An up to date repost in honor of Girls’s Historical past month.
Since not less than the seventeenth century, on the Korean island of Jeju, the haenyeo, Korean for “sea girls” have labored free diving within the clear island waters. Utilizing an historical respiration method known as sumbisori, the ladies dive as deep as 32 ft to reap octopus, abalone, conch, sea urchins, clams and edible seaweeds.
To cross the time and ease the boredom whereas rowing in open boats to selection diving spots, the haenyeo would sing songs with easy melodies, to the rhythm of the ocean waves. Atlas Obscura notes that there isn’t a sheet music for haenyeo songs, and few of the practically 10,000 recognized tunes have titles. The music lyrics assorted, however typically girls sang lamenting the day they have been born, complaining about their incompetent husbands, and in protest of the federal government.
The haenyeo are actually a dying breed. Almost 90 p.c are over the age of 60, and lots of are nicely into their eighties. As conventional Confucianism dictated that it was a girl’s responsibility to remain at dwelling and produce sons, to not work, changing into a haenyeo was thought of dishonorable. As just lately because the Nineties, haenyeo discouraged their daughters from following of their footsteps to spare them from bodily toil and disgrace. Along with the plain risks of plunging into the water with none respiration gear, the commerce also can inflict haenyeo with respiratory and bone density illnesses.
Just lately, nonetheless, an appreciation of the traditions and legacy of the haenyeo has developed. When UNESCO included haenyeo on their Consultant Listing of the Intangible Tradition Heritage of Humanity in 2016, the ladies grew to become the delight of the island. Immediately, haenyeo play an essential position in Jeju tourism, and dozens of eating places on the island declare a haenyeo affiliation to draw vacationers.
Many have turned to music in addition to meals to clarify haenyeo historical past. A eating expertise known as Haenyeo Kitchen in Gujwa-eup combines conventional Jeju dishes with haenyeo songs and story demonstrations. One other restaurant, Haenyeo’s Home, provides two performances of haenyeo songs a day, within the hope that guests will stick round after their meals of uncooked fish and jeonbok-juk to study extra.
Immediately, the official duty of guarding the haenyeo songs belongs to 2 girls, Kang Deung-ja and Kim Younger-ja. They have been chosen by the provincial authorities for his or her means to sing the songs of their unique rhythmic kind and for capturing the emotional intent of every music. Kang and Kim, are each 83 years outdated.
As the recognition of the haenyeo songs has grown, there was a pattern to modernize the songs and make them extra upbeat to attraction to a youthful viewers. Nonetheless, the normal haenyeo singers really feel these songs must be preserved of their unique kind, expressing the determined disappointment of ladies from earlier occasions.
