A Nakhuda was the captain of a pearling boat sailing in the

Persian Gulf The Persian Gulf, sometimes called the Arabian Gulf, is a Mediterranean seas, mediterranean sea in West Asia. The body of water is an extension of the Arabian Sea and the larger Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.Un ...

, typically from

Kuwait Kuwait, officially the State of Kuwait, is a country in West Asia and the geopolitical region known as the Middle East. It is situated in the northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula at the head of the Persian Gulf, bordering Iraq to Iraq–Kuwait ...

Bahrain Bahrain, officially the Kingdom of Bahrain, is an island country in West Asia. Situated on the Persian Gulf, it comprises a small archipelago of 50 natural islands and an additional 33 artificial islands, centered on Bahrain Island, which mak ...

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

and the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

(then the

Trucial States The Trucial States, also known as the Trucial Coast, the Trucial Sheikhdoms, or Trucial Oman, was a group of tribal confederations to the south of the Persian Gulf (southeastern Arabia) whose leaders had signed protective treaties, or truce ...

). Arabian Pearling vessels would typically take to sea with the ''Nakhuda'', assistant ''Mijadimi'', a singer ''Nahham'', some eight divers ''Ghais'', and ten haulers ''Saib''. The cook on the vessel was titled ''Jallas''. Larger boats would even include a ''Muttawa'' to lead prayers. The vessels ranged from the relatively small Banoosh to the 100-foot Jalboot, a corruption of the English term jollyboat. The trade was lucrative - at the turn of the 19th century, revenues from the Gulf pearl trade were estimated at some £1,434,000, with an additional £30,439 of this earned from

mother-of-pearl Nacre ( , ), also known as mother-of-pearl, is an organicinorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer. It is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre is ...

. In the early 20th century, Lorimer recorded 1200 boats involved in the trade across the Trucial States, each carrying an average crew of 18.

Role

The ''nakhuda'' was responsible for selecting dive locations and for selling the catch, but the date of sailing to the oyster banks and the duration of the voyage would be set by the admiral of each port's pearling fleet. This official would be appointed by the Ruler. The actual work of pearling was dangerous and exhausting - divers would make up to 60 dives a day. The accumulated catch would be piled up and then in the early morning of the following day, the nakhuda would be responsible for overseeing the opening of the oysters, weighing and registering the catch of small pearls and selecting particularly fine pearls for individual sale. One nakhuda was assigned as the leader of the port's fleet for the 120-day season from June–September (this, longer season would often be preceded by a shorter, 40-day season known as 'the cold dive' as the Spring Gulf waters would be cool at the time) and would take responsibility for co-ordinating efforts to help any boat in trouble. He would also lead the return voyage.

Trade

Visiting the pearl banks during the season, the pearl dealers, ''tawwash'', would buy the bulk catch from the nakhuda, sorting the pearls using grading pans. Nakhudas would seek individual sales for larger or outstanding pearls, taking them to a pearl trader, or ''tajir''. Typically, nakhudas financed their voyages, although some were financed by merchants and obligated to yield their catch in return for a share in proceeds.

References

{{Reflist __FORCETOC__ Economic history of the United Arab Emirates Pearls

Role

Trade

See also

References