Music to my soul

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by Yonah Martin

사진 왼쪽부터 시계 방향으로 연아 마틴, 테일러 팔콘, 키애나 마틴, 낸시 팔콘, 줄리아 팔콘.

“Gome seh-ma-li-ga han-ji-bae it-suh…” (Three bears are in a house ..)
After rehearsing a dozen times, Taylor (age 9) and Kiana (age 11) sing in unison, reliving the Camp Korea 2006 variety show on July 22, at which all the girls from their cabin performed the popular children’s song “Gome seh-ma-li.”
Perhaps some of you are thinking, “Big deal. Lots of kids know that song. It’s for preschoolers. Why are you writing about this as if it’s newsworthy?”
Oh, but it is newsworthy. In fact, it’s a historic moment – the first that I’ve witnessed in Vancouver’s Lower Mainland since 1972.
I’ve heard this song before on Korean children’s programs and at Korean Language School. All children learn this song in Korea like Canadian children learn “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star.” The song is old news, but Taylor and Kiana singing it together is what makes it remarkable. 
The mini-concert that took place in Taylor’s living room is worth writing about, because Taylor Falcone is a German-Italian-Canadian. My daughter Kiana is one-quarter English, one-eighth Scottish, one-sixteenth Irish, one-sixteenth First Nations and half Korean-Canadian. But they both attended Camp Korea to “experience Korea in Canada.”
Kiana’s deep pride of her Korean heritage and love of Korean culture are perfectly natural, but Taylor’s keen interest and love of Korean culture are noteworthy.
Taylor and Kiana were destined to become friends. If they had defied the stars, my best friend Nancy (Taylor’s mom) and I would have forced their relationship in one way or another.
When the registration for Camp Korea 2006 began, I asked Nancy about sending Taylor to the camp with Kiana, with the promise of keeping the girls together in one cabin. Taylor likes Korean food and is interested in Korean culture because she likes Kiana, but would she be able to understand everything? What about the fact that she speaks zero Korean?
“We have bilingual counsellors and Taylor will be ‘experiencing Korea’ at Camp Korea through a variety of programs and activities. Don’t worry; she’ll have a good time,” I said.
With that assurance, Taylor became the first non-Korean camper to register.
Fast forward to the evening of Sunday, July 23, post Camp Korea in the Falcone home. Kiana is sitting at the piano. Taylor is standing like a soprano holding the Camp Korea booklet opened to Page 13, where the lyrics of “Gome seh-ma-li” are written in Korean and English phonetics. Taylor’s younger sister Julia (age 6) is sprawled on the couch behind the performers, watching amusedly. She wants to go to Camp Korea next year when she’s old enough.
The girls are singing “Gome seh-ma-li.” Taylor doesn’t take her eyes off the page even as she points to her belly as she sings, “Uppa gome-eun ddoong-ddoong-heh” (Papa bear is fat). Julia is pointing to her belly and trying to sing along.
Taylor’s pronunciation is far from perfect. But when I close my eyes for a moment and listen, they sound like angels. And they are singing in Korean.
My feet are swollen from the weekend of hard work at Camp Korea. The muscles of my legs are stiff. It’s late and I should be at home resting, but the sweet sound of the girls singing “Gome seh-ma-li” soothes my aching body and I am moved by the moment. I am inspired to write these words.

I am even motivated to think about next year’s Camp Korea 2007 and the camps in the years to follow.
 
What happened during Camp Korea, July 21-23, is now history. People will be able to watch the TV Korea coverage on Channel M and Shaw Cable (Channel 20) during the weekly “Our Ground” program when it airs.  They can also view it online once it’s uploaded onto the TV Korea website (www.tvkorea.org).

Camp Korea 2006 DVDs will be available for $20 (which includes the cost of postage) in August. Proceeds from the sale will go toward next year’s camp. You can visit www.c3society.com to find out about C3 Society’s latest events and projects, including Camp Korea 2007.

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