Imagine the thrill of diving into the ocean, holding your breath, and exploring underwater worlds without any modern gear. This is the life of the haenyeo, South Korea’s sea women. Armed with only diving goggles and handmade tools, these skilled divers venture into the ocean’s depths to manually harvest marine products like abalone and seaweed.
The haenyeo tradition, dating back to the 17th century, was originally dominated by men. However, a combination of wars and deep-sea fishing accidents created a shortage of male labor. Women’s greater resistance to cold proved a blessing to the struggling communities. As a result, they began to harvest seafood along the coast to provide for their families.
Most haenyeo now live on Jeju Island, where they are introduced to the sea in childhood and learn to dive in their teens. Based on their abilities, they are ranked as low, middle or high level. The top divers, or sanggun, can dive up to 20m and hold their breath for over two minutes without oxygen tanks. They can even predict weather by the sea’s sounds. If health permits, they will continue working and teaching beginners into old age. This is why many haenyeo are over 60, with some even in their 80s.
photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons / 照片：維基共享資源提供
Seen as guardians of the sea, haenyeo dedicate themselves to sustainable harvesting. They follow community regulations on work hours, catch sizes, and tool use. What haenyeo do is not just a way to make a living but a lifestyle that fosters a deep connection with nature.
Sadly, their numbers are declining as the younger generation opts for different careers. In recognition of its importance, UNESCO declared haenyeo culture an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016. This not only helps protect this traditional culture but also promotes the spirit of coexistence between humans and marine sustainability.
想像一下在沒有任何現代裝備的情況下，潛入海洋、屏息並探索水下世界的刺激感受。這就是「haenyeo」，即韓國海女的生活。這些熟練的潛水者只配備潛水鏡和手作的工具，冒險進入海洋深處，手工採集鮑魚和海藻等海產品。
海女的傳統可以追溯到西元17世紀，最初由男性主導。然而，戰爭和深海捕魚事故的結合導致男性勞動力短缺。女性對寒冷的較高耐受力對陷入困境的社區來說是一件幸事。因此，她們開始在沿海地區採集海鮮來養家糊口。
如今，大多數海女居住在濟州島上，她們從小就接觸了大海，並在青少年時期學習潛水。根據她們的能力，她們被分為低、中、高三個等級。頂尖的潛水者，或稱為「sanggun」，可以在沒有氧氣罐的情況下，潛至20公尺深並屏住呼吸超過兩分鐘。她們甚至能夠通過海的聲音預測天氣。如果健康允許，她們會繼續工作並教導初學者直到晚年。這就是為什麼許多海女都已年過60歲，甚至有些人已經80多歲。
海女被視為海洋的守護者，致力於可持續性的採集。她們遵循社區對工作時間、捕撈量和工具使用的規範。海女所做的不僅僅是謀生的方法，更是一種培養與自然深度連結的生活形式。
遺憾的是，隨著年輕一代選擇不同的職業，她們的人數正在減少。為了肯定其重要性，聯合國教科文組織在西元2016年將海女文化列為非物質文化遺產。這不僅有助於保護這一傳統文化，也弘揚了人類與海洋永續共存的精神。
MORE INFORMATION
goggles n. 護目鏡；泳鏡（恆用複數）
abalone n. 鮑魚
seaweed n. 海草；海藻
coexistence n. 共存；共處
UNESCO n. 聯合國教科文組織
(United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization)
intangible adj. 無形的；無實體的
KEY VOCABULARY
1. gear n. 裝備；用具
Lena’s job involves using lots of different gear, such as protective glasses and thick gloves.
莉娜的工作會用到許多不同的裝備，比如護目鏡和厚手套。
2. manually adv. 手工地；人力地
Once the home alarm system has been triggered, it must be shut off manually.
一旦家中的警報系統被觸發，就必須手動關閉。
3. marine adj. 海洋的；航海的
My father went to a marine academy to learn how to work on ships. 我的父親到一間海洋學院學習如何在船上工作。
4. combination n. 組合；混合
In my parents’ small town, there’s a restaurant that serves an unusual combination of Mexican and Chinese foods.
在我父母居住的小鎮，有一間餐廳供應墨西哥與中國料理的獨特組合。
5. blessing n. 喜事；祝福
It’s a real blessing that no one was hurt in the accident.
沒有人在那場意外中受傷真是萬幸。
6. oxygen n. 氧氣；氧
Firefighters use oxygen masks to protect themselves from breathing in smoke during fires.
消防員在火災中使用氧氣面具來防止吸入煙霧。
7. sustainable adj. 永續發展的；持久的 / sustainability n. 永續性；持續性
Carrie rides her bicycle to work as it’s more sustainable than driving a car.
凱莉騎她的腳踏車上班是因為那比開車更永續。
8. decline v. 減少；衰落；拒絕
The value of the business’s stocks declined quickly after the company president quit.
公司總裁辭職後，公司股價迅速下跌。
9. opt vi. 選擇
I opted for a small salad for lunch, because I had eaten a very heavy breakfast.
我決定午餐要點一小盤沙拉，因為我已經吃了很豐盛的早餐。
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