The ocean is filled with mysteries. One mystery in particular is the bond that can exist between natural born predators and human beings.
Professional mermaid Hannah Fraser is well-versed in underwater performance art and explores that bond as a career.
Fraser is known professionally as Hannah Mermaid. Not only is she a modern mermaid, but she’s also a professional model, actress, dancer, performer, and ocean ecology activist. Her underwater- and ocean-oriented free diving performances are truly hypnotizing to watch and are also meant to raise awareness about protecting our oceans.
At 9 years old, Fraser was inspired by the 1984 film Splash to make her first mermaid tail. In 2003, Fraser started performing as a mermaid and being featured in photo shoots, advertisements, and film.
Fraser’s strong beliefs against overfishing and culling of marine animals has made her use performance protesting as a means to gain attention on the matter.
In 2014, Fraser free dove and danced with sharks. She was completely unarmored and without scuba gear. This decision was influenced by her want to influence the Australian government’s policy of protecting tourists by culling tiger sharks.
Fraser not only swims with sharks but she’s also swum alongside whales and a variety of marine animals.
Scroll down for a closer look into Fraser’s dance with sharks.
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Meet Hannah Mermaid. Here Hannah is posing for a beautiful beach photo in Kona, HI.
It's clear that Hannah is the closest thing to a real-life mermaid.
Covered in nothing but blue body paint, this professional mermaid truly reinvents the word "adventurous." Here, she takes a big gulp of oxygen as she prepares for a death-defying dance among 16-foot tiger sharks in the Bahamas.
Hannah performs without fins, oxygen, or a mask and as you can tell, she has no fear of getting up close and personal with the ocean's topmost predators. If anything, she looks as if that is where she belongs, underwater and surrounded by ocean life.
Through her art, Hannah Mermaid has made herself a strong role model of self-love and empowerment for young women. She's made her dreams into a real functioning profession, no matter the dangers that can exist.
She now creates beautifully detailed mermaid tails and travels the world performing underwater.
"Being in the ocean is where I feel the most free and expressive," Hannah says. "A mermaid's gift is to inspire people to rekindle their relationship to nature, and a way to communicate the environmental issues that face us at this point."
This photo of Hannah swimming with a humpback whale in Tonga is more proof to her existing role of real-life mermaid.
Her work is inspirational in that it creates a direct link between human beings and creatures that people usually fear. Through her art, animals end up getting appreciated for the rare beauty that they possess.
Hannah Mermaid has a true gift for all things ocean-related — a gift of utter gentility when it comes to being around large sharks many feet underwater.
It's interesting that though she's surrendering to these man-eaters that are deemed "bloodthirsty," she isn't harmed. Sure, to some, she could be pushing her luck.
But maybe, Fraser possesses a sort of calm energy and familiarity with all marine life. One that tiger sharks respond rather well to.
Credited as the first "freelance mermaid," Hannah shows no signs of stopping in her explorations.
Take a look at the video below to see her in action, and if you enjoy this clip, please SHARE with all of your friends on Facebook!
