Haenyeo: Women of the Sea
Suitable for: Ages 6+, Families | Duration: 25 minutes
Available for select bookings — contact us to discuss.
Deep beneath the waters of Jeju Island, Korea, the Haenyeo — women divers — have passed down their traditions from mother to daughter for generations. This intimate, immersive theatre piece weaves together Korean music, puppetry, and crochet to tell their story.
Performed by a real mother and daughter.
About the Show
Haenyeo: Women of the Sea was created by Kay Yasugi and her mother Youngkyu Kwon (Yong), inspired by a research trip to Jeju Island, South Korea in 2018 — partly funded by a grant from the Seaborn, Broughton and Walford Foundation.
The show premiered at the International Figura Offida Festival in Offida, Italy in 2019, and has since been performed at the Melbourne Festival of Puppetry and the Culture Mix Multicultural Festival in Wollongong, NSW.
Who Are the Haenyeo?
The Haenyeo are the women free-divers of Jeju Island, South Korea — diving without breathing apparatus to depths of 5–20 metres to harvest shellfish, seaweed, and seafood for their families. They can hold their breath for up to two minutes. The eldest Haenyeo are in their nineties, and their tradition has lasted over 600 years.
They are one of the only matriarchal communities in the world. Jeju Haenyeo were listed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2016.
Sadly, their tradition is slowly dying out. We want to share their story.
Why This Show
We want Haenyeo: Women of the Sea to invite families and audiences of all ages to reflect on their own traditions — what has been passed down to them, and what they want to pass on. It brings to the forefront a story and culture rarely seen in mainstream Australian theatre: empowering, matriarchal, and quietly extraordinary.
Watch
In 2020, Kay was interviewed by Annemarie Terblanche for her Facebook series Earthling Stories — a four-minute mini-documentary about the making of the show, featuring footage of the real Haenyeo divers and the performance itself.
Photos
Further Reading
Interested in learning more about the Haenyeo? We recommend The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See — a beautiful, moving novel set in Jeju Island about these extraordinary women divers living through decades of conflict and change. Lisa See's website also has wonderful videos and information about Haenyeo culture.
Book This Show
Haenyeo: Women of the Sea is available for select bookings. Get in touch at info@pupperoos.com to discuss availability and requirements.