Shinan Students "We Are Making the Treasure Island Map"

Students from Bigeum and Amhaedo Islands Participate in 'Treasure Island Map Making' Project Until November This Year

[Sinan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Choi Jae-kyung] “I have lived on Bigeumdo for 12 years, but I never knew such treasures existed.”

This is a charming comment from an elementary school student on Bigeumdo, Sinan-gun, Jeollanam-do. After learning about the treasure-like attractions of Bigeumdo, the students recalled their own treasures. Finally, they drew those treasures. Their treasures varied from piles of salt at the salt farm, waves on the beach, beloved pets, to cherished cell phones.

Starting August 19, the ‘Making a Treasure Map of Island Villages’ project began at the Bird Ecology Village School on Bigeumdo, Sinan. Then, on the 24th, the first class of the same project was held at Dongteuri Village School on Amhaedo. Both projects will continue biweekly or weekly until early November.

At the end of the project, students will complete an island map containing the treasures they discovered on the island and present the results in an archive exhibition. Meanwhile, students explore the island’s locations, people, and history with a fresh perspective to uncover treasures.

This treasure map project is part of Sinan-gun’s ‘2022 Regional Culture Vitality Promotion Support Project.’ This support project, first implemented by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism this year, seeks cultural-level regional balanced development.

In March, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism stated, “The gap between the metropolitan area and non-metropolitan areas, as well as between urban and rural fishing villages, is deepening. To achieve regional balanced development, improving the cultural environment to enhance residents’ quality of life is important. First, we will promote the Regional Culture Vitality Promotion Project to revitalize areas with low cultural accessibility and declining vitality due to aging and population decrease.”

Sinan-gun is one of six local governments selected as project sites. After selection, Sinan-gun completed detailed preparations by communicating with island village communities and village schools, and will simultaneously run various programs starting with the ‘Island Village Treasure Map.’

Programs include ‘Island Village Art School,’ ‘Visible Radio and YouTube Channel Operation,’ ‘Neighbor Island Exploration Team,’ and ‘Picture Book Island.’ The stages are six islands including Bigeumdo, Amhaedo, Haeui-do, and Heuksando. As a conclusion to these support projects, a ‘Island Village Sandai’ event will be held at the end of the year to share each achievement.

Sinan-gun is also establishing regional cultural hubs along with various programs. ‘Cultural Platform Studio Jaeun,’ remodeling the old Jaeun Elementary School building on Jaeun-do; ‘Village Art Museum Complex Art Hall,’ converting the Nonghyup warehouse on Amtaedo; and ‘Choi Harim Warehouse Picture Book Playground,’ converting the Nonghyup warehouse on Palgeumdo, will soon open and function as resident cultural hubs.

In particular, Palgeumdo is the hometown of the late poet Choi Harim, who published about 20 picture books during his lifetime. The historical significance of this Palgeumdo resident cultural hub is expected to strongly support programs such as Sinan-gun’s ‘Picture Book Island.’

Sinan-gun’s ‘Making a Treasure Island Map’ project and other regional culture vitality promotion projects are characterized by reflecting local residents’ needs as much as possible from the planning stage. Also, they are carried out through organic collaboration among local residents, private experts, and local governments.

Cultural artists as instructors, village school teachers involving local residents, and parents participate in the programs alongside students. External instructors benefit from the village school teachers’ help in building rapport with students, while village school teachers observe and assist new types of classes to enhance their teaching skills. Students gain experience producing outcomes through long-term project formats.

This regional culture vitality promotion project is hosted by the Sinan-gun Cultural City Support Center. Kim Geun-ha, the center’s director, said, “Sinan, the 1004 Islands, is a treasure trove of diverse ecology, culture, and history, and we embrace this under the concept of ‘island cultural diversity.’ We will enrich Sinan’s future resources with the diversity discovered by residents and also make it a source of pride for Sinan residents.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.