Leialoha 16" Black Pearl Sterling Silver Necklace

Although famous for its military history, Pearl Harbor was a key jewel player in Hawaii's renowned pearl oyster industry. Ancient Hawaiians utilized, respected, and cherished Hawaii's natural resources, including the l'a hamau leo, meaning "sea creature that silences the voice." This hails from a taboo of forbidding people from talking while gathering oyster, Hawaiians used every component from cooking the meat to creating fishhooks from the shells. During the 1840s deforestation caused tons of debris to flood the harbor, suffocating Pearl Harbor's oysters. Today, Pearl Harbor's oysters are being revived as extensive wildlife protection standards have been put in place to ensure the success of Hawaii's beautiful creatures housing nature's treasured jewelry within.