In a recent video of the “Discover Heritage with Maria from Qatari Books”, presented by social media activist Maria Fernanda Del Rio on Al-Multaqa channel on YouTube, at the Qatari Authors Forum, she continued her journey to present the customs and traditions related to diving through the book Al Kanz (The Treasure) by the brothers Sultan and Jasim bin Ibrahim al-Muraikhi.
Explaining that the father was an expert in the field of diving and pearling, the presenter takes viewers through the story he told his two sons, the writers, on a journey to dive not only in the depths of the sea, but also in the Qatari heritage and traditions regarding pearl diving, which forms part of the distinct heritage of the country.
The journey begins with the construction of the dhow (ship) and the preparation for sailing as well as the people’s willingness to help the divers start their journey.
Del Rio said: “I have reviewed pictures from the book that illustrate the building of the dhow from wood categorised into several types, in addition to preparing the food that they will take with them, such as coffee, rice and fruits, in addition to training camels to carry drinking water in animal skins to divers.”
The al-Muraikhi brothers also explain through the book, the methods of communication inside the ship and between the various dhows that sail in groups.
The members of the different dhows were constantly in contact, exchanging and sharing food, as the diving process required effort and teamwork between various dhows of the group.