An Ama, by Iwase Yoshiyuki (Image found on Google)
Back in the early 1920's, hundreds of Japanese women would dive in the seas of their country in search for oysters and pearls. They were capable of holding their breath for more than 2 minutes, and the search dives would happen for up to 60 times in a single day!
These amazing womem were called Amas and were also known as mermaids, but the photo above and others by Iwase Yoshiyuki are now the only record of a mesmerizing profession that ended a couple of decades later. And, if you're thinking about breath-held diving (apnea diving) and all their equipment, forget it: these girls would use only a mask for the eyes and special slippers. But why diving naked? Well, diving suits didn't arrive to Japan until 1950 and cotton clothes would disturb the diving, besides being very unconfortable when wet and taking a long time to dry.
A single Ama, working for some weeks collecting oysters and pearls, would earn more money than a common man working for a whole year. And men, by the way, wouldn't participate in this kind of search. They believed that the women's body was more appropriate to control breath and the low temperatures, since they contained more fat. Talk about chubby girl power!
These amazing womem were called Amas and were also known as mermaids, but the photo above and others by Iwase Yoshiyuki are now the only record of a mesmerizing profession that ended a couple of decades later. And, if you're thinking about breath-held diving (apnea diving) and all their equipment, forget it: these girls would use only a mask for the eyes and special slippers. But why diving naked? Well, diving suits didn't arrive to Japan until 1950 and cotton clothes would disturb the diving, besides being very unconfortable when wet and taking a long time to dry.
A single Ama, working for some weeks collecting oysters and pearls, would earn more money than a common man working for a whole year. And men, by the way, wouldn't participate in this kind of search. They believed that the women's body was more appropriate to control breath and the low temperatures, since they contained more fat. Talk about chubby girl power!
~Ally
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