In the south of Korea, there is a whole caste of professional female divers called haenyeo, or women of the sea. These mermaids of advanced age live mainly on Jeju Island, but can also be found on other islands and in coastal cities of mainland Korea.
It is believed that female divers appeared on the southern islands around the 17th century. While men fished at sea in boats, women dove close to the shore, harvesting shellfish and other edible gifts of the sea.
Local residents explain this division of labor by saying that male bodies are less suited for diving. It is believed that the female body is more flexible and has more subcutaneous fat, which helps retain heat. The latter consideration is obviously important because the water in Korean seas is very cold for most of the year, and simply icy in winter.
One way or another, over time a whole culture developed on the southern islands in which women play a key role. They are the heads of the family, which is unthinkable within the Confucian tradition. During the Joseon period (until 1910), a woman was assigned the meager role of always being 'a step behind a man'.
Therefore, matriarchy on the islands did not arouse any enthusiasm from the government, which repeatedly tried to ban the divers. The officials did not succeed in eliminating these proud women. But time, it seems, will soon accomplish this task, and the centuries-old culture of haenyeo will become a memory.
Coastal cliffs in Busan. From here, the haenyeo I met sets out to sea every day. She runs something like a tavern and offers to taste sea creatures right on the shore.
I caught a group comfortably seated on plastic stools. They were happily devouring raw sea creatures, dipping them in various sauces and washing it all down with soju (a Korean alcoholic drink made from sweet potatoes or grain).
Most divers have a lifetime of experience. The craft was passed down from mother to daughter, and training began very early. To dive into the local turbulent waters, filled with dangerous rocks and swift currents, special knowledge is needed, which can only be obtained from experienced predecessors.
Today, almost 90% of haenyeo are women over 60. At the end of the 20th century, the export of marine harvest flourished, and the Korean mermaids quickly became wealthy. This allowed them to trade their fishing shacks for comfortable homes, buy cars, and send their children to study at universities. But it turned out that it was prosperity that destroyed the system that had existed for centuries. Because the daughters of haenyeo who received higher education did not want to return to the sea and become divers.
The younger generation dissolved into modern life, and the 'mermaids' remained alone at sea. In the 1950s, there were about 30,000 women of the sea in southern Korea. Now there are only about 4,500.
Like many disappearing things, the culture of haenyeo is becoming more and more mysterious. The female fishermen worship their own deities, perform ancient rituals, and have their own beliefs and legends about the sea.
Evgenia ROGACHEVA.
Photo by the author.