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In between 2012 and 2014, Seoul-based professional photographer Hyung S. Kim often checked out Jeju Island, which lies off the southern coast of South Korea, to record a little group of females who still continue a brave however passing away centuries-old practice.
Called the haenyeo— which actually equates to “ocean ladies”– these renowned scuba divers harvest shellfish and other sea life from deep undersea without oxygen tanks, needing that they hold their breath for as much as 3 minutes. Today, numerous have actually passed age 60: The youngest scuba diver Kim photographed was 38 at the time, while the earliest was more than 90.
They may be the last generation of haenyeo.
Recorded simply after they left the water, the haenyeo in Kim's life-size pictures are located versus a plain, white background, which stresses their dirt-speckled shoes and damp, shining equipment. The devices they bring consists of a tewak— the orange sphere a few of them have actually slung over their shoulders, which drifts at the surface area throughout each dive– and lead weights connected to their waists to speed up the descent.
800″ height=”600″ alt=”In Body Image” src=”https://assets.nautil.us/sites/3/nautilus/Ebert_BREAKER.png?auto=compress&fit=scale&fm=png&h=768&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large” loading=”lazy”/> Her Kyungsuk, Hamo Jeju(2014). Hyun Okran, Onpyeong Jeju( 2014)
Kim states he was impressed by their strength and power, even in aging, and wished to maintain their story on movie before it is lost. “They may be the last generation of haenyeoand I wished to record the charm of these ladies,” Kim informed Nautilus
In 2016, the haenyeo were contributed to the UNESCO List of Intangible Cultural Heritage as the variety of scuba divers has actually decreased from around 20,000 in the 1960s to simply 2,500 over the last few years. The work was male-dominated initially, it started to show the semi-matriarchal society of the individuals of Jeju by the 18th century and continues to be led by females today.
800″ height=”600″ alt=”In Body Image” src=”https://assets.nautil.us/sites/3/nautilus/Ebert_BREAKER-3.png?auto=compress&fit=scale&fm=png&h=768&ixlib=php-3.3.1&w=1024&wpsize=large” loading=”lazy”/> Left: Hyun Okwoo, Onpyeong Jeju( 2014). : Hyun Soonok, Hwasun Jeju(2013). Kim Julja, Dodu Jeju(2013).
In Japan, where the occupation is believed to have actually come from, it is passing away, too– in part due to environment change-related deficiency of shellfish, and in part due to a loss of interest amongst more youthful generations. Here, professionals are called amaSome historical proof–ama tools made from deer antlers– recommends the practice is at least 3,000 years of ages.
Lee Hwaju, Hamo Jeju(2014). Left: Kim Sanok, Hamo Jeju(2014). : Oh Bonghee, Hwasun Jeju(2013).
You can check out more of the collection of Kim's pictures on his Instagram page.
This story is adjusted with authorization from one that ran in Gigantic publication, and the pictures are reprinted with approval from Hyung S. Kim, all copyright booked.
