuggler, the person was sloppy about customs and health paperwork.
T
Thomas Duvernay
I hope to meet with Col. Kim within the next two weeks. We plan to discuss the horn/sinew issue at that time. I'll keep you all informed as to what I find out.
T
Stephen Selby
I hope to meet with Col. Kim within the next two weeks.
I was wondering when to launch my letter. Should I really hold back for so long?
yokhua
:?: Thomas:
And why not make Korean horn bows in China? I have the skill and approved 120%. some Korean bows I have inspected and sure I can build them but I prefer some modles from a 1950's Korean bow. The Key is the cost. My cost will be over 2000USD. But that is not a problem! My uncle in China(who have 50,000,000USD iron mills and business in China ) can find me lots of good labor force(someone can treat the sinew, polish the horn strips and 40years+ experience traditional wood workers for cores ) and studio. Furthermore I have tones of water buffalo horn(much better quality then Tropical horns), and permium grade croaker bladdr supply in China. The terminal price and quality will blow everybody's mind away.
Thomas: if there sure is a market and you interested please contact me.(I think i'll do it with or without others maybe just for my fun, so watch out folks in 2 years that will happan!!!)
Romain
Yokhua, if we speak about the artifact, it could be done more or less anywhere, maybe cheaper or even better, but if we speak of saving a culture on the brink of extinction, the last horn bowyers of korea need to have access to building materials.
Delocalisation is not the remedy to everything.
yokhua
:D Yes! I think you are right. My idea is not to make exact copies. They(Korean boywers)just can't compete with. Maybe a little bit of revice in the cross section to avoid cracking in the horn belly which cause by Poisson effect and happanen on Korean horn bows almost 100% to have them warp by using fishing line and out of use in about 4~5 years.
yokhua
On the other hand! it is to save the culture! I have done this "one man craft" for period of times. After got back from China 2 weeks ago,I had a plan in my mind, Which is farming out all the different sects of this artifact.
First, pick up the bow modles such as Turkish, Indo-Persian, Chinese, Korean and some old Chinese modles. Set up the standards of each modle,which is their profiles,sizes and configurations. Have workers specialized the crafts in different groups,some treat sinews,some treat horns,some making glues,some put cores and horn together,best thing is they don't even know what are they making for. Customize and standardize each process in detail,and sinewing and tillering job will be done under my supervise,that will keep the secret of bow making . Finally send them for decoration by using birch bark and lacquer.
The result will be all kinds of horn bows and DIY bow kits you can have in very fair price(maybe as low as a good quality modern recurve hunting bow). :o
This is how to make sure this artifact survive.
Thomas Duvernay
Stephen,
I plan to meet with Col. Kim this Saturday. I want to see what he's found out before I encourage anyone to send letters.
Yuhua,
I appreciate your thoughts, but the main point is saving an entire culture and industry.
T
yokhua
Thomas:
Let's do the job to save the culture,no matter you like it or not; a bow master have the same idea with me and we probably will do it. Don't blam me if two year from now someone bring lots of Korean horn bows with exact the same profile,better quality and only half the price to Korea.
Romain
best thing is they don't even know what are they making for.
I somehow cannot believe that one could do a traditional bow without having some knowledge of the whole process. Modern laminated maybe...
sinewing and tillering job will be done under my supervise,that will keep the secret of bow making .
Keeping such secrets is completely adverse to the meaning of this website and forum, if I understood its mission well. Check that link : http://www.atarn.org/whatis.htm
Let's do the job to save the culture,no matter you like it or not
You would probably save the artifact, which is not bad, but not the culture !You plan to set up a taylorized assembly line where workers are kept in ignorance of the bowyer's knowledge ! It will be a Zola culture !
Don't blam me if two year from now someone bring lots of Korean horn bows with exact the same profile,better quality and only half the price to Korea.
Blame who, then ? :wink:
yokhua
Romain wrote:
I somehow cannot believe that one could do a traditional bow without having some knowledge of the whole process. Modern laminated maybe...
Yes you can!, See how things works on my uncles factory you will know.
In my plan sinew will be processed in one place where easy to access. And horn will be process in another place exact the sizes I want, same as cores build in a tradional wood workers place with samples I offered(Just keep him away from gluing process). I'll process bladder glue myself. note each place may be hundreds of miles away from each other.Finally all parts then send to so called "assembly line" which may be 1000Km away, I, my parterner and one pupil will be "someone" having knowledge of the whole process.
jack farrell
Hurrah for Yokhua. Since most of us have never been offered a horn bow from Korea or any other place at an affordable price, it can only help our artform if these became generally available. Besides, Yokhua has always shared his craft generously with all. Personally, I support traditional archery in whatever form it appears.
I also support the Korean hornbow production. Aren't these bows for local consumption anyway?
To import horns into the USA, we had to work with procedures and agencies. The horns had to be treated chemically for the same reasons. Find out the reasons for the ban, use science to refute. Capitalism overcomes. -j-
I just got back from a trip where I met with Col. Kim. I'm pretty tired now, so I'll write more about it later. However, if anyone wished to follow through with their letters to Korean embassies and consulates, I'd say go ahead; it might spur things on a bit.
Col. Kim found out that there is one Korean bowyer who takes frequent trips to China, and he makes bows there. He then brings them back to Korea. So, some peoples' suggestion to that effect seems to be fact. However, it shouldn't have to be that way.
More later.
Thomas
Stephen Selby
I sent the attached letter today:
Thomas Duvernay
Very nice, Stephen. Thanks.
T
redhawk
hi you all,
I think this is a typical problem of the globalization.I really don?t like Yokhuas idea of mass-production,but anyway everybody of us who is making replicas from any part of this planet contributes to delocalization but in many cases we help a culture to survive.To me the making of a replica means not only to build an interesting bow,it really means to learn something about another or strange cultures and history:it really means to honour the elders and the past.
I know this problem from two points of view:some years ago I was accused by a Native that white guys like me,now start to steal the craftmanship of his culture(after having stolen the land,medical pratices...),but I?ve made two replicas for Natives(Arapahoe and Ecuadorian Indians)cause they can?t find anyone within their community who knows to make these replicas.
Exactly at this point the making of replicas could even be a political statement.
Gianrico
Hi,
I would like to write a letter at the South Korean Mission here in Geneva. Of course an English letter would be better, but I'm afraid my level in writed English is too low for a such goal. May I ask you some help for translation? The french letter will be ready soon.
TIA for any help, best regards
Gianrico
Gianrico
Hi,
Here is my letter. If anyone can help with translation I think it will made a better presentation, otherwise I can send it in French, I suppose it can be read from persons working here in Geneva.
