Haenyeo (해녀 'sea women') are female free divers on Jeju Island, South Korea. Diving has long been tradition on Jeju Island to find food sustenance, such as mollusks, seaweed, and more. Waters can go below 15 degrees Celsius in the winter. For centuries, diving was male-dominated, and women weren't mentioned as divers until the 17th century. By the the 18th century, women began to outnumber men in diving for various reasons, amongst them, that women's bodies handle periods of exposure to cold water better than men's. Haenyeo also have genetic adaptations, such as lower blood pressure and heart rate, for their profession. Girls undertake their training young, and continue diving all the way into their 70s and 80s.
The family structure on Jeju Island with haenyeo diving (even during pregnancy) and their husbands taking care of the home/kids, has been called "semi-matriarchal".
