🌊 The Haenyeo of Jeju: women of the sea 🐚

Finding real Haenyeo was not easy.
I’m not talking about the staged shows for tourists, but about the true women who face the ocean daily to make a living.
After days of searching, I was lucky enough to get their permission...a rare gift, as they don’t like to be photographed.
The meeting happened at midday, under harsh, flat light! A nightmare for photography. But you don’t argue with the sea, nor with their rhythm and this opportunity.

The #Haenyeo are traditional free-divers from Jeju Island, South Korea. For centuries, they’ve been diving without oxygen tanks, holding their breath for over two minutes, reaching depths of up to 20 meters to harvest seaweed, abalone, and shellfish.
Many of them are over 60. Some are over 80.

They are mothers, daughters, sisters.
They are symbols of resilience, independence, and female solidarity.
For generations, they’ve supported their families through hard, quiet labor in the sea.
In 2016, they were recognized as @unesco Intangible Cultural Heritage.

The Haenyeo don’t conquer the sea..they respect it.
They take only what is needed, following natural rhythms and sustainable practices.
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🌎"see the nation through the people's eyes"🌍