Alain Schroeder

corea corée Diving plongée plongeuses

Un mot sur l'oeuvre

Jeju island, known for its characteristic basalt volcanic rock, sits off South Korea. It is the home of the renowned Haenyeo or women of the sea who free dive off the black shores of Jeju harvesting delicacies from the sea. Wearing thin rubber suits and old fashioned goggles, this aging group of women are celebrated as a national treasure and inscribed on the UNESCO list of Intangible Cultural Heritage, but the tradition is slowly fading as fewer women choose this extremely hazardous profession. Today, the majority of Haenyeo are over the age of 50 and many are well over 70. In a society obsessed with education, the future of this physically arduous activity would appear bleak, and yet… Efforts by the government and local communities to preserve and promote this ecological and sustainable lifestyle have brought renewed interest from young people disillusioned with urban life and eager to return to their roots. It is perhaps a renaissance.

Le témoignage d'Alain Schroeder

Anja Son, 76 years old, comes from Myeonsu-dong village.
She puts her gloves on and then her hood. She has been diving for 40 years, but has never encouraged any of her children to become free divers as it is a difficult and dangerous profession for little gain. In fact, like most Haenyeo, she must supplement her income with other work; predominantly farming.

Le choix de Jean-Denis