Future of Haenyeos
The economic policy of Jeju province has changed over the years, tourism is now given more importance than agriculture and fishing, and the Haenyeo are a huge tourist attraction on the island. At the same time, there is a steadily declining number of women willing to become Haenyeos. How can Haenyeo culture evolve, since many young women on Jeju are not seeking to pursue this lifestyle? Can Haenyeo culture be preserved as time goes on, and not only as a tourist attraction? A society is identified by its traditions, by a core of teachings handed down from the past. The Haenyeo culture has evolved over time, and new traditions can be incorporated into a folkloric form.
What measures can be taken to ensure a new generation of Haenyeos take over? What could motivate young women to pursue this challenging lifestyle, now that many other opportunities are there for them? Aeduck Im, the chief executive officer at Jeju National University, has argued for establishing Haenyeos’ work as a sustainable profession to attract and recruit younger people into the Haenyeo profession. A Haenyeo theory should be written, and a school established to train the novices. A Haenyeo social enterprise would be incorporated and help to establish a social security system to provide stability for Haenyeos. Perhaps this would ensure that the Haenyeo tradition not only remains but evolves with the times.
