06/14/2026
Journalist Heidi Shin has been diving with Haenyeo (해녀, legendary elder free divers) on S. Korea’s Jeju Island. Marking the 10th anniversary of UNESCO’s recognition of Jeju haenyeo culture as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, this free public program is organized by the Korean Cultural Society of Boston and Project Asian Joy from the support of the Boston Harbor Islands and the New England Aquarium.
Experience the world of Haenyeo in immersive collective audio as Shin and artist Anita Yip bring together sound, photography, and storytelling. Haenyeos are matriarchs, breadwinners, and the backbone of the Island’s economy. As this disappearing tradition faces the pressures of commercial fisheries and a changing ocean, we will listen, respond, and reflect together on the changing expectations around women and work in our society.
