What did the director do to film this documentary?
What did she combine the footage she captured with?
How long do they swim without eating or drinking?
What did these women begin to do hundreds of years ago?
Who is the woman?
How old are the women?
Where is she from?
Why do the haenyeo rub their masks with toothpaste?
What is the woman wearing?
What does the film Breathing Underwater consist of?
a wetsuit
a haenyeo, or “sea woman”
eight hours
They began to collect shellfish, octopuses, and seaweed to support their families.
Most are older than 50, and some are over 80.
to keep them clear
Udo, an island off the southern coast of South Korea
a collection of the women’s memories
poetic narration written by Song Ji-na and touching music by Yang Bang-ean
She followed a group of haenyeo from Udo for seven years.
What dangers do haenyeo face apart from cold water and lack of oxygen?
How many classes of haenyeo are there and what are the differences between them?
What is the meaning of “breathing underwater?”
What kinds of equipment do they use?
What is the biggest danger to haenyeo?
What don’t they have?
What does a diver do each time she surfaces and why?
Why are they sometimes tempted to stay underwater?
to grab just one more valuable sea creature
fishing boats passing overhead, seaweed wrapping around their bodies, and getting carried away by the waves
wet-suits, round masks, fins, and weight belts along with spears, floats, and nets
oxygen tanks
drowning
(She lets out a whistle called SUMBI that helps her recover her breath quickly.
“greed,” or a desire for success that conflicts with their desire for safety
There are three classes, and divers in each level can dive to varying depths.