Women Divers

Haenyeo

In our leisure drive around the island, we knocked at the door of a typical 5 day traditional market along a coast.

Obviously, this coastal locale is a market for catch from the open seas; all so fresh and inviting. Shellfish of all forms and shapes are easily gotten here.

 I was most attracted to this figurine constructed in front of the market. It is a depiction of women power in Jeju. I heard stories that Jeju culture treasures daughters more than sons. It is first of its kind in the Asian region. In typical Asian homes not having a son is doom. But in Jeju the opposite is true. When you have a daughter , you have treasure in the home but when you have a haenyeo for a wife, you can be assured of life long fortune. You will be well fed.

How nice; I would have received great favour there.

Jeju culture practises matriarchal structure in the home. It is the women folk who rises up to the occasion to look after families through their sea diving vocation. Like the Ama in the coastal town of Toba in Japan, the Haenyeo of Jeju are divers who look for shellfish like abalone and turban shells. 

Their age can range from 60 to 80 and the veterans are not afraid of the seas fishing for produce for a good ten months of a year.

Clad in black wetsuits and flippers, they dive without oxygen masks but hold a net to keep the haul; very rudimentary equipment indeed. They are accompanied by a bouyant ring to signal their presence and they resurface after a minute or so to breathe. 

Tirelessly, they resurface over and over again to boost their haul. 

Determined and gritty, haenyeon perseverance is related to many success stories in Jeju. 

Much honour and respect are given to their sacrifices and bravery.  

Perhaps our Jeju experience is most enriched by our encounter with a haenyeo in action. We were fortunate as we drove along the coast and saw bouyant rings floating in the nearby coast. We halted and walked to her. She was busy counting the turban sea snail for the middlemen who had parked his van on the roadside waiting for her to finish counting.

She walked to a shed where bouyant rings were hung to dry perhaps. 

This is evidence that sea diving activities are happening here.

This boss allowed me to hold the turban shells and told me that they will be brought to local restaurants for feasts. He had a gold watch and big gold rings. He must be wealthy.

While browsing through traditional markets, we also saw the sea snails and fresh abalone being sold. Did they come from the haenyeon haul?

This is also how they remove the flesh from its shell.

Everywhere we went, the haenyeon representation is certain. 

There are stories behind the dolls.

Local museums also give credit to the sea diving enterprise of the haenyeos. 

Jeju is proud of them.

A dangerous, difficult and demanding trade, it is not surprising that the number of women divers has dwindled through the years. Unless insisted by deep family tradition, the female gender may look for greener pastures elsewhere.

A photo form the museum to recollect the existence of this brave group of divers.

I was most glad to know about them and they have enlightened my knowledge.

There are so many things to know in life.

I truly know very little.

The brave women folk of Jeju.

Local Sites

The Tea Garden

 The Seogwang Tea Garden in Segwipo-si is renowned for its well-managed effort in producing high quality tea leaves. In an area of 528,928 sq m, the place was thronged with local and foreign tourists when we reached. Jeju is so touristy. The local authority is all out to use both natural and unnatural features to occupy the time of visitors.

The evening sun complimented Esther's photography prowess. The art in her is phenomenal. So I refuse to take photos with her around. I lose my skill whenever she is around. So I use her photos instead. Why not? Many times she would chastise me as she became frustrated when I insisted she does the job. Dad is always her best friend. When she needs assistance in shifting and ideas pertaining to building, they consult each other. Mama is only good for disciplining. Papa is fun.

The tea garden sprawls far and wide. Papa took time off just to be free like a lad.

The Ossuloc Tea Museum is very commercial. It tells of the planting, processing and producing stages of the industry. So every visitor buys an article to bring home. You do not come all the way and not have something to remember the place by. Business is brisk as customers line up for tea, ice cream, cakes and all.

The sweets are not cheap. Have a fruit beverage, consume a piece of cake and perhaps a cup of tea and you will have to fork out at least a hundred or more in Malaysian notes. But you do not come here everyday. Join the crowd and have fun too. But I must confess they do taste fantastic.

 We enjoyed the spread .

In the vicinity of the tea garden is another favourite spot for ladies. 

Innisfree for all. Beauty products of all shapes and sizes seized the attention of those who are followers of them. Korea is home to this range of skin products and you do get them cheaper here.

The ladies went frenzied.

You do get excited when you see the oranges hanging so densely and freely on the trees in almost every backyard. The weather here at Jeju seems to be the best factor for its growth. 

But beware you can get prosecuted if you happen to pluck it off the tree. 

Yes, CCTV is attached at strategic spots to catch thieves.

At a local market, we see them being sold at standard prices.

When you convert, it is cheaper to buy them at Malaysian local night markets.

Why is it so? I cannot get it.

Both daughter and father went into serious throat irritations and incessant coughs after a glorious session of non-stop consumption. Mandarin oranges has a 'heat' factor that can cause some to cough.

Jeju Dongmun Night market is worth a visit.

We enjoyed the fresh oyster on sale. It is really cheap. Salmon pieces too were appetizing. We ate them raw and prayed for no food poisoning. We did not suffer from it. Happy indeed we were.

Jeju folks will never settle for any seafood that is adulterated. Only fresh display from the surrounding seas is acceptable. It is not surprising then that vendors would only sell the best catch. It is a competitive game as every stall seems to offer similar products.

I have always known this as the 'belt' fish but later I discovered that it is called the oar fish. I have never seen them so silvery and appetizing. The Jejuan seas must be local to its existence. 

During the day, we visited 5-day traditional markets which sell local products and where locals to for their taste buds be it in drapery or food. It is fun to mingle among them.

Ginseng roots are offered at a fraction of Malaysian prices and they are used in daily consumption ever so freely. We definitely are not so privileged as them. But of course their trees have no durians.

So, it best not to compare apples and oranges.

Shell fishes are huge. Really huge. Fresh too. 

So, if there is any good reason to reside in Jeju it is definitely for fresh catch from the seas.

My good guess for such unusual produce from the land is the lava factor. An island that emerged from the deposition of lava from the volcanoes is surely fertile for agriculture purposes. Their sizes seem unreal but they are truly exist here.

Seaweed wrappers and spring onions. 

Look at the size.

Black boar trotters being sold openly in the market. They look yummy too.

What then was our favourite food?

Pork noodles served with free flow of sea weed. The bowl size is also huge. 

Every meal is complimented with kimchi and radish marinated in vinegar.

The Korean barbecue affair cannot be avoided. The black boar is a favourite among locals. We were surprised beef was not served. In Seoul we did the Korean barbecue using beef. So, we had a couple of sessions of the meal. It was very palatable. We enjoyed every session.

Perhaps another local cuisine that caught my heart was the sangaetang menu.

 It is chicken cooked in porridge with dates and ginseng. Very tasty.

A disappointing menu is the way seafood is offered. In Jeju the  abalone, oar fish, octopus, and prawns are all mixed together in kimchi sauce. Malaysian seafood display is definitely a level higher or perhaps it is a matter of getting used to the delivery. But if they have never tasted the way seafood is prepared in Malaysia, then it is a shame indeed.

So ends my Jejuan local stories.

The Jeju Experience

When it is due for a break, you need to go somewhere.

What is the preferred pick for a short rest ?

Jeju is on everyone's lips; cheap, easy and little fuss.

So, it was Jeju then.

The adult daughter also felt it was time to spend some time with the parents. So, we had the privilege of her company for a week. Esther is a busy girl packed with a heavy work schedule that sends her to the ends of the earth. It is not surprising then to be confused at her state of affairs at any one moment. When she was a minor, stitched in between her sisters, she was often the less outspoken one suffering from the middle child syndrome. But today, when I express myself in her presence, I have to watch my words and connotations. That is part of being in an adult world. She reads and misreads. My expression must be precise. She is a grown up, I keep forgetting the fact.

We are together once again. Esther booked a car as she never believes in group travel. She booked a big car saying it would bring us comfort. I frowned at her decision; you see we look at things differently. A small car is easy to handle and maneuvering it in a foreign land would mean safety. Believe me, I prayed for journey mercies each day. Korean driving is not familiar to us as the driver sits on the left side. Dad used to be the hero and what others cannot handle, he normally can. This time around, we must admit Esther was the deft one. She took over the wheels and dad only instructs. She is a dare devil admonishing me for my fuss and lack of confidence in her. Admittedly, she did a great job and the car was returned in good order except I am not too sure about the impending summons that she may have to pay for speeding.

With a map in our hands, we started our travels based on blog remarks and places of interest on the island.
The autumn hue was soon disappearing but glimpses and traces of the season thrilled us for some moments.
Weather was kind to us and at times even a little too warm.

Jeju is acclaimed for its volcanic landscape, coastal allure, and mountain trails. So, you can guess what we did there. When Esther and dad casually mentioned getting up in the wee hours of the morning to see the sun rising and walking for miles to Mt Hallasan , I became disturbed. Oh No. To walk and walk for miles. But it was either you went along or you were left behind.

To come to Jeju to savor in the beauty of nature. Sunny and yet cool. Earlier as we were driving up the slope, we already witnessed tons of enthusiastic hikers trekking the path. Esther trekked without any sign of fatigue. She is strong and eveready for adventures and out of the norm. She kept chiding us for not doing enough to pump our poor hearts. 

At some parts of Mt Hallasan, the autumn mood was real as the leaves change hues.

Autumn is nostalgic as it ushers in winter; a season where people keep themselves indoors because of the cold and short daylight hours.

At the peak, the cold sets in and the landscape is less picturesque as it looks dull.

 Well, we have been to Mt Hallasan; a volcanic peak which is the source of many volcanic activities and formation of volcanic features on the island.

We are glad as our knees may be getting too old for long trails and climbs soon. 

After the Great Wall climb in June, this was really quite achievable.

The threesome in a pose to be kept in memory.

 We are always so busy and wonder when is time on our side. 

So, every opportunity together is history created.

There was a small cafe to serve hikers.

I asked Esther to snap a photo and she retorted

"What for mum? This is not the spot. Look at Mt Hallasan !"

She does not understand that the aged looks for spots that they feel they will look good.

True? I think I look good here.

That's the Mt Hallasan trail.