Tuesday, August 01, 2023
Yesterday, the PBS new series, Amanpour & Company, introduced its viewers to a culture that’s both old-world and modern and uniquely fascinating.
The culture consists of Haenyeo women who have for generations lived in South Korea’s Jeju Island. And almost forever, those women have deep-dived into the ocean to collect shellfish, like abalone and sea urchins, for nourishment and to sell for a living.
They dive suited up but without the assistance of oxygen masks. Each has great body control and in a dive can hold her breath for one full minute. They deeply understand the sea and marine life, and dives to harvest can last as much as seven hours daily, for 90 days a year.
When resurfacing each diver takes a breath and makes a verbal sound unique to her that the group recognizes. Her sound advises the diver has resurfaced and is well. If an individual’s sound goes missing the other divers notice, and immediately, all dive and search for her.
It’s the way of life in a close-knit community. Some of those women have reached their eighties and nineties and still are active divers.
The divers fall into three groups based on the level of experience: hagun, junggun, and sanggun. The sanggun diver provides guidance to the others. Before each dive, all pray to the Jamsugut, goddess of the sea, for safety and an abundant catch.
Their knowledge of the sea and diving is passed down to younger generations by families, schools, and local fishery cooperatives which have the area’s fishing rights. There are Haenyeo associations, a Haenyeo School, and a Haenyeo Museum.
The culture is impacted by commercial activities that are associated to increasing global warming and altering the ocean. Amanpour & Company explores with Haenyeo divers their culture and work, and their attempts to create healthful changes to save their community.
Dear Friends: Lovely and informative journalism that lets us see and learn. Diana
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