After several years of working with four different grafters — all reluctant to share their knowledge — BPOM (Black Pearl of the Marshalls) was delighted to welcome Berni Aquilina, a New Zealand pearl grafter. She spent three weeks at the Bikirin farm, where she grafted thousands of pearl oysters, trained ten local employees — including four from the Arno operation — and further refined the skills of three experienced technicians.

According to Virgil Alfred, farm manager, this training has transformed the team’s understanding and abilities, giving them a much deeper grasp of grafting techniques and the needs of the oysters.

Aquilina explains that she herself faced tremendous challenges when learning grafting, encountering the silence of seasoned technicians. Aware of the value of this knowledge, she is committed to passing on her skills to help island communities better manage their farms and contribute to their economic development. “With some grafters, no one was even allowed to watch them work. One worked behind a curtain, another would turn his table to hide what he was doing,” recalls Bobby Muller. With Aquilina, the tables remained visible, allowing employees to observe and learn the technique.

She stresses, however, that grafting cannot be learned in just a few days. BPOM already plans to invite her back next year for further grafting and training sessions. In addition to her work in the Marshall Islands, Aquilina also collaborates with two pearl farms in the Cook Islands, providing the same services.

When asked about the risk of losing her competitive edge by sharing her expertise, Aquilina is reassuring: “The need for grafters in the region is enormous, and it will take years of practice before the newly trained technicians reach the required level. There will be no shortage of work.”