A photo of women divers showcased in the "Jeju Haenyeo" Exhibition at Katara. Photo by Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Doha: Qatar and South Korea’s diving heritage takes center stage in the “Jeju Haenyeo” Exhibition unveiled on Sunday at Katara, in cooperation with the Korean Embassy in Qatar.
The exhibition showcases the way of life of Haenyeo, which is translated as “women divers” who hail from South Korea’s popular Jeju Island. Haenyeo, or women divers, are known for diving deep into the open sea to catch various kinds of seafood such as sea snails, seaweed, abalones, conches, and many others in order to make a living.
Artefacts displayed at the "Jeju Haenyeo" Exhibition at Katara. Photo by Rajan Vadakkemuriyil
Haenyeo’s unique fishing techniques are what sets them apart from other diving cultures around the globe. Haenyeo is known for diving into the open sea, ranging from one to two minutes, without any breathing apparatus -- a sustainable choice by divers to preserve these natural resources and prevent them from being exhausted through mass harvesting. The divers then resurface with a fresh catch of seafood and make a distinctive whistling sound called “sumbisori” as they gasp for air.
A tool used by Haenyeo called "Tewak Mangsari" is displayed at the Jeju Haenyeo Exhibition at Katara. Photo by Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/ The Peninsula.
The heritage is intricately captured in the exhibition through a display of images, traditional diving outfits, and equipment such as swimming goggles, Tewak Mangsari (from “Tewak” a buoyant tool used by divers to navigate seafood harvesting locations, and “Mangsari” a fishnet attached to the Tewak to store the harvested seafood), Bitchang (a metal tool used to pick up abalones), and Kakuri (a tool that is used to pick up sea products between the cracks in the rocks).
In a speech during the opening ceremony, the Ambassador of Korea to Qatar H E Yun Hyunsoo correlated Jeju’s Haenyeo culture to Qatar’s legacy in pearl diving.
The Ambassador said: “What makes today’s event more special is that we are presenting Jeju Haenyeo and Qatar’s pearl divers together.
The Ambassador of Korea to Qatar H E Yun Hyunsoo delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of the "Jeju Haenyeo" Exhibition at Katara. Photo by Rajan Vadakkemuriyil/ The Peninsula
Despite being thousands of miles apart, both our ancestors have shared similarities: Jeju Haenyeo and pearl divers both are sea-side communities diving for a living,” he said.
The opening ceremony of the exhibition was also attended by Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar, Il Chang Lim, Chairman of the Korean Community in Qatar, and Saif Saad Al Dosari, Deputy Director General of Katara and Director of the Human Resources Department.
From left: Il Chang Lim, Chairman of the Korean Community in Qatar; the Ambassador of Korea to Qatar H E Yun Hyunsoo; Sheikh Abdulaziz bin Hamad Al Thani, Director of the National Museum of Qatar; and Saif Saad Al Dosari, Deputy Director General of Katara and Director of the Human Resources Department
The programme also included presentations from Shahed AlSawaf and Fathima Abdul Gafoor, who are winners of a Korean Speech Contest organized by the Korean Embassy.
The “Jeju Haenyeo” Exhibition is on display until November 25, 2024, from 10am to 10pm at Building 47, Gallery in Katara.
