In January, Aaron and I took a long weekend trip to the beautiful southern island of Jeju, primarily so that we could summit Korea’s highest mountain, Hallasan (Mt. Halla), in the winter.

“Haenyeo” women divers

The hike was nice, but the most memorable part of the trip was learning more about the Haenyeo (“sea women”) of Jeju. They are the most badass women I had never even heard of until moving to Korea!!! Korean haenyeo dive into the sea (with no oxygen), harvesting sea treasures (abalone, octopus, sea urchins, etc) to sustain their families and communities. This diving tradition goes as far back as 434 AD, but it wasn’t until the 18th century that it became the primary work of women. (One possible reason for this includes increased male deaths due to war.) Women then became the primary breadwinners, in what was traditionally a male-centered Confucian society. They became the center of a community-based, hierarchical social structure; with this came a uniquely deep sense of pride and empowerment.

A testament to their strength, Haenyeo have maintained this tradition, while providing for their families and contributing to their local economy, through 35 years of Japanese occupation, the Korean War, and the tragic “Jeju Uprising“, in which about 30,000 people were killed (nearly 10 percent of the Jeju population).

Haenyeo train with their elders from the age of about 10 or 11, and they gradually learn to dive deeper and deeper as they become more skilled. They dive all year long, and until the introduction of wetsuits in the 1970s, they swam only in light cotton suits! They dive up to 20m deep, and some can hold their breath for 3 minutes!

The haenyeo women are mostly older now, as younger generations now have more opportunities to pursue higher education and other careers. There are only about 4,000 haenyeo remaining today (there were about 30,000 in the 1960s), and more than half are over age 70. Many experts believe this will be the last generation to carry on the profession.

Eco-feminists

And just when you thought these ladies couldn’t get any more awesome…

Haenyeo follow strict environmental sustainability practices- they regulate their harvests by season, and they never allow the harvesting of young fish/shellfish. They have passed their practices and wisdom down over the years from generation to generation. They are strong advocates for more eco-friendly practices, based on their firsthand knowledge of the devastating effects of overfishing and pollution.

“Haenyeo know that the sea is a subject to be tendered and preserved, instead of being mass harvested. The knowledge and wisdom they obtained has been passed down to future generations. They are also known as ‘Eco-Feminists’ because they are the primary providers of their families and have formed a powerful female community and sisterhood.”

-Hyung S. Kim, photographer

More about haenyeo life…

Here are some fantastic photographs of these women, taken by Hyung S. Kim- I am in love with these powerful women and portraits. You can see more of his photos here and here.

“Each wrinkle on a haenyeo’s face is like the ridges and folds she encounters under the sea- a time capsule of Mother Nature’s terrestrial and marine life creations.”

Moon Tides, Jeju Island Grannies of the Sea
-renda Paik Sunoo with Youngsook Han

“They are shown exactly as they are, tired and breathless. But, at the same time, they embody incredible mental and physical stamina, as the work itself is so dangerous; every day they cross the fine line between life and death. I wanted to capture this extreme duality of the women: their utmost strength combined with human fragility.”

-Hyung S. Kim, photographer

Hope

I have been trying to better understand what it is that I feel so drawn to about these women and this tradition. On the surface, of course it is obvious that what they do and their unique history is absolutely incredible. But I think it is the universal thread they share with women and mothers everywhere that I most admire – the ability to find strength and resourcefulness from seemingly nothing, to tirelessly provide for their families through times of struggle. And to do it with such grace, dignity, and selflessness. While the haenyeo tradition is dying, they give me hope for a day when women across the globe, with these same inherent qualities, can lead us to a more just and sustainable world.