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Meet Korean ‘Mermaids’, The Last Generation Of Haenyo
Mijoo Kim, a New York-based photographer, decided to document South Korea’s fearless “Sea Women” in an intimate series called The Mother of the Sea.
Referred to locally as Haenyo, these intrepid elderly women swim up to depths of 65ft (20 metres) to the ocean floor where they collect sea abalones, urchins, sea cucumbers and squid. They do so without oxygen tanks and sometimes they hold their breath for over two minutes at a time while submerged in the freezing cold waters of the Korea Strait. Many of them are over 70 years old and their numbers are slowly dwindling as young Korean women move to the mainland in search of education and employment. “These women divers are carrying on a Korean legacy and will be the last of their kind,” Kim told The Huffington Post. “They are the last generation of Haenyo.”
More info: Mijoo Kim (h/t: huffpost)
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These women in South Korea are called Haenyo, which means “Sea Women”
They swim up to depths of 65ft (20 metres) to the ocean floor where they collect sea abalones, urchins, sea cucumbers and squid
They dive without oxygen tanks and sometimes hold their breath for over 2 minutes at a time
Many of the Haenyo are over 70 years old!
They dive in the Korean Strait and the water is often freezing cold
Their numbers are slowly dwindling as young Korean women move to the mainland in search of education and employment
“These women divers are carrying on a Korean legacy and will be the last of their kind,” says photographer Mijoo Kim
“They are the last generation of Haenyo”
The practice goes as far back as the 5th century
“Being a Haenyo is certainly not meant to be for the weak,” she writes
“Hence the saying in Korea, “Haenyos do the work of the dead in the land of the living””
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Catalina Ioan 9 years ago
I know it's just the way the background light pierces through the wet and fogged up visor (in the very first photo), but to me it makes it look like a foamy wave breaking over sand is being reflected in the glass. Quite a beautiful serendipitous effect.
Kamella Gustina 9 years ago
Strong woman ever. They method to collect it is very go green. Amaze me to be strong
Daria B 9 years ago
I don't think it's sad that it has become easier to collect these food... Life changes, traditions are temporary.
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Richard Petch 9 years ago
Very brave women to be doing this job at their age, well done ladies.
Daria B 9 years ago
Mobile games for me. The adverts depend on your region, browser, device and installed programs. Or are you complaining about the fact that there are adverts at all? In that case, you can block them, but displaying them is a way to support the site staying alive.
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Catalina Ioan 9 years ago
I know it's just the way the background light pierces through the wet and fogged up visor (in the very first photo), but to me it makes it look like a foamy wave breaking over sand is being reflected in the glass. Quite a beautiful serendipitous effect.
Kamella Gustina 9 years ago
Strong woman ever. They method to collect it is very go green. Amaze me to be strong
Daria B 9 years ago
I don't think it's sad that it has become easier to collect these food... Life changes, traditions are temporary.
Load More Replies... Richard Petch 9 years ago
Very brave women to be doing this job at their age, well done ladies.
Daria B 9 years ago
Mobile games for me. The adverts depend on your region, browser, device and installed programs. Or are you complaining about the fact that there are adverts at all? In that case, you can block them, but displaying them is a way to support the site staying alive.
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