Jeju marks 10 years of haenyeo culture on UNESCO list — Korea Herald
The 19th Haenyeo Festival has begun in Jeju City, South Korea, marking the 10th anniversary of the inclusion of the culture of women divers in UNESCO’s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. According to The Korea Herald, the events will continue through Sunday near the Jeju Haenyeo Museum.
The tradition of women divers
Haenyeo are women divers from Jeju Island who collect seafood by diving without oxygen tanks. Their diving techniques, collective practices and knowledge of the sea are passed down between generations and are an important component of Jeju’s cultural identity.
The culture of Jeju haenyeo was added to UNESCO’s intangible heritage list in November 2016. This year’s festival is held under a theme dedicated to the 10th anniversary of this recognition.
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Parade and festival programme
About 1,000 haenyeo from Jeju and other regions of South Korea took part in the opening ceremonies. They first held a traditional ritual wishing for safety and a bountiful sea, after which they joined a street parade.
The participants carried tewak, traditional floats, and mansari, nets used during dives. The festival programme also includes performances, exhibitions and practical activities aimed at passing haenyeo culture on to younger generations.
The number of active haenyeo declined from more than 14,000 in 1970 to 2,371 last year.
