The campaign “The Most Beautiful Winter in the World” sheds light on the source of livelihood for the ancestors

Pearl hunting.. An Emirati story from the depths with men of difficult tasks

• Al Suwaidi Pearl Farm introduces visitors to the historical importance of pearl hunting.

  From the source

• Sharjah Maritime Museum displays models of diving ships.

  From the source

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The UAE is making continuous efforts to preserve its cultural and historical heritage, as it is an integral part of the national identity, and at the heart of this rich heritage comes pearls and the profession of diving, which was practiced by ancestors for decades, until it became an important part of Emirati history, as it constituted a source of livelihood and economic lifeline. before the discovery of oil.

In order to preserve this culture, the state has built many museums dedicated to natural pearls and diving tools, and is keen to allocate pavilions in its public museums and cultural and heritage festivals to introduce new generations to this historical profession.

The “The Most Beautiful Winter in the World” campaign, through its third edition, titled “Our Heritage”, is a unique opportunity to attract many local visitors and tourists from outside the country, to show them closely the profession of pearl hunting in the past through museums and various events, or through farming methods. Modern oysters to produce pearls.

The trip to Pearl Island in Abu Dhabi is an ideal opportunity for visitors to hear part of the diving story and the traditions of parents and grandparents in searching for oysters.

The Pearl Museum in the Emirates NBD building on the Dubai Creek allows its visitors to see the rarest and most valuable natural pearls and diving tools, how to know the quality of pearls, how merchants choose their deals in the distant past, and how it is exported to distant cities, in addition to introducing how to differentiate between natural pearls. and artificial.

Part of the history of diving can be read by visiting the Sharjah Maritime Museum, as it displays traditional wooden ships that roamed the seas for the purposes of fishing and diving in search of pearls, in addition to the pearls that the ancestors collected from the depths of the Arabian Gulf.

In Ras Al Khaimah, the history of pearl diving in the region can be explored at the Al Suwaidi Pearl Farm, in the Al Rams area, as visitors learn about the historical importance of pearl hunting and get a close look at the life of pearl divers, its cultivation and harvesting process.

Pearl hunting tells the rich chapters of the history of the Emirates and the story of its development, and paints a human picture of the lifestyle lived by parents and grandparents, and the system of authentic values, which makes museums and events that are concerned with introducing this heritage, a major destination during the “The Most Beautiful Winter in the World” campaign.

long story

The story of pearl hunting, which for a long time represented the most prominent economic activity of the people of the Emirates, is still alive in memory and traditions, as the waters of the Arabian Gulf constituted an ideal environment for pearl diving, as pearl oysters were abundant in shallow “baths” that allowed divers to reach them without the need to use breathing equipment.

The diver was the most important person on the diving boat and was supported by an entire team. The main season for pearl diving in the UAE was called the “big diving” season, and it extended between early June and the end of September, and in this period of the year, despite the high temperature, the weather was clear. It is generally quiet, so ideal conditions for diving are available. As for the small diving seasons, they fall in the months of October and November, and last 30 days.

On the first day of the diving trip, a farewell party was held for the diving crews, sailors, and members of the support teams. It is called the Al-Hayrat party “Pearl Banks”, which takes place on the beach, as the crews leave and are accompanied by their families and the people to see them off at the beach, and “Al-Serdal” - the captain - is officially announced during The ceremony is the start of the diving season.

On the last day of the great diving season, cannon shots are heard on the beach to make the necessary preparations to receive the sailors to celebrate their imminent return.

Upon the arrival of the pearl fishing ships to the shore, the diving crews, sailors and others greeted them with welcome chants, then the sailors answered them with their own chants, and the number of the crew on the ship, depending on its size, reached 30 people.

Pinpoint

The pearl diving trips were distinguished by great precision and hierarchy, and a list of tasks based on specialization. The Naukhadha is the owner of the ship or its captain who manages the entire pearl fishing operation on behalf of its owner, and he is the one who distributes the profits of each season to the crew members. As for the “Sardal” he is the captain of the fleet with all its ships. And his boats, who have extensive experience in the sea and know the best sites in Al-Hayrat, the “pearl banks”.

The divers are men of difficult tasks, as they spend their day diving to extract oysters from the seabed in dangerous conditions. As for the “Seeb”, he is responsible for the ropes used to lower the divers to the submersibles, and then pull them to the surface when they send a signal of their readiness to do so, as was the fishing process. It includes "Al-Tabab", who are boys between the ages of 10 and 14, and are usually children of crew members. They help the "Seeb" to pull the diver, and some of them are trained in diving.

Participating in the operation were the “al-Radif”, who were young boys who served tea and food to the divers and helped in splitting pearl oysters, in addition to the “al-Niham”, who was responsible for entertaining the sailors during the long months at sea by reciting songs and poems with his sweet voice.

• The Pearl Museum in the Emirates NBD building on the Dubai Creek, its visitors know how merchants chose their deals in the distant past, and how to differentiate between natural and artificial pearls.

• The waters of the Arabian Gulf constituted an ideal environment for pearl hunting, as pearl oysters were abundant in shallow “baths” that allowed divers to reach them without the need to use breathing equipment.

• On the last day of the great diving season, cannon shots were heard on the beach to prepare to receive the sailors in celebration of their imminent return, so the houses were decorated with "flaws".

tools

On fishing trips, a variety of special tools were used on board the ship, including the “Aldeen”, which is a bag or container of interwoven fabric that the diver hangs around his neck to collect pearl oysters, as well as the “Zabeel”, which is the rope attached to the weight stone and tied by the diver to his leg to dive quickly to the bottom and stay there to collect pearl oysters.

Also among the tools is the “lida”, which is the rope that the “Seeb” holds. When the diver prepares to go up to the deck of the ship, he moves this rope vigorously, and the “Seeb” pulls it. As for the “weaning”, it is a clip made of a turtle shell or a lamb bone. The diver puts it on his nose to prevent water from entering the nose.

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