KJCKorea
Journal Central

This study aims to look at in what meaning place names seen in the lyrics of <Women Divers’ Rowing Songs> are understood by women divers as a singer from the literary geography viewpoints, and then explore folklore knowledge seen in the lyrics from the aspect of field research. This study examined place names seen in the lyrics of <Women Divers’ Rowing Songs> by dividing them into the present meaning, which the general public recognizes, and the meaning at that time that Jeju women divers recognize. The latter includes the meaning that provides information such as starting points, passages, migratory routes, the destination of leaving hometown, and oceanic and geographical information. Place names of the sea routes by which Jeju women divers went to the destination of leaving hometown as well as island and sea names indicate their radius of action, and the sea was their valuable source of living. The place names of areas where women divers went out into the sea for diving after leaving hometown were related to the conditions of the sea sites and the kinds of marine products they caught. Folklore knowledge seen in <Women Divers’ Rowing Songs> includes recognizing of the habitats of marine products, the flow of tidal currents, etc. Folklore knowledge on the habitats of sea mustard, agar, and Ecklonia cava is piled up through repeated diving experiences. They also used tidal currents when they swam to or took and rowed a sail boat to the diving working place.

Jeju, Women Divers, Women Divers’ Rowing Songs, place names, folklore knowledge, literary geography, field research