Ama, Japanese Freediving Women
Mie Prefecture, Japan
Cultural Heritage · Other
The Ama are Japanese and Korean women who freedive without oxygen equipment to harvest abalone, sea urchin, oysters and seaweed from the ocean floor, a practice documented for over 2,000 years. Primarily located in Mie Prefecture (Ise-Shima) and Jeju Island (Korea). At peak in the 1960s, 17,000+ Ama dived commercially in Japan. Today fewer than 2,000 remain, mostly aged 60-90. UNESCO candidate for Intangible Cultural Heritage. The Ama embody an intimate, non-extractive relationship with the sea:
Living Legends · Co-Being · Resolve · Océans · Patrimoine
Website · Curated by Florian Guillaume
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