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I am a haenyeo.
Haenyeos dive in the ocean harvesting marine life
using just our own breath.
As haenyeos, the ocean feeds us,
and feels like our mother's arms.
It's more than that, though.
Being a haenyeo is a calling.
Haenyeos are guardians of the sea
and we have protected the ocean
for hundreds of years.
Jeju is the homeland of the haenyeos.
Jeju is famous for three things -
rocks,
wind,
and women.
The other way.
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight.
Shake your hips.
Seven and eight!
Stop acting pretty and just follow me!
Whose is this? Grab this.
All aboard!
Sis, there's a lot of mugwort here. Please give me some.
This is a job you pour your heart into.
Passed down from our mothers and grandmothers.
Even when it's cold or we don't feel like diving, we still dive.
It's in our bones.
We are women, after all.
Do you think you can make it up there?
I have to carry it.
Let's do it together.
Put it over here.
The sea has changed though, and the haenyeos are disappearing.
I feel like the haenyeo culture is melting away.
Please don't ask…
Please do not ask my age…
I've done nothing worthy in my fleeting youth
In the past, we used rowboats
instead of motorboats to dive around that island.
And while rowing, we sang.
What do I do when my youth wastes away?
Life in this world is just like that.
Good job!
Hey, fishing chief! What time is it now?
7:30 A.M.!
Then I'll work for four hours and come out.
Hope you catch a lot!
Okay, I will!
I couldn't even swim at first.
I couldn't even swim, but I just loved the sea.
I was trying to avoid doing my chores.
My mom would order me around at home
whereas when I was in the sea, I could be free and play.
So I learned to be a haenyeo at 16.
My mother pushed me to get married at a young age.
I was so obedient
so I did as she said
and I married and stopped diving.
I was naive… too naive.
My husband liked partying.
Perhaps he didn't want to work hard because he knew he'd die young.
So I went back to being a haenyeo
to survive.
I've worked for fifty-two years.
Now that my life is finally good, my body is starting to break down.
While my wallet is thick, my flesh is thin.
That's the irony of life.
Look at this!
Obunjagi - cousin of abalone!
Captain, we will take the boat at 8 o'clock tomorrow.
Unloading things from a boat is hard for my old age
and I hate catching sea urchins the most.
- How much per 100 grams? - 13,000 won per 100 grams.
That's wholesale price, wholesale price.
Others might like it because it makes good money.
After 4 hours of harvesting, I have to peel them for another 4 hours.
Quick hands can do it in 3 hours
so I am always a burden for my colleagues.
When I catch a lot of seafood, I don't feel tired.
I don't feel tired at all.
But when I gather only a little,
I feel exhausted and annoyed.
- And you don't earn much. - I haven't earned anything.
But still, I feel happy when I am in the ocean no matter how much I make.
I get excited, excited.
In the old days, when we were young,
people looked down on haenyeos.
For example, if your husband was someone influential in the village,
he'd say, "Do you have to work as a haenyeo and embarrass me?"
Well, I was uneducated,
so I didn't want to reveal that I am a haenyeo.
When we went to our husbands' reunions,
we were the only haenyeos there.
While other husbands' wives weren't haenyeos and looked polished,
our faces were dark from working out in the sun.
So we were too intimidated to say a word back then.
Our faces were so dark,
makeup couldn't even cover it
so everyone could tell.
- I'm telling the truth. - It was really embarrassing.
That was a long time ago.
But now… now…
UNESCO recognizes us
so we haenyeos can stand tall.
I'm much more proud to be a haenyeo now than I used to be.
I do want to continue working as a haenyeo
because it's fun.
But I'm trying to reduce the amount of work I do now,
and live the rest of my life volunteering.
Hello.
I am Jang Soon Deok, your tour guide.
I dive in these waters.
Please walk slowly and carefully here.
There are snakes out here.
Just follow me slowly and steadily.
These are some of our diving spots.
Oh, I see more trash than I expected.
More trash builds up over there during the winter.
A lot of this pollution comes from China and Japan.
From mainland Korea too.
When I was young, I never saw trash like styrofoam in the sea.
Now there are truckloads of garbage sitting there.
Piles of waste have been rotting for so long
that dirty liquid flows out of them.
The clean ocean has become polluted because of things like this.
Haenyeos have endured many hardships
to protect our sea so far.
Why? Because we haenyeos are healthiest when we're in the sea.
I started when I was 20.
I had to catch a lot of conch to provide for my family.
Times were hard back then,
and people were poor.
I must have been great at it then too!
When my net got full from catching so much,
I would just empty it by the shore
and go right back in.
I'm the best at collecting sea urchins.
It brings a good income,
and I can be financially independent
because I am healthy.
Hey!
Where is everyone? It's 6:00 A.M. already!
Can you believe this? I got a call to be here now and they're still on their way!
- They told us to come here at 7:00. - They said 7:00 A.M.?
Oh no!
The captain said so.
Is there a chance you won't be able to work today?
Yeah, we may not.
If the elders say no, we can't.
Conch work can be done in these conditions,
but with sea urchin,
the thorns can pierce your head.
They're fighting. They're fighting.
Who said we start at 7:30 A.M.?!
Joo Hwa! Why are you just coming now at 6:30 A.M.?
The captain said we were going in at 6:00 A.M.!
You don't have to shout.
Don't shout? I'm so pissed I can't help it!
Haeng Ja, cut it out already.
I made a mistake. I made a mistake.
Oh, boy. I made a mistake. I made a mistake, I beg for your forgiveness!
Okay, can we please get our wetsuits on now?
Can we walk over to the spot?
No! Just get in the truck.
Everyone get in.
Alright, let's go!
It hasn't been that long since we began wearing wetsuits,
perhaps about 40 years ago?
We weren't even allowed to wear flippers then,
in case we caught too much, too quickly.
When we're gone, the younger generation might start using oxygen tanks.
But for now, we prefer to do things the old-fashioned way.
Working for hours with oxygen would lead to over-harvesting anyway.
If you try to collect too much in one dive,
you'll "eat your breath."
You'll die. You'll die.
And if you go too far out to sea,
the waves become much stronger.
When we dive down, we can get swept too far out by the current.
Death is always around the corner for us.
Being a haenyeo is an extremely difficult occupation
particularly because it's so dangerous, which is why there are so few now.
The young haenyeos have asked, "Why can't we use an oxygen mask?"
But that is not the way of the haenyeo.
To collect seafood,
they have to hold their breath underwater for up to 2 minutes.
Water pressure starts from a depth of 5 meters underwater
and this water pressure is like a giant blue glass pushing you down.
The deeper you dive, the thicker the glass gets.
So when emerging,
you must break through this "blue glass" with all your strength.
Haenyeos repeat this process 100 to 300 times when diving.
You try ramming your head 300 times a day.
Your head will pound and it will hurt a lot.
When they discover dead haenyeos at sea,
strangely enough, the haenyeo's net is always full of abalones and other seafood.
As if death lured them with the bait of luck.
The day they died, they must have found a jackpot!
I'm tired.
I'm so exhausted I could die.
Catching urchins isn't the hard part. Shelling them is what's difficult.
You've got people who help you!
But who's going to help me? Do I have to go out and get a husband?
Why is someone calling me at a time like this?
It could be a man calling!
Is my dead husband calling?
- Maybe so! - Forget it.
- Where? Where is it? - I said forget it.
It's probably nothing.
How would you know?
Just go find me a man to help shell sea urchins!
- Attach a sign on your back! - Huh?
"I'm looking for a husband to help me shell sea urchins!"
I wonder how it will be tomorrow.
I doubt we'll be able to find any urchins.
Whenever it rains, all the wastewater from the field,
like fertilizers and pesticides goes directly into the ocean.
The water gets so dirty, the seagrass is rotting.
It's a serious problem. There's nothing left to catch.
We keep getting older, and it's getting harder to make money.
How are we going to get by?
When we were young,
there was abundant marine life in the sea.
People used to work collectively as a community.
To catch agar seaweed, stag seaweed, and hijiki,
haenyeos would work collectively and share the profits with each other.
We only stopped working
when our breasts got swollen and we had to nurse our babies.
I don't think this younger generation has the tenacity to live like we do.
They wouldn't want to.
There is a generational difference.
Yes, that's right. A haenyeo's life is tough.
This way of life was our only option.
But these days, no one wants to become a haenyeo anymore.
My wetsuit got caught on this nail and tore.
That's bad luck.
You need to tie that up.
Show off that figure, girl!
These days there are less and less women
who dare to risk becoming a haenyeo.
The haenyeo way of life may go extinct.
The 1960s were the heyday of the Jeju haenyeo.
The number of haenyeos peaked at 30,000
when the population of Jeju was 200,000.
But the number steadily declined
and now there are only about 4,000 haenyeos left.
The remaining 4,000 haenyeos are now mostly in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Only grandmas work in the ocean now,
as if the Jeju sea itself has aged alongside them.
During the Joseon Dynasty, being a haenyeo was a tough job,
so mostly men did it.
After they found out this was so hard, men just quit doing this job.
And women had no choice but to do this job
because someone still needed to earn an income.
Men can't handle this job.
For a girl or young woman to become a haenyeo,
they would start training at age 7 for 10 years in the sea.
They learn how to swim, dive,
breathe, emerge from the water and breathe out.
They learn how to harvest the seafood,
and where to find it.
Then, once they reach 15-17 years old, they become a haenyeo.
People harvesting seaweed, hurry up and get in line!
Group 1! Group 1!
We were worried about the rapidly dwindling number of haenyeos,
so we built this school in Gwideok Village 15 years ago.
And since haenyeo culture was recognized by UNESCO,
there seems to be a lot of interest.
Let's go get seaweed!
So in order to preserve the culture,
we're trying to foster and teach the next generation.
All the teachers at Hansupul Haenyeo School are from Gwideok Village.
But haenyeo Kang Joo Hwa,
she is the best diver out of all the teachers.
She's a "sang-goon" haenyeo.
Those are haenyeos who can dive deeper than 10 meters.
I'm also pretty strong
but even I can't keep up with her if we dive together.
Whoa, it's cold.
One, two, three!
I swallowed some water.
You need to swallow some of this water.
You need to drink this water to be a haenyeo.
The students tell me,
"You must already know exactly where the conch and sea urchin live!"
But nothing could be further from the truth.
You need ambition.
The "I'm going to catch more than others" type of ambition.
You have to keep repeating the process over and over again until you catch it.
I can't dive unless our teacher pushes me in.
Teacher, I don't think there's anything down here.
Hey!
Come here.
I think I'm gonna die.
No, you won't.
One, two, three!
Today, they separated the good divers from the not so good divers, like me.
I mostly just drink seawater.
See this? It says "future haenyeo."
I guess I'm a future haenyeo.
Our teacher is so great.
Other teachers are a little scary.
They say, "How do you expect to become a haenyeo?"
But she's a fun and effective teacher.
The students get to experience how hard the life of a haenyeo is.
So far, we have educated about 840 people.
But only about 5% end up continuing on as haenyeos.
Alright, let's go home!
We can't seem to stop the disappearance of the haenyeo population.
- Wow. This is so hard, isn't it? - Yeah.
How do they move their bodies like that?
- What do we do? We're doomed. - We're doomed.
After this, do this.
I'm no expert but straighten your arm all the way.
Oh, straighten my arm?
Let's try it one more time.
If we do it one more time, then we'll be perfect.
- Whoo! - Perfect!
Perfect!
Liar.
- I feel like I'd ace it now. - Me too.
Wow, our captain is so cool.
Growing up, I thought haenyeos existed only on Jeju Island.
But after moving to Geoje Island,
I realized, where there is sea, there will always be haenyeos.
But Jeongmin and I were the only young haenyeos out here.
So, hoping to find people like us,
we made our own YouTube channel.
Hello.
- Jeongmin. - Sohee.
Ready set, go.
Hello, everyone!
- We are the Modern Haenyeos… Jeongmin. - And Sohee!
Nice to meet you.
It's going to be hot for us today,
because we're harvesting stone sea pineapples!
Go in now!
It feels so nice in here.
Look!
You caught that already?
As soon as I got in the water!
Whoo-hoo!
I used to work in an office from when I was 20 to 25 years old.
In a stuffy building,
I was tired and burned out.
But since becoming a haenyeo,
I feel comforted and soothed working in nature.
When I became a haenyeo, I set the record for being the youngest.
And now I want to set the record for becoming the oldest haenyeo.
I actually didn't know much about haenyeos.
But 7 years ago,
my husband's company went out of business.
At the time, I didn't even know how to swim.
But instead of feeling fear,
I thought
if I can make money off of this, I want to try.
Obviously, it was difficult at first.
But still,
for a working mom, it's hard to find a flexible job like this in Korea.
So I kept at it.
I'm exhausted.
Being a haenyeo is physically hard and dangerous,
but raising kids…
it's never-ending!
Every mom in the world knows what I mean.
I'd rather work in the ocean for 7 hours.
- As I grow up. - As I grow up?
"Grow."
You can just put one vowel here.
- As I grow up. - As I grow up.
- Who borrowed this book? - Me.
- Naru, Naru, Naru. - Lae Won, it was Lae Won.
- Huh? - What is it?
Lae Won's.
What is it?
It's about growing breasts and body hair,
basically a book about signs of puberty.
Yeah, I noticed kids are interested in those things these days.
Oh.
Do Hun, you'll have body hair next year!
Let's stop talking about body hair and get ready to eat!
Please clean the table.
- Mine, mine, mine. - Wow, you gave him a lot.
Please bring this to the table.
- Isn't it tasty? - Yes.
I am thankful, yum yum.
Since being on YouTube and TV,
my kids, Do Hun, Lae Won and Naru,
love that I'm a haenyeo.
They say, "Mom is the coolest person."
MY MOM IS A HAENYEO
In fact, Naru keeps telling me that she wants to be a haenyeo.
On one hand, I'm happy to hear that,
but on the other hand, I don't want her to do it.
Being a haenyeo is such a hard job.
I keep going back and forth…
Actually, don't do this work, Naru.
Mom will do it for you.
HAENYEO'S OWN CATCH!
ABALONES, SEA CUCUMBERS FOR SALE AS SEEN ON TV
For all I know, those two are
the most famous haenyeos in Geoje, Jeju, everywhere.
They were even invited to meet the President!
They are the marketing team of Geoje Island.
But it's actually not good for my business that they're invited to so many events.
Sometimes it feels like they are the boss rather than me.
- Did you guys take your goggles? - Yes!
So you see them making YouTube videos while working,
I let them do that.
They do whatever they want.
Move over to the side! The water current is strong here.
No, we're going to dive here first and then we'll move!
Compared to a team of 5 haenyeos,
just those two yield a higher profit.
I caught another one!
They're our successors!
Frankly, my income lately
has been steadily decreasing year after year.
As recently as 3 years ago,
I was able to catch 100kg worth of sea pineapples in an hour.
But that's no longer the case.
Because of the rising global temperatures, the ocean is changing.
As haenyeos, we can see this happen before our eyes.
For example, a species of small box jellyfish has been found here,
which used to live in more tropical oceans.
And we try to film that
to warn people of the changes in the sea.
We want people to worry.
And there is no marine life living in the shallow water anymore.
So Sohee and I have to dive deeper.
If this continues, will we, with only our breath,
because haenyeos by definition harvest seafood with only our breath,
will we be able to continue to work this way in the future?
I won't be able to work as a haenyeo for a year
because I got into an accident.
I'm thinking I was just unlucky.
I was getting some sea urchin.
And you know those big nets? I loaded up two of those.
As I went to grab it,
I suddenly slipped near the water.
They put 8 steel pins in there,
and I was in the hospital for 14 days.
They said, if my foot were fingers, 8 out of 10 of them were broken.
I've never had such a big surgery in my life.
My bad luck.
This is the first time I can't dive.
It was unspeakably difficult to live this summer.
When I couldn't move,
my friends helped me plant chives and broccoli.
Everyone in the village was worried about me
because haenyeos aren't covered by health insurance.
They say the job is too dangerous to be covered.
Even the fishing cooperatives only provide
compensation when haenyeos die
and not a single penny when we get injured.
What good is money if I'm dead?
That was very disappointing.
Isn't it?
What good is it to be listed on UNESCO
when we can't get any benefits when we need it?
But other haenyeos are envious of my situation
because my late husband worked 30 plus years as a civil servant.
So I mostly live off of his pension
that comes out every month.
Life just goes on for the living.
This is ET Point, your go-to source for economic news.
The Japanese government has announced that radioactively contaminated water
that's been stored at the Fukushima nuclear power plant
will be released into the ocean.
It has provoked immediate alarm on Jeju Island, which borders Japan.
The International Atomic Energy Agency,
which has been verifying the safety of contaminated water
from Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant,
explained that Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water
meets international safety standards.
The method Japan has chosen
is both technically feasible and in line with international practice.
Even though the large amount of water makes it a unique and complex case.
These are all areas that us haenyeos dive in.
But it feels like it'll all be gone in 100 years.
And now Japan is planning to release nuclear wastewater into the ocean.
We haenyeos are really worried about it.
If they release all of the radioactive waste into the water,
the damage won't show up immediately.
They should figure out a solution that is safe for everyone.
But Japan is moving forward with their plans without consulting other countries.
We've relied on the sea our entire lives,
so this is a grave concern for us.
No, just one from the-- Mr. Ban.
And yours. This is Japanese.
There have been two major nuclear accidents in human history.
There was Chernobyl,
and there was Fukushima.
Since the 2011 nuclear meltdown in Fukushima,
we have been concerned about
how the disposal of contaminated wastewater would be handled.
The Japanese government claims
that the contaminated water can be treated and released,
and the nuclear plant can be quickly decommissioned.
What the company that operates the plant is aiming for
is to dilute the concentration of radioactive materials
by mixing it with an enormous amount of seawater.
However, the problem is that just because the concentration is diluted,
doesn't mean that the radioactivity is gone.
On what basis is it safe to say
that the release of Fukushima contaminated water is safe?
It is completely unprecedented.
We wanted to meet with the haenyeos
because they are vulnerable to the impact of the contaminated water.
They deserve to know all of the information
that is out there about this urgent situation.
Hello haenyeo aunties. Is everyone doing well?
Yes!
I came from an organization that works for the environment in Seoul.
We have invited two experts to speak to you
about the contaminated water from Fukushima.
And we have some other folks from Jeju who are also working on this issue.
So please ask lots of questions today about anything you are curious about.
Okay.
Hello everyone.
I am from the Citizens' Nuclear Information Center in Japan.
The water is being collected and stored because of how dangerous it is.
But the Japanese government has said
that they are going to just release this contaminated water into the sea.
But according to the Japanese government's plan,
they say it will take more than 30 years to release it all.
After that, once the contaminated water reaches Korea,
it will continue to arrive every day.
This is not something that, when you're exposed to,
you will see immediate effect.
And our concern is that the effects of these discharges
will be felt over many hundreds, if not many thousands, of years
because of the different radioactive materials that will be discharged.
Even now, there is no seagrass in our waters.
Coral bleaching is occurring right now.
Why is Japan only considering releasing the water into the sea?
They have a lot of resources.
Couldn't they make a tank big enough and leave it there for a while?
I knew that the ocean was becoming very polluted.
But now that I hear Japan is trying to discharge the wastewater,
I feel like I've been living my life as a fool.
When the waves are strong, we end up swallowing seawater.
You should definitely go back to Japan and tell everyone.
I'll teach anyone who doesn't know.
Ban Hideyuki has worked for over 30 years on this issue.
In particular, when the Japanese government
decided to try and release the contaminated water this way.
It isn't easy to dissent from within that country.
The situation right now…
we are in a situation where we are going to have to hold a lot of demonstrations.
It's crucial that we continuously send out the message
"You better do the right thing."
Even if you have to skip one or two days of work, please come out.
Are you environmental groups just sitting around idly
waiting for us to fight?
That's not going to work.
We came here today without knowing anything.
There's a Japanese person speaking Japanese and someone speaking English.
No matter how much they say,
we can't possibly understand everything and answer you properly right now.
You're talking nonsense!
It seems that the two most hardworking men today,
Mr. Ban Hideyuki and Director Kim Jeong Do, are receiving the most criticism.
The two most hardworking people.
The two who have been working the hardest.
We can't keep bickering here. We need to come together.
If we're fighting like this here, how will we ever pull off a demonstration?
We must stop this. Absolutely.
Everyone needs to stand up and join in.
We can't let the people up top prevent us from doing that.
We all must come out and hold a demonstration
together on the same day in Jeju.
Even if we have to snap off Jeju City or Halla Mountain, we must protest.
All the leaders in the fishing cooperatives are men,
and they say they are against the issue
- but there's been no action taken. - That's right.
I believe that the spirit that haenyeos possess
is our eternal strength.
So we need to remind ourselves of Jeju haenyeos' daring spirit from the past
and show them we will fight to the end.
On the day of the demonstration, we'll assemble all the haenyeos.
That's right, that's right!
Moving forward, we'll cooperate,
and together with Japan, we need to take action.
And I will work even harder back in Seoul.
Stay in the fight with us and let's continue to oppose this together.
We need to rise up.
- It has to be done. - That's right.
Thank you.
It's not a simple matter.
It's a big task.
It's easier said than done.
Thank you.
A blue crab!
How did you catch that?
Whoa!
Oh, I got it.
It's cute.
Let me see. Do Hun, should we put it in a container?
- It's really big. - Wow!
Remember what I told you, Naru?
Out of all the sea creatures,
crabs are the most sensitive to pain.
I'll never be able to find another as cute as this one.
I'll just go set it free.
Do Hun found this.
Have fun!
Mommy will be here eating.
Wow.
Dad, wait for me!
Come on.
When I imagine the future for my kids, I feel sad.
As a mom, I want to protect my kids from harm.
Ah! There's a jellyfish!
I'm scared!
There are so many jellyfish floating around here.
- I'm glad you came here to participate. - It's good that you came.
Thank you. Thank you.
You're not a haenyeo, though?
- I am a haenyeo! For 7 years. - 7 years?
Oh wow!
- You've been on TV! - Yes, that's right!
Is there much to catch?
There's less every day.
- You're from where? - Geoje, Geoje, Geoje.
I love it so much, I want to keep doing it for a long time like you aunties.
WE OPPOSE THE RELEASE
OF FUKUSHIMA'S NUCLEAR CONTAMINATED WATER
WHICH DESTROYS THE MARINE ENVIRONMENT
AND CITIZENS' RIGHT TO SURVIVE!
Hello, I'm Choi Kyung Sook, a civil radioactive activist.
The Japanese government claims they will remove radiation
through a polynuclear removal process called ALPS.
But ALPS cannot filter out radioactive substances like carbon-14 or tritium,
which has a very long half-life.
If the Fukushima contaminated water is released,
it will reach Jeju Island within about seven months.
So who can guarantee the safety of haenyeos who work in the sea?
The Japanese government should immediately withdraw its decision
to discharge nuclear-polluted water from Fukushima!
Withdraw it! Withdraw it! Withdraw it!
Auntie, are there a lot of elderly haenyeos in their 80s in Jeju?
There are a lot of haenyeos in Jeju that are over 80.
- Oh really? - She's 79!
How old are you now?
- I'm 30. - 30… Are you married?
- Not yet. - Not yet? Oh.
Jeongmin has three kids.
- Get married in Jeju. - In Jeju?
Can I still be a haenyeo if I get married in Jeju?
Yeah.
Hey, she has a son. She has a son.
She has a son.
- Hey, her son is the best fit for you. - You'll be my mother-in-law!
It's the perfect fit.
Sis, should we pay our respects and bow down?
It probably hasn't started yet.
Let's do it once we go up there.
Okay. Leave the money.
After we go up.
Sis, is that the right posture for making rice cake?
Since I'm old and my legs hurt, I do it this way.
Even though you've aged, there's not a single wrinkle on your face!
I'm already a grandmother.
Hey, your face is pretty round. So why are your rice cakes so long?
Well you're making them uglier and uglier.
Sis, do we attach it like this?
Every year, haenyeos perform a shamanistic ritual called a "goot"
and pray to the gods, spirits, and ancestors.
In Jeju Island folklore, there are 18,000 gods,
who live in the sky, the ground, the mountains, the ocean, even in homes.
Haenyeos risk their lives every day when diving in the ocean.
I am like an advocate between the gods and the haenyeo.
I must do my best to plead to the Sea God on behalf of the haenyeo,
telling him all about the difficulties the haenyeo face,
explaining what they need, and asking him what they should do.
I pray for the health of the ocean.
This year, haenyeos are trying to put a stop
to Japan's plan to discharge contaminated water into the ocean.
By performing the goot, they are summoning the 18,000 gods
to come together on behalf of the ocean.
We offer gifts and money to the gods.
Then, we invite the spirits to arrive joyfully.
These rituals contain both joy and sorrow.
It's the setting of life itself.
No harm must come to these waters, Dragon King!
What shall we do?
Lead the members forward.
Our god knows everything.
Since I became a haenyeo
I never missed work.
Because I am a haenyeo
I went to the ocean every day.
Even if I was sick
I would forget the pain.
You know those granny haenyeos?
They don't ever think of retiring.
They will go kicking and screaming if they can't work in the water.
I realized it's because they love the ocean so much.
I must keep working in the sea as well.
So I'm not gonna let them dump Fukushima wastewater into the ocean.
Today we're going to protest the Fukushima wastewater release.
Other haenyeos are going as well.
But my foot is still sore, so I'm not sure I'll march well.
We are the warriors of the sea!
Japan must withdraw their decision to release contaminated water into the sea!
Withdraw! Withdraw! Withdraw!
Let's stop Japan's release of the contaminated water!
Let's stop it! Let's stop it! Let's stop it!
I'm 90 years old
but we came here today
because this is something we must do despite missing work.
We've worked and lived in the water since we were 18 years old!
We must stop this.
We must stop this!
They came all the way from Geoje Island.
This won't be the last gathering.
We need to speak up and join forces!
Jeju Island is known for its pristine nature.
But soon, it will be surrounded
by the radioactive water.
How can we stand by and do nothing?
Everyone!
The reason I came up onstage
is because I am a haenyeo who works in the ocean.
I even worked this morning.
It's hard to avoid swallowing the seawater while working.
But if Japan pours contaminated water into the sea,
are we the only ones who are doomed?
We have children, and we have descendants.
We need to pass on a clean sea to our descendants!
Let us pass on clean waters!
We must pass on clean waters!
We can't trust our government
but if those people experience what we are going through,
why would they poison our sea?
Right, everyone?
We don't know when this will happen
but they'll only stop if we speak up.
Our haenyeos are in danger!
DON'T MAKE US THE LAST OF THE HAENYEOS
Japan must withdraw their plan!
We condemn it!
We condemn it! We condemn it!
The ocean has to be healthy for all of us and the earth to be healthy.
If I meet someone
who thinks it's okay to discharge contaminated water into the ocean,
I want to ask,
"Do you not have a future?"
It's not like the earth will end in our generation.
There will continuously be generations after us.
So this is murder.
An act of evil.
So we must stop this at all costs!
We will live and work in the ocean until our necks are severed.
We will fight until the end.
It is a big day here in Japan.
There has been a controversial buildup for this decision,
and today is the day it happens.
As we speak,
treated radioactive wastewater is being released into the ocean.
The wastewater is being pumped into a tunnel under the sea,
it's about a kilometer long.
And then being released into the ocean.
It is a very long process that's going to span many decades.
They're predicting 30 years, maybe longer.
I was devastated.
No one's going to eat seafood anymore.
Things are looking really, really bad.
We won't be able to live as haenyeos anymore.
I heard about the Fukushima wastewater release
and thought "Ah, we are in big trouble."
We might lose our homes and livelihoods.
Even though we love the sea and try very hard to protect it,
we've lived long enough. But what about our children?
They will all be deeply affected.
I urge the world to stop this from happening. We must stop it.
This is the famous Room 20,
where the Human Rights Council meets for its sessions.
They meet three times every year.
We have been working on the issue of Fukushima for many years now,
and when Japan took the decision to discharge the radioactive water,
we thought it was important to have somebody
from the haenyeo fisherwoman community
come here and share their experience directly with the Human Rights Council
in order to underline also the transboundary harm
that the discharge can provoke.
I was contacted by the UN in Switzerland.
I came here to give a speech against water contamination
on behalf of the Jeju haenyeos.
I flew 13 hours on a plane to come here.
As far as speaking to a crowd in support of an important cause,
I'm not afraid.
One person's sacrifice can have a big influence.
So I summoned the courage to come here.
"Be… Befo… Before… it's too late."
Shall we try the last sentence again? This is 'please.'
- Then pause- - 'Please.' 'Please.'
That's right.
'Please' is like saying 'help!' It's like saying 'please help!'
Say this a little strongly, then 'may'…
'Before it's.' You did this part really well. All at once.
'Before it's too' -
- 'late.' - 'late.'
Then you stop there.
It would be good if you could memorize this part.
So when you say 'water', say it all at once.
Don't say 'we' or 'way.'
I'm thirsty. Can I get some water?
Shall I get you some water?
I'll give you some water.
It's really difficult trying to pronounce English
using Korean letters.
If I was younger, my tongue would be more nimble.
I think everything becomes more difficult when you get old.
I wouldn't want to do this again. Seriously.
Hello!
Good morning, how are you?
- Hello, good morning. - Hello.
- Good morning. - Good morning.
How was your flight? Welcome to Geneva.
It was a long flight, it was really hard.
It was a very long flight, very arduous.
I read your statement, which is perfect.
Do you have any questions or something you would like to know about
the Human Rights Council?
I was actually thinking about this.
Just in that brief moment, not even a minute,
as a humble Jeju woman and a female diver,
it would mean the world to me
if people from all over the world
could hear me out on what I have to say.
That's all I could wish for.
I am a haenyeo.
Are you there?
Yes.
Did you sleep well?
- It's time to go, so let's get ready. - Hmm.
Okay, okay.
- Don't forget your papers. - Okay.
Take one last look before you leave.
My face will still be my face whether or not I look in the mirror.
- Let's go. - Okay.
Let us go.
There, this one.
I'll sit in the seat next to you.
Morning.
Today's the day when we visit the UN.
Are you nervous?
No, not at all. There's nothing to be nervous about.
They're just humans like us.
- UN! - We are here.
The time I have to speak is very short.
If those representatives from around the world
considered even 1/10th of my speech,
that's all that I could wish for.
Morning!
- Here. You will go with her. - Morning.
Good morning.
Nice to see you.
- Good luck, everyone! - Please, let's go inside.
Uh, we should pass here.
And show your credential.
Here at the UN, the environment is very formal,
technical, and very diplomatic, of course.
But also, there's a lot of politization.
So an indigenous woman, coming here, it's not politicized at all.
It's just a human being suffering the consequences
of this ill-conceived policy
and telling us the truth. Because we can speak about what is on paper
but then they are on the ground, they are the one that knows
the impact of the policy applied by governments.
She has to keep this with her.
It's not easy at all for communities and when people
participate here when they don't have experience of this work.
And when they accept, we are very happy. We try to do our best to assist them.
But then at the end, they are alone.
I am a haenyeo,
a sea woman from Jeju.
As a female diver,
I earn money from the sea
to feed my family.
Born into nothing,
I made my life through diving.
I lived all my life
in the clean Jeju seawater,
but Japan is dumping toxic water in the ocean.
Please stop dumping the water
before it's too late.
Thank you.
I don't remember anything at the end. I didn't have any strength left.
I think I was too full.
I didn't have any strength, my legs were shaking so hard.
- Ah. - You did great!
Whether I did good or bad,
I don't plan on ever doing this again. I'm tired, I'm so tired.
It's the last time. The first but last.
You did great. Don't you feel relieved?
I do feel refreshed.
I need to buy a souvenir T-shirt before I leave.
Thank you for this meal.
Where is she? Where is she?
Where is the one who protected our country?
How was your trip to Switzerland?
I have some beautiful photos to show you guys.
I'm going to change clothes.
I'm so proud of Soon Deok for going to Switzerland.
I'm really proud of her going there by herself.
I'm so proud of her.
She did a good job.
How was the food?
I only ate some bread.
But the bread was from Switzerland.
Well, did they buy you anything? Did they give you money to buy food?
I didn't even know how to spend my own money there.
Yeah, even if they did, she wouldn't know how to use it.
You're a big deal now since you went to Switzerland!
When do you think we can go there?
You should listen to me.
- You're a national hero now! - Nationwide.
The main character!
You're going to be everywhere!
How good is that?
The doctor told me I couldn't dive until next year,
but I can walk and I'm not in pain,
so I came today.
Watch out for the car!
I'm so happy to come to work with everyone.
You know,
the day I injured myself,
I had gotten a new wetsuit
but it's all wrinkled now since it was neglected for 3 months.
Let's get dressed!
Hey, Joo Hwa! Help lift this up for me.
- Kang Joo Hwa! - Yeah?
Pull this up for me.
Turn around! You're showing off your big milk flanks.
Fine by me!
Grab these, and let's go!
Let's go.
The Haenyeo Festival is for after we leave this world.
Future generations can remember us by the festival
and learn the history of the livelihood of Jeju Island's haenyeo.
So for that reason we hold this festival every year
to not be forgotten.
Hello!
I'm a fan!
Oh, oh my, okay.
I feel like I'm meeting celebrities.
I've learned so much watching your YouTube videos.
Thank you for your support.
I'm such a fan.
Thank you.
Today is our day!
Haenyeo day.
Ah, wow. Aunties!
You're here!
- Hello! - Sit here.
Have you all been well?
How are you doing?
I've been really well.
By the way, I heard you went to the UN.
As a national representative, yes.
Wow, could we have your autograph please?
That's really cool.
I look up to you so much for speaking out.
You must not have wanted to do it, but I admire that courage of yours.
We have to keep fighting.
Right, we have no choice but to do this.
To protect what we have.
We have more days ahead.
I'm really frightened
about the fact that I will have to work in that scary sea.
This is our livelihood.
If people stop buying seafood, we can't keep working.
That's why I'm frustrated.
We have to continue our precious culture.
We should use our strength to help them in this work!
- We can do it! - Let's go!
That's what I'm talking about!
We've lived this long and our experiences have not been in vain.
It's amazing that young women like you
would think of doing this kind of work.
I want to keep working like you wonderful aunties
for a long time.
You have to work for 60 years!
You're right.
I wish we could live in Jeju, and see you aunties like this.
Now Jeju Island could be passed on to someone else.
If you two agree?
Let's be sisters from now on.
You come to our town, and we'll go to yours!
- That would be perfect! - This was meant to be.
Aw, we have to go now. Stay healthy.
Goodbye.
See you next time.
So lovely, our babies.
I'm about to cry.
Don't get sick. Take care.
Hug me too!
I'm crying because you're crying!
I feel like I'm sending my daughter away.
Don't cry.
Why are you crying then?
- We'll come pay a visit to Busan. - Ah.
Goodbye!
Don't cry. Don't cry.
Let's meet next year, promise!
Let's stay in touch for a long, long time.
Oh, this is too much.
Row, keep rowing!
Keep on rowing!
Slap, slap! Row your oars!
Row, keep rowing!
They tell me to go diving
on a day
with no sun and no moon
Ieodo Sana, Ieodo Sana
On a lonely distant island, will I eat or will I starve?
Will I eat or will I starve?
Guess I'll go diving
Ieodo Sana, Ieodo Sana
Row, keep rowing!
The ocean is our home.
We can't stop diving, we have to go to the sea.
Even in my next life, I will dive again.
Just an old woman and the sea, forever.