Kuwait Edition
Youm al-Bahhar
A cultural commemoration honoring Kuwait's pearl diving heritage, which was the economic backbone of the country before the discovery of oil. The pearl diving season (June to September) defined Kuwait's identity for centuries: the divers (ghais) would descend to depths of 30 meters without oxygen, holding their breath for over two minutes to collect oysters from the seabed. The best pearls came from the beds near Bahrain and Qatar, and the Kuwaiti dhows would sail for weeks to reach them. The pearl industry collapsed in the 1930s when Japan developed cultured pearls, but the memory of the diving season remains the deepest cultural memory of the Kuwaiti people. The day is marked by heritage events along the corniche, with old divers demonstrating their techniques.
