Prior to the discovery of oil and gas in Qatar, life in the Gulf revolved around pearls. Today, this 'lost' heritage is everywhere -- if you know where to look.
Editor's Note — This CNN Travel series is, or was, sponsored by the country it highlights. CNN retains full editorial control over subject matter, reporting and frequency of the articles and videos within the sponsorship, in compliance withBefore Qatar first struck"black gold" in 1939, life in the Gulf revolved around pearls.
The arrival of oil was just one of multiple factors that led to the swift and crushing demise of the Gulf pearling industry. But while many physical remnants of Qatar's pearling past have since succumbed to the bulldozers, this rich heritage remains woven into the fabric of the nation. Offering similarly evocative insights throughout the year are Qatar's museums including Doha's National Museum of Qatar, where the immersive film"Nafas" by Mira Nair brings the hardships of pearling to life.
"They didn't have much to eat except rice, fish and maybe a bit of bread, so scurvy was a problem," Carter explains."Water was strictly rationed, so they would have to wash in the sea; and they were damp all the time, so they got horrible fungal diseases." "The profits were shared among the crew, so stealing a pearl would mean breaking an enormous bond of trust," explains Carter. A decent payday was never guaranteed anyway, with lackluster seasons often leaving divers, haulers, and even dhow captains without the means to support their families through to the next season. Slaves, meanwhile, were required to hand over their share to their masters.
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