Honoring the Island’s Sponge Diving Heritage
Kalymnos is preparing to welcome internationally acclaimed anthropologist Professor H. Russell Bernard, who will serve as the keynote speaker at the opening event of the 2026 Cultural Program organized by the Kalymnos Regional Unit under the title “Memories of the Sponge Divers.”
The event will take place on Sunday, July 19, at 8:00 p.m., at the “Aikaterini Klonari” Open-Air Theatre in Chora, marking the official launch of this year’s cultural program.
Professor Bernard’s participation is particularly significant for Kalymnos. Beginning in the mid-1960s, he lived on the island for several years, conducting extensive anthropological field research alongside Kalymnian sponge divers. Through hundreds of interviews and firsthand observation, he documented not only sponge-diving techniques but also the social organization of sponge-diving crews, economic relationships, occupational risks, and the profound influence of the sponge industry on the island’s economy, society, and cultural identity.
His landmark publications, “Kalymnian Sponge Diving” (1967) and “Kalymnos: Economic and Cultural Change on a Greek Sponge Fishing Island” (1968), remain among the most important academic references on Kalymnos’ sponge-diving tradition and have helped introduce the island’s unique maritime heritage to universities and researchers around the world.
According to Regional Governor Emmanouil Mouselis, culture extends far beyond public events—it is about preserving historical memory and honoring the people who shaped the island’s identity. The “Memories of the Sponge Divers” event pays tribute both to the generations of Kalymnian sponge divers who made the island famous across the globe and to the distinguished scholar who dedicated much of his academic career to documenting and preserving their remarkable history.
The evening is expected to become a memorable celebration of Kalymnos’ maritime legacy, highlighting the enduring importance of sponge diving as one of the island’s greatest cultural treasures.
