A BRIEF HISTORY
"Black Pearls of Tahiti" were known by the native Polynesians
and occasionally used for ornamentation. Their value remained
minimal until the discovery of Tahiti by the Europeans around 1830.
Soon a lively and often deadly trade began for this beautiful natural
resource. In the early days, a person had only to stand waist-deep in
the water to pick up oysters but by 1834 excessive harvesting had
reduced the oyster supply. Divers encountered increased difficulties
and risk in harvesting the precious crop which now could only be
found in depths of 60-90 ft. Demand and prices for these beautiful
Pearls steadily rose.
Early divers wore "pareus" (a Tahitian loin cloth) and carried
"lunettes" (a type of glass bottomed box that allowed them to look
under the water's surface and see the oysters at considerable
depth ). After locating the oysters with the lunette, the diver would
hold on to a big rock tied to a rope and would descend into the water
feeling out and collecting the oysters he had seen from the surface.
By 1910, a primitive type of goggles had been invented, but
the life of a diver remained frought with hardship and danger. On
land, he encountered heat, often-spoiled food, the stench of the
fishery, mosquitoes, and biting flies; and at depth, he ran the risks
of burst eardrums, sinusitis, underwater blackout, and the greatest
of all long term dangers "taravana" (Tahitian for madness), a type
of "folie douce" characterized by mild mental problems. He was
also subject to physical perils from the underwater environment
including coral cuts, poisonous stinging fish, moray eels and, of
course, the most notorious- sharks.
More History on Pearls Can Be Found Here >
