Doha - A renowned Qatari pearl diver, who can also perform stunts such as sleeping on a log with sharp iron nails or a sheet of glass, is one of the main attractions at the Qatari Heritage Village located on Level-3 of the City Center Doha.
Saad Ismail Al Jassim, the pearl diver, speaking in fluent English and Arabic explains how he once conducted the trade - which was one of the main sources of income for the people in Qatar.
Saad Ismail explained that in ancient days, people depended upon the elements of the nature to fulfill their requirements - thus, some took up fishing while others engaged in some basic form of agriculture.
Others took to pearl diving - a trade that could be conducted for only four to five months each year. Pearl diving, he said, was done only in the summer months. It was impossible in winter since the chill winds could freeze a diver. A Qatari 'bridegroom' all dressed up for his wedding at the Heritage Village.
A typical pearl hunting team consisted of 20 crew: 10 pearl divers, called Amwas and an equal number of assistants called Sayeb. They were led by the Naukheda - or - the captain of the dhow in which they sailed and his helper, the Mujaddami.
The team would make extensive preparations before setting sail: The pearl divers and their helpers would shop for essentials for their families, since they would not be returning to the shore for the next four to five months.
Money for such shopping usually was procured as an advance from the skipper of the dhow or its owner with an understanding that the amount would be paid back once the pearls were sold to a trader.
Divers and their assistants would also buy provisions for the long voyage ahead, during which they will not return to land. In the event of their supplies getting depleted, a special dhow that visits the pearl diving vessels will provide the replenishment, at a cost.
Once in the sea, a pearl diver would drop a lead deadweight secured by a strong and calibrated rope. The conical shaped lead weight with a cavity, called as the Bild, would draw soil from the surface of the sea and indicate whether pearl-bearing oysters could breed there or not.
Saad Ismail said that too much sand would show that the submarine terrain was unsuitable for oysters while a rocky surface indicated that the area was ideal for breeding oysters. The calibration of the rope showed how deep the sea was at that particular spot.
Once the location for pearl diving was finalised, the divers or Amwas, as they were called, would take turns. A group of 10 divers would be the first to dive.
They would carry a stone called Hayer to expedite the descent to the surface and carry the Dayeel, or the net, around their neck. Every diver stayed submerged for about two minutes after which the assistant will pull them to the dhow, following a signal.
One dive was called the Tabbah and a set of eight dives to the surface to collect oysters signified the completion of a Gahama, after which the first group of divers would rest and the second would take over.
The diving would start at sunrise and continue till sunset. The divers and their assistants would then pry open the oysters with a special, bent knife called the Mafligah and remove the pearls. These pearls would be stored in a box and handed over for safekeeping to the skipper of the dhow.
Pearl traders called 'Tawash' usually come seeking the divers after the first month at sea is over. The Tawash will first evaluate the value of the pearls that the skipper has offered for sale.
The pearls are passed through various grids to separate them according to their sizes and after the evaluation, the Tawash makes his cash offer. The ship's captain will then refer the price offered to the divers and the pearls will be sold only if there is a consensus over the amount.
Should any diver feel that the catch can fetch a better price elsewhere, the deal is called off. The pearls in those days, Ismail said, were paid for in Indian rupees - the common currency in most GCC states in those years.
Once paid, captain would retain the amount that the diver had taken as advance and pay the balance. In the event that the catch did not fetch enough money to cover the debt, the diver will work for the skipper for another season till the amount if fully paid off.
Saad Ismail is now 69 years old and a grandpa. The age however has not stopped him from pursuing pearl diving as a hobby even at this age and he regularly plunges to the depths of the ocean to hunt for oysters.
© The Peninsula 2005
