Kuwaiti scholar highlights courage of Gulf pearl divers in a unique historical study

Arab Times

02-07-2025

SHARJAH, UAE, July 2: Kuwaiti writer and researcher Talal Saad Al-Rumaidhi presented a paper on the traditional pearl diving industry in the Arabian Gulf at the Sharjah Heritage Conference on Wednesday. His research, titled 'Pearl Diving in the Gulf Through French Eyes: Humor in the Writings of Albert Londres,' explored early 20th-century French journalistic perspectives on this historic Gulf profession.
Al-Rumaidhi's presentation focused on the work of Albert Londres, a renowned French journalist who visited the GCC region in 1930. Londres provided a rare and vivid account of the pearl diving trade, blending humor and humanity to depict the divers' harsh realities, resilient spirits, and the austere lifestyle they led.
In an interview with KUNA, Al-Rumaidhi highlighted how Londres detailed the intricacies of diving vessels, voyage rituals, and maritime gatherings. The journalist captured the expressions and instinctive endurance of Gulf communities as they confronted daily challenges at sea.
Londres was particularly struck by the divers' toughness and ability to face the dangers of the sea with primitive tools and under difficult conditions. Using witty and descriptive language, he famously described a captain who would never stop working and referred to the divers as 'men who do not go to hell,' symbolizing their courage and fearlessness.
The French journalist also expressed a profound connection to the Gulf people and their environment, once stating, 'When I went down into the sea, I found myself becoming Arab.'
Concluding his paper, Al-Rumaidhi emphasized the value of examining Gulf heritage through non-Arabic sources, which offers fresh ways to engage younger generations. He called for more comparative research combining Western narratives and local accounts to provide a fuller understanding of the GCC's maritime history.
The Sharjah Heritage Conference, which runs through Thursday, is an annual gathering of leading scholars and researchers from across the Arab world. The event serves as a vital platform for exchanging knowledge on intangible heritage and the history of traditional professions, with this year's edition featuring extensive participation from GCC countries and experts in maritime heritage.