해녀 Haenyeo: Gardeners of the Ocean

Who are the Jeju Haenyeos?

On a small Island called Jeju in Korea, there is a community of women, aged in their 60s to 80’s. They go diving more than 10m under the sea to gather shellfish such as abalone or sea urchins for a living without the help of oxygen masks. With knowledge of the sea and marine life, the Jeju haenyeo (female divers) harvest for up to seven hours a day holding their breath for just one minute for every dive and making a unique verbal sound when resurfacing. A Haenyeo’s song, known as Sumbi sori – an ancient breathing technique used by Haenyo to sustain tremendous pressure up to 20m below the sea – sounds like a group of mother whales singing for baby whales.

My Haenyeo photograph project started as a simple attempt to raise awareness about these extraordinary women, whose num­bers are decreasing over time. Yet, as I immersed myself in their world, engaging with them and capturing their stories through photography, my perspective broadened. These Haenyeo, these female divers, embody a resilience and strength that transcends mere acknowledgment. In today’s world, everything is so con­venient, such as with AI advances and modern comforts seduce, these women risk their lives with each harvest. With every oys­ter, sea urchin, or abalone they retrieve, they defy the odds, defying the very currents that threaten to engulf them. The feminine strength shown by these Haenyeo is nothing short of awe-inspiring, an indescribable force that pulses through the depths of the ocean and resonates within the hearts of those privileged enough to bear witness. Their courage and determi­nation lies a narrative of resilience, a story of women who defy the odds, and a reminder of the untold stories that lie beneath the surface of our world.