For thousands of years in the land of the rising sun, ama, which translates to sea woman in Japanese, free-dived to collect seafood and precious pearls.
Donning a white loincloth without any scuba gear or air tanks, the ama notably also wear headscarves adorned with various symbols which are said to ward off any evil spirits and bring good luck.
Capturing this ancient culture is German photographer Stefan Dotter as part of his project The Women of the Sea.
Dotter, who draws from Japanese influences with his photography, began the project The Women of the Sea after being introduced to a family of ama by a friend. Noting how there are roughly 2,000 ama divers left in Japan, Dotter made it his mission to document the dying profession.
“It’s a fading tradition, but with the work we do, we have the opportunity to make it live on a bit longer, even if it’s just in a book,” says Dotter. “I want to give the observer the chance to step into the mystical world of ancient traditions that are on the brink of being forgotten. The joy these women brought towards me, that’s what I want people to feel.”
All images in this article are courtesy of Stefan Dotter.
