Uiryeong Garye-myeon Hosts Nation's First Cultivated 'Batminari Festival'

Garae-myeon in Uiryeong-gun, Gyeongnam, the first place in the nation to cultivate field water parsley, will hold the 'Uiryeong Garae Field Water Parsley Festival' from the 17th to the 19th.

'Uiryeong Garae Field Water Parsley' began cultivation in fields, rather than paddies where water parsley was traditionally grown and where there was a risk of parasite infections such as leeches, in 1994, the first in the country, and has been producing clean field water parsley for 30 years.

Residents making braided ropes for the 'Uiryeong Big Rope Tug-of-War' to wish for the success of the 'Uiryeong Garae Field Water Parsley Festival' strengthened their harmony and friendship.

'Batminari Village' Garye-myeon, Uiryeong, Winding Threads Praying for Village Development
[Photo by Uiryeong-gun]

The 'Uiryeong Big Rope Tug-of-War' holds the Guinness World Record for the largest rope in the world and has been recognized for its historical preservation value, being registered as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. To pull the huge big rope, 30-meter-long centipede leg-shaped side ropes are made on both sides. Since ancient times, the 'Uiryeong Big Rope Tug-of-War' has been held as a joyful game with social functions such as peace and safety of the village, harmony, and unity.

Uiryeong field water parsley is cultivated using clear and clean natural bedrock water from the pristine areas at the foothills of Jagulsan and Hanusan Mountains, and is grown in a clean, pesticide-free manner. In particular, Uiryeong field water parsley is soft with excellent taste and aroma, making it a safe food that can be eaten fresh as a salad or wrapped in leaves.

At this year's Uiryeong Field Water Parsley Festival, visitors can enjoy delicious field water parsley dishes such as field water parsley samgyeopsal (pork belly), field water parsley fresh salad bibimbap, and field water parsley pancakes, as well as experience harvesting field water parsley themselves.

Additionally, fresh field water parsley can be purchased on-site at prices cheaper than the market. On the 18th, there will be a performance by the Uiryeong Saxophone Ensemble Largo and a singing contest.

Park Eun-young, head of Garae-myeon, said, “I am very grateful for the residents' unity. Garae-myeon, where many people are devoted to the community, will become an even better place to live,” and added, “We will carry the atmosphere of friendship and harmony built this time through to the success of the festival.”