The large South Korean island of Jeju lies south of the mainland in a semi-tropical area. Like the rest of Korea, it has had a long and troubled history with its Japanese neighbors who occupied Korea for many years before the end of World War II. This history is mixed into the story of a family of haenoyeo divers, women who free-dive without any artificial breathing apparatus in the waters off the coast of Jeju. The divers support their families by harvesting the sea of its shellfish, octopi, and seaweeds while the men stay at home tending the children and hanging out under the village trees. It’s a hard life and missteps underwater can be deadly. However, the special bonds between the women in this matrifocal society and their central importance to their culture are unique. Two friends grow up together – Young-sook, whose mother is teaching her to dive, and Mi-ja, an orphan whose father was a Japanese collaborator. Therefore, she is a social outcast. Mi-ja has been taken in, reluctantly, by her aunt and uncle, who are abusive. Young-sook’s mother and family become her salvation and teach her diving skills as well offering her support. Closer than sisters, the two young girls will be driven apart in their early twenties, shortly after both marry, by civil and global wars and heart-breaking misunderstandings. The novel is a fascinating glimpse into the lives and shamanist traditions of the haenoyeo, who are fast disappearing, and the complex political situation during the years between the World War II and present day. It’s a difficult book to read since the brutality of war times are graphically depicted and have tragic effects on the main characters. 365 pp.
No comments:
Post a Comment