Danoh (sounds like dah-no) is a traditional celebration that is held on the fifth day of the fifth month each year (the Lunar Calendar starts in late January instead of January 1st). It was held after farmers finished planting seeds in the ground for the season.

Older Korean holidays like Danoh and the traditional practices and ceremonies that were performed often reflected their religious and spiritual beliefs such as Korean Buddhism and Shamanism. Some of these rituals were meant to ward off evil spirits. Women would wash their hair with a grass called “sweet flag” that was boiled in water and was believed that it would make their hair shine more. People wore red and blue clothing. Danoh was also a time for other fun activities such as swinging, wrestling, music, dance, and martial arts.

Though most modern Koreans no longer include the religious and spiritual parts of Danoh’s history, we at the Korean American Cultural Center of Michigan would like to invite you to join us in celebrating our culture and learning more about us!