Taravana

Taravana is a disease among Polynesian island natives who habitually dive deep without breathing apparatus many times in close succession, usually for food or pearls.

It seems to be decompression sickness. The usual symptoms are vertigo, nausea, lethargy, paralysis, death. The word taravana is Tuamotu Polynesian for "to fall crazily". These free-divers may make 40 to 60 dives a day, each of 30 or 40 metres (100 to 140 feet).