Published October 14, 2014
<p class="p1"> The tiny, southern-most island of South Korea, Jeju, is known for three things, an old saying goes: Wind, rocks, and women. At first glance there is a timeless quality to life on the island. Traditions seem bound as much to the rhythms of the sea as to collective memory, social convention or economics.</p> <p class="p2"> Jeju was formed by a volcanic blast that left its once-molten signature everywhere. Waves crash tirelessly against jagged, black volcanic rock formations and alien-looking craters. The island boasts more UNESCO ecological reserves than anywhere else on the planet.</p> <p class="p2"> This is home to 18,000 goddesses, karaoke-singing tangerine farmers, deep-sea diving women known as haenyeo, and a long history of spirited island culture known for its comparatively matriarchal ways.</p> <p class="p1"> In particular, the 300-square mile island is famous for its deep-sea diving women, haenyeo, who—without the aid of scuba gear—submerge as deep as 150 feet and can hold their breath up to 2 minutes. Armed only with small knives and nets, these divers harvest abalone, octopus and sea snails from the ocean floor. In an age when artisanal and sustainable practices are making a comeback after decades of industrial fishing, interest in traditional haenyeo techniques is increasing. However, the numbers of haenyeo working have long been on the decline. There are fewer than 5,000 women diving today, down from 20,000 just thirty years ago.</p> <p class="p1"> But perhaps the greatest threat to the haenyeo way of life is the naval base and cruise ship harbor that’s being built on top of 450-year old Gangjeong village—a small farming community on the south side of the island.</p>