Miyeoji-Baengdui

  • Genre TV Show
  • Content Type Documentary
  • Platform Online Publishing
  • Target Age Adults
  • Quantity 90 min 1 Quantity Input

Description

The Haenyeo : Beings Who Rescue Lives from the Afterlife

On Jeju Island, the sea is a place where haenyeo must let go of their desires to save their lives. Diving into the sea to a depth of 10 meters with just their bare bodies is both a prayer and a ritual every time. The abalone and sea urchins they obtain are gifts from the gods for those who have learned humility. Thus, haenyeo say, "We earn in the afterlife and spend in this world.”

 

The Messenger of the 18,000 gods : Jeju Shamans 

By the side of the haenyeo who cast themselves into the uncontrollable sea, there is always the presence of a "shim-bang" (shaman). A shim-bang is a messenger who connects people with the gods in Jeju. They perform rituals on behalf of the haenyeo, offering sacrifices to the gods, and heal the physical and mental ailments of the haenyeo caused by their work at sea, acting in place of the gods.

 

The Duet of Life: Haenyeo and Shamans

Through the stories of haenyeo and shamans living together in a village set against the backdrop of the Jeju sea, we explore the lives of Jeju women where life and myth coexist.