The Haenyeo & Respect for the Sea

O Lord, how manifold are your works!

    In wisdom you have made them all;
    the earth is full of your creatures.
25 There is the sea, great and wide;
    creeping things innumerable are there,
    living things both small and great.
26 There go the ships
    and Leviathan that you formed to sport in it.

Psalm 104: 24-26 NRSVue

 More than two weeks after the first of our seasonal company arrived the last of our loved ones and friends have departed. While we enjoyed all of them a rather holy quiet has descended upon our household. So now I can attend to today's blog entry!

Reflecting back on 2024 there are only a couple of documentaries that stood out for me, both of which I've watched twice now. Both have to do with people who have a deep affinity for the natural world, appreciate its spiritual gifts and derive a living from it. 

One is The Last of the Sea Women about the Haenyeo, the female divers of Jeju, a Korean island, who free dive to harvest seafood for a living. They have been described as real life mermaids, diving as deep as 10 meters without oxygen. This occupation dates back to the fifth century and is recognized by UNESCO because of its unique matriarchal heritage. 

                                                                    Shea Winter Roggio

In the documentary we learn about this dwindling group of courageous divers once more than 30,000, now around 4,500. In earlier times girls would begin to train as young as 11 or 12 but the dangerous and physically demanding work is no longer attractive. Most of the remaining divers are in their 60s, 70s, even 80s. Despite their age they are reluctant to give up diving, feeling a deep affinity with the sea. One woman describes what they do as a calling and its meaningful to see their camaraderie and humour.

This work also has a spiritual element. The women offer a prayer to the sea goddess Jamsugut before setting out and they join for an annual colourful shamanistic festival invoking safety and abundant fish.

As a Christian I don't worship a sea goddess yet I love time spent by the ocean and feel a deep spiritual connection to the vastness and power of this aspect of Creation. I have great respect for those who make a living from the sea and respect its bounty and power. 

The Haenyeo, lament the changes they have seen through their lifetimes. Shorelines are littered with plastic from Japan and China. The sea grasses are disappearing and the creatures are declining in number. They took part in protests against the release of radioactive water from the the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plan into the ocean. One of them travelled to the United Nations in Switzerland to plead their case for ensuring the safety of the ocean, to no avail. 

I watched a second time and came to an even greater appreciation for these feisty women and their spiritual tradition.