Recommended reading:
A POLICY OF DESTRUCTION - From 'The Maldive Islanders' by Xavier Romero-Frias
This is the final chapter of Xavier Romero-Frias' "The Maldive Islanders". With the direction the Maldives appears to be heading in, it is perhaps even more relevant now than when it was first written. If you wanted to know why so little is done to preserve Maldivian culture and heritage, this is why.
This is the final chapter of Xavier Romero-Frias' "The Maldive Islanders". With the direction the Maldives appears to be heading in, it is perhaps even more relevant now than when it was first written. If you wanted to know why so little is done to preserve Maldivian culture and heritage, this is why.
A POLICY OF DESTRUCTION
The relentless effort to promote Arabic cultural values within the Maldive island society is allegedly made with very good intentions. Its supporters claim to hold the monopoly of moral and spiritual values, and steadfastly affirm that their aim is to create a more virtuous society. However, local resistance against the arbitrary imposition of an alien desert culture on this equatorial oceanic nation has never been officially defined or at least assessed and has rather been stubbornly ignored. Hence, as the saying goes “the road to hell is paved with good intentions” and, humans the world over being who they are, as soon as a new law to promote virtue is enforced, a new trick to circumvent that very law pops up.
The result is that the country has become a virtual police state, but certainly the society is not becoming any more virtuous. Lacking perspective of their cultural identity, average island people are simply helpless to fight back the cultural forgery imposed on them. The state religion has been Islam for the past eight centuries and, in the eyes of the islanders, Islam is synonymous with a formidable machine of power and authority which cannot be contested. Thus, Maldivians have to put up with the role of remaining passive onlookers when freshly arrived Arabic teachers or ‘holy men’ harshly criticize their own island traditions with impunity.
It is a secretly acknowledged fact, though, that within the island population there are many who feel that they are traveling on a boat which is going in the opposite course they wish to go, but they feel helpless to do anything about it. This conflict is, if anything, compounded by the intense propagation of hard-line Islamic ideologies, including the construction of mosques and Arabic religious schools137 throughout the country since 1978.
The Arab religious schools, fruit of the petrodollar wealth, were first opened in the capital Male' in 1983 and they set a pattern of cultural and political indoctrination for schools all across the Maldive Islands.138 Boys or girls attending those schools have problems having pride in their own culture because they have been pitched against the basic Maldive cultural values ever since their first classes. One unavoidable side-effect of Islamic education is that students end up admiring the Arab culture and despising their own traditions. Children who are unaware of causing any harm are made willing accomplices in the dismantlement of their own cultural heritage.
With the media in the hands of an Islamizing government and the spread of Arabic madrasahs throughout the country, the pace and depth of Arab influence is growing fast. During the 1970’s, except for a few modern schools in MaleØ, most Divehi children were taught Quraìnic reading in the small traditional ‘maktabs.’ However, this situation changed in the 1980’s, when two heavily funded Arabic schools ‘Mawhad Dirasì at-ul-Islamiyya’ and ‘Madrasat-ul-Arabiyya-al-Islamiyya’ opened in MaleØ. These schools, teaching undiluted Islam, were instrumental in introducing the Arab veil among girls and in the crystallization of Arabic mores within the Maldive society.
Even the phonetic sounds of the Divehi language are changing. Local letters are abandoned and disappear. The indigenous sound ‘p’ has been replaced by the Arabic letter ‘f’ during the last couple of centuries; and the autochthonous retroflex ‘nö’ (nöaviyani) has been slowly vanishing to the point of having been deleted from the local written alphabet by Muhammad AmÄín in mid-20th century.
In contrast to this carelessness towards their own phonetics, young Maldivian students are very particular in their efforts to reproduce with fidelity Arabic phonetic sounds,139 alien to their own language, in order to win Quraìn-reading contests promoted by their government. This trend is to blame for the growing tendency towards the abandonment of retroflex sounds not existing in Arab phonetics. Those retroflex sounds ‘lø’ (Löaviyani), ‘dö’ (Döaviyani) and ‘tø’ (Taö viyani) and ‘nö’ (Nöaviyani) made by flapping the tongue against the palate are a characteristic feature of the Indic languages. However, they were the bane of some highly fastidious, Arabophillic local learned men who sought to replace the local Divehi Akuru with the Arabic script in the past.
After many unsuccessful attempts, the ‘Taìna’ alphabet now in use was devised as a compromise. This three-century-old although some present-day documents propagated by the government claim that it is older in order to fit it into their particular vision of history140 artificial alphabet is based mostly on the Arabic numerals and diacritical signs and, more importantly, is written from right to left like Arabic. The abandonment of the Divehi Akuru141 and the introduction of the Taìna form of writing was a decisive step towards a greater Arabization of Divehi culture. The new form of writing could easily accommodate words and even whole sentences in Arabic within texts in the local language. Therefore, in practice, the Taìna alphabet became a wedge for the further introduction of a foreign Semitic tongue into the written form of Divehi.
During the past five or six centuries, Maldive identity has steadily lost its color and vitality. Local dances, songs, festivals and ceremonies that were deemed un-Islamic have been weeded out and repressed with almost sadistic ruthlessness. Hence, most autochthonous ancestral cultural expressions have degenerated or have disappeared. Kite-flying and mutual water-splashing (fenô kuliø ), are among the popular festivals that were forbidden by the Maldive government during the latter half of the twentieth century .
Since the early 1980’s, during a government drive to promote Islam in the Atolls called ‘DÄínuge Heìlunterikanô’, Islamic preachers sailed from island to island, to scold the islanders with fiery speeches. Acting with the same zeal characteristic of the former Sayyids, these enforcers of religious ideology saw sin and depravation in the normal sexual dimorphism of dress and behavior and in the open expression of youthful joy by means of dances and songs, which are a vital part of any healthy society.
Devoid of popular entertainment, except for modern sports, island atmosphere has become extremely dull.142 Despite the introduction of consumerism and the relative economic buoyancy of the last two decades of the 20th century, things have not changed very much since C. Maloney reported in the mid-1970’s that:
This particular island appeared (...) as an enervating place, with almost no games, no music or scheduled events, except prayers, and few surprises (...). Only the changing of seasons, (the Muslim month of) Ramzaìn and the two Iïd (Muslim festivals) broke the passage of time. The KatÄíbu (government official) ruled in a tyrannical way (...). There is no crack in the shell of orthodoxy, at least in appearance. The majority of citizens of the Maldives pass their time on such islands as this, (...) scarcely touched at all by the civilisational vibrancy of the outer world.143
Since 1979 Arab preachers have been periodically invited to the Maldive Islands by the government and given VIP treatment. Conferences where those ‘holy men’ are the star figures are organized in the evenings during their stay. Government officials and schoolchildren from the capital are forced to go to listen to their religious speeches. These aggressive sermons in Arabic are not only broadcast live in the national radio, but their recordings are routinely aired during the following months.
However, an Egyptian friend of mine who knew well that type of person, Mahmoud Salama, told me that no one in Egypt would pay so much respect to those cheap preachers. According to him, they were totally unimaginative types, from a mediocre background who were basking in the exaggerated attention they were receiving. “These are backward characters. What good can the Maldivians learn from them?” another Egyptian friend, AmÄín ‘Pako’, one day commented. And yet, during the last twenty years, these Egyptian preachers have been let loose in the Maldives to indoctrinate the local people under special orders from the President’s office.
These brash preachers seize with glee their unearned high status in the Islands. Often they use to grow quite passionate and eloquent in their speeches about the torments of hell, probably provoked by the un-Islamic appearance of the crowds who are gathered in to listen to them. For the fact is that Maldives got most of its Islamic facade mosques with minarets, Moorish arches and veiled women only from the year 1981 onwards, when the petrodollars began pouring abundantly into the country. And there are many locals who have not adopted the Arab look.
Initially these Egyptian propagandists were not liked by Maldivians at all. They appeared rude and gross to them, terribly lacking in manners. The calm, monotonous voice of the Divehi translator contrasted sharply with the impassionate, hysterical screams and violent gesticulation of the Arab religious preacher. To make them more palatable, in later years, the indoctrinators were coached by government officials regarding how to behave in front of the Maldive public and they learned how to talk in a more culturally sensitive cool and regular tone. And yet, the crude content of their sermons remained the same. 144
Throughout Divehi history, Arabs were still viewed as foreigners by the average Maldivian. However, the last quarter of the twentieth century has seen a new phenomenon appear in the Island society’s horizon: The ‘Arab wannabe.’ These are Maldivians who leave the islands in their childhood and are sent to Arab countries or to Pakistan to receive Islamic training. Eventually, when they return to their country as adults, they behave exactly like the Arab Sayyids of old. These uprooted Arab impersonators put much effort into weeding out the last remnants of true Maldive national identity. Since the end of the 1970’s, many very high government posts in the Maldives are held by such ‘Arab wannabes’ and their number is increasing.
In the outer Atolls, the average attitude of these young, but religious-wise highly trained people is, at best, arrogant and insensitive. They are usually contemptuous towards the ‘aløuverinô’, or old religious males of the island, whose time-tested combination of folkwisdom and religion, is too unislamic for their taste. At the same time, their position as young persons and religious learned men simultaneously is still highly incongruous. Within the ancestral island society, there was a role for old religious men, but none for inexperienced youngsters happening to be well-versed in Arabic and religion.
Traditionally, one was supposed to acquire knowledge along with wisdom with age. Hence, young aløuverinô, or young learned men, simply didn’t exist. The result is that these brazen young ‘Arab wannabes’, full of Islamic zeal, put much effort into discrediting their elders, slandering them for not being orthodox enough. In this manner they have led people not to pay attention to the old local aløuverinô and have ended up destroying the traditional hierarchical system, in which old people had to be respected. This is paving the way for a break-up of the moral fabric of Divehi society.
It is a well-known fact that presently in Maldives, there is a secret hostility to excessive arabization, but it is leading nowhere. This ‘resistance’, if it even may be called so, is not only unorganized, but its goals are not defined and it has no visible leadership.145 Moreover, there seems to be nowhere else to go in the other direction, for the ancestral Divehi culture is effectively lost.
- 137 Decades before the murderous spree led by religious hard-liners in Algeria, and long before the opening of those schools in the Maldives, Algerian writers like Rachid Mimouni had already questioned the wisdom of mass-religious indoctrination. “What do they want? A country of muezzins? Or a country of pious unemployed people (chomeurs)?”
- 138 Paraphrasing Vivekananda, in those schools the first thing a Maldivian child is taught is that his father is a fool because he can’t understand the Quraìn as he doesn’t know Arabic, the second that his grandfather was a lunatic because he held on to many folk beliefs that were unislamic, the third that his mother is shameless because she doesn’t cover her hair, the fourth that his grandmother was a whore because her form of dress revealed too much of her body, the fifth that all the old Maldivian books and stories are lies, and the sixth that Divehi courtesy is rude because Maldive Islanders don’t go around saying all the time ‘Assalaìm alaykum’ as polite Arabs do (the traditional Divehi way being to ask: “Where are you going?”), etc. Vivekananda, a well-known Indian reformist, denounced British education in the schools of the Raj for giving Indians a false perspective of their own culture.
- 139 Letters: thaì, hâaì, khaì, dhaìl, Ïaìd, Íadì , Ìaì, Ña,ì Âyn, gôayn`and qaìf. These are foreign Semitic sounds that don’t come naturally to the Divehi people and are, thus, very difficult to pronounce for them. Even so, since they are positive that Arabic is the language of heaven, much effort is invested among Maldivians since childhood in order to achieve the correct pronunciation.
- 140 The claim that the Taìna script was devised in the 16th century is, however, not supported by historical documents. The oldest writing specimens in that alphabet, interspersed with Arabic, are from the 18th century. These are the Iïdu Miskit Dorosöi inscriptions, dated AH 1170 (AD 1757).
- 141 The traditional Maldivian writing whose most ancient manuscripts (in the form called ‘Eveìla’ by H.C.P. Bell) go as far back as the 7th century AD. The last manuscripts written in Divehi Akuru are from mid-19th century.
- 142 According to most islanders, the only excitement is to be found in secret illicit relationships.
- 143 C. Maloney, ‘People of the Maldive Islands.’
- 144 For example, this is how Maldivian women were coaxed to cover their hair: “Every single hair of a woman not covered by the veil will become a poisonous snake in hell.” From a speech by an Arab guest preacher in Divehi Raìjjege Adöu (Radio Maldives) translated from the Arabic into Divehi and broadcast during the month of Ramzanì in 1990.
- 145 Commenting on the power of the government and the power of Islam in turn-of-the-millennium Algeria, Mohammed Arkoun, director of the Institute of Arab-Islamic Studies at Paris-III University, writes: The nationalist vision insists on the continuity in time of the Arab-Islamic culture and, consequently, of the state. Thus, the social spirit dominating today is directly connected with the official thesis that refuses to make the indispensable room to the scientific analysis of facts and problems. Intellectuals who, like Mustafa Lacheraf, invest their efforts into the separation between the functions of the official ideology, which pretends to mobilize national construction, and the critical knowledge of the ingredients that have fashioned real Algerian society, are extremely rare. M. Arkoun, ‘Une SpiritualiteØ qui deØpasse la Religion d’EÚtat’ (GEO n 114).
Athireege' Thaana 0.1
It reads "hurihā insānun ves ufanvanī, daraja āi ḥaqqu takugai minivankamāi hamahamakan libigenvā ba-egge gotuga-eve" (All human beings are born free and equal in ranking and rights - Article 1 of the UDHR).
A font I have recently created which is an almost exact replica of "Athireege' Thaana" or "Vadaan Kashi" thaana.
You can download v. 0.1 from here.
At this point it's all manual and I haven't added in any "fili" yet. I am loving the look of this without fili so I might even just leave it like this. It follows the inputs of most standard thaana fonts. You are free to do whatever the hell you want with it.
One Year On - Celebrate Moyameeha's life by reading some of his earliest works #FindMoyameehaa
A year has passed and Ahmed Rilwan AKA @moyameeha is still missing. Much has happened since in the Maldivian political spectrum, but absolutely no real progress seems to have been made on his whereabouts or the people behind his abduction. The Maldivian Police remains silent, and the government even more so.
A year has passed and Ahmed Rilwan AKA @moyameeha is still missing. Much has happened since in the Maldivian political spectrum, but absolutely no real progress seems to have been made on his whereabouts or the people behind his abduction. The Maldivian Police remains silent, and the government even more so.
There is a lot I could write about his disappearance. The failings of the system. The institutionalized apathy and hatred towards those deemed "laadheenee" that was used to justify and belittle his life and abduction. Why his activism, writing and experiences as an ex-radical could have been conceived in so many ways as threats towards the enemies of liberty. Why his abduction may have been intended as a message towards anyone who was under the false impression that there is freedom of expression in the Maldives.
But today I want to celebrate his life, his work. If these were the dark ages before the internet revolution this might have been impossible. His works may not have been that easily accessible. What remained may have been confiscated or otherwise made retrievable. Hidden as well as they have hidden the truth about his abduction.
But no. We live in a different age and the relics who seek to keep us in the past are doomed to stay there.
Moyameehaa is still alive. Legends never die.
These are some of the best of his earliest works. I hope to see much more from him in the future.
Thursday, August 11th 2005 - Moyameeha's blog goes live.
For a reference to how long ago that was, YouTube was founded on February 14th 2005. YouTube is only a 183 days older than Moyameeha's blog. Do you even remember what the internet was like before YouTube?
Tuesday, December 13th 2005 - Aqeeqah Rituals
“Yesterday,I captured a hen being sacrificed (with my handphone’s video camera)
..( its the ritual of naming a new born baby on the seventh day ..or ‘aqiqa’..in the early days of islam a goat or something like that is sacrificed....but the Maldivians who cannot afford or cannot find a goat in time ...always makes a sacrifice like this)...traditionaly this is a very big feast where people (relatives, friends,neighbours,poor people and others) are to be invited..but these days in Maldives (specially in Male’) we just perform the rituals and send the food in parcels (in Maldives its usually bondibaiy and kukulhumas-chicken.)packages to the people.(if u r in male’ just call +9607773240 to ‘faseyha point’ shakir to make arrangements for goats,bondibaiy packages with free delivery and all aqiqa stuff) This is very helpful coz every one is bz these days..but i think we cud still hold on to the traditional ways and sen parcels to people who cant come...
”
“And about this day being marked as the ‘Unity Day’.Its just another trick of the dictator gayom.He is trying to make the most of this ‘golden opportunity’...where every one goes hyper-emotional.He is trying to bring forward the nationalist propaganda..and picture himself as the leader...who will protect this ‘unity’..’which he describes is threatened by ‘some,very few people’..(reffering to the opposition MDP) or describes that as the unity ‘which have been among maldivians since the begining’...
but i wouldnt call..what we witnessed on the 26th of december 2004...national unity..or Islamic brotherly love or unity..no..its mere humanity..no one can wait and see humans suffering like that...no matter what country or what religion they belong to...Thats why the Maldivians watched live scenes of Iraq war,Srebrenica massacre (we donatedd for em..but the corrupt government swallowed all the money) and the recent hurricane katrina in America..we are concerned..because we are humane...”
“Aishath Sudha (a neighbour of mine-so;i heard the story without the free-press a that time, also) died at the very young age of 17 on 26 August 1994 in Gaamaadhoo jail. She was serving a 12 years and 6 months sentence for using and possessing drugs . She was allegedly gang-raped (by gayom’s NSS militia) and left to die by the prison guards. Gayoom formed a Committee to investigate her death,but to this date its findings have been unknown. Sudha was not the only young person whose death in jail was silenced and who was tortured there are countless people around the country (like my friend mahir).
I have heard of it so much.people so close to me have suffered this brutality..even NSS staffs are said to be murdered the Militia under commands from higher leader...i have had enough of this gayom thing..and his prisons (no better than Abu Ghraib and he is no better than pol pot,Hitler or Stalin..in torturing their own citizens).There are special ‘cells’ (ya prison cells..i would call em) for punishing young children..this place is called Islaahiyyaa (literary-in arabic- meaning a rehabilitation centre )..i will be posting detailed stuff about it later..”
Note: The kinboo was recently shot dead
Saturday, November 25th 2006 - 1984
“ive’ read it sometime back...and still i cant stop talking about it....1984 is a grrreat novel!...but not just a novel...its an allegorical political novel written by George Orwell (the author animal farm).its about a dictator and his brutal ways of ruling over a nation.and one man’s struggle for freedom.
mmhmm..an Orwellian society? Maldives cannot be considered as such a state or society yet?.buti think it was very close to it once, until one day things changed...but still the gayomic society resembles it (the orwellian society)...there cant be such an extreme society or dictator as in the book...but Gayom was very close to it.”
“But i cant agree....Haveeru cannot be ‘sometimes biased’ and ‘sometimes unbiased’ in reporting and presenting the news,it has to be on either side...there is no standing in the middle! ....there’s a lot of coloring in haveeru reports...and it does not allow viewers to comment freely (on its online version).which is now in beta...and i say;the whole company is in a state of ‘beethaa’ for the last few years....that is from the time they got out from the lines of miadhu and aafathis (which are not popular and publishes only the news approved from the president’s office ).Now in this beethaa state, i have encountered a lot of problems in commenting on its online edition.
One day i wanted to comment and ‘Oh my God!’ there is no ‘comment on this article’ link in this very special news.Yes,it was a news article about gayom...well i was not going to write anything like ‘golhaabo isthiufaa’ or any base or unethical comment.i was trying to comment on what i thought about the article,but it seems he is far above that...he is in a position where the citizens cannot even comment about him...well atleast for this haveeru beethaa, he is god-like and resting in sidhurathul munthahaa!.”
“So it is all about our economy?not really...it is about pumping money in from the west and pumping em out to the swiss accounts of big fat businessmen and big bad politicians.Alcohol is also banned for Maldivians but Legal for tourists...and yeah...also topless dancers.but i DOOO think maldivians have a right to enjoy freedom of religion.It was Gayom who took away this freedom,and i want him to give it back!He have tortured Maldivian Christian converts and anyone who goes against ‘Golhaa Islam’ for almost 3 decades.its time we talk about these rights and question the crazy fatawaas given by uttama and gayom.And it is time we start thinking freely about EVERYTHINHG.what do you think?does maldives need freedom of religion?Is it just, to force all maldivians to be muslims when they are all not willing to?do we need to go for a referendum in deciding this?or should all the maldivians be barred from the right to freedom of religion.....and these rights be ‘sold’ only to those who can pay enough money?”
“Gayom and his senior supporters all carried pistols when Gayyoom took his first oath as President on 11th of November 1978 and gayom himself have later admitted for this crime( mabodey vaan vegen karaa felhumuge thereygai). see this article in dhivehi (PDF)
HE BROKE THE LAW!
On 3rd June 2005 political parties was allowed in maldives and Gayom was the second to make a political party and became its founder and zaeemu.
Article 33 of the Maldives consitution says: “The President shall be the Head of State, Head of Government and the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Police of the Maldives”
Party Rules from the Home Ministry says on 5, alifu, and 5, vaavu, Police and NSS people cannot become a member of any political party.
So how can Gayoom, who is head of both Police and NSS (according to the Constitution), form a political party and be its zaeemu?(oh...and how can MDP talk to a ghairu gaanoonee party like DRP?...that’s what they are.any way,any how..they want...’something’)
AGAIN HE BROKE THE LAW!”
“He was,and still is the favorite singer for thousands of Maldivians, especially among the older generations.We can see this by the fact that in TV programs like ‘Alhuganduge Hovun’ and Radio programs ‘Dhathuthuverinnaai eku’....in almost all of the programs there would be a request for a song from Dhohokko be’. Most of the time they will say “Any song by Dhohokko be’ will be o.k for me!”.His songs were mostly romantic and love poetry.They were known for the good poetry and his own,unique style of performing.Even if his music were copied from hindi songs; he made it all (as he have said) ‘dhohokkobized’.He had a certain standard of performing, for example; he would refuse to perform, if he is not happy with the percussion section.There are very few people who are fit to be in his ‘band’.And about poetry, he was very concerned about maintaining the standard of his lyrics.They all had a touch of (not just a touch...a whole lot of em!) Urdu language.
Even today he is a favorite for many Maldivians; young and old ,though some youngsters find his music humorous,disgusting,not-music,not amilla raagu,out dated,not understandable....etc!
whatever. here are the songs.In the memory of Dhohokko be’ and his songs that entertained thousands of Maldivians.May his soul rest peacefully.Amen!”
“For a long time these people have been ignored by the society,the government and also the media.Most people never cared about them, called them wahhaabees or haabees and made fun of (arguing with them is some kinda entertainmenty for most people) some of them who are always very much eager to preach their ‘message’.And the the government would every once in a while randomly arrest all ‘bearded’men and ‘face veiled’ women and sometimes torture them.The government found a useful enemy in them.Every now and then gayom would be preaching “some very few people among us do this and that in the name of islam...this is not like this. this is like that...dont worry i am here to protect and guide you”...but now we know this is more serious. more than what we thought.”
“as a kid when my mom dictates that and when i myself recite it after her voice...i used to think of a bright golden light, a palace which is illuminated with a golden light... and it have some thingy hung somewhere in the middle of it ... and this light comes from it...and spreads to the whole palace, illuminating it...and then through a small window ...it comes out and these needle-rays strike my chest (heart).....when the light touches me i can feel it.thats how it was to me, back then.thats what i felt about this thing.
”
“visited the place just when they discovered some corpses there .I heard that the research team will be leaving soon.that means the work will no be continued.Again after an year i went back to kaashidhoo and discovered that it was a play ground for children.they would go and pee in to the ancient well there.they would break parts of the historical remains of the temple(some kids even brought it to the house i was staying in).I was not shocked. because my house is not far from ali rasagefaanu Ziyaarai (in Male’) ,which was a junk heap until it was renovated and opened for tourists in October 2002.And he was mulim mujahid..... no wonder they wont give a damn about the remains of a Buddhist temple!!
There are several other Ziyaarais or shrines of Maldivian saints and heroes which have been neglected and even destroyed by the government.You all will know the area called Lonu ziyaarai kolhu, no more ziyaarai is there now.They even stopped Maldivian cultural festivals like Maaloodhu.My said that the giraavaru people practiced their traditional thaarajehun and vajidhuvun until it was banned by the government.
And then there is Dhivehi language.so many words used in different islands..are lost day after day...i dont think any effort is made to collect these words and document em(even jaa have done more than what they do by giving us the radheed free).and i thnak maldivesroyalfamily.com and maldivesculture.com for all the information ive got from them about my country,its culture and heritage”
“މިބަލާވެރިކަން! ، މިބަލާވެރިކަން!
މިބަލާވެރިކަން ނިމިދޭހެ ފިލާ؟
މިކަމުން މިންޖުވެ، އުޅެވޭހެ ހިލާ؟
މިކަމުން ދުވަހަކު، ނުވެވޭހެ ނަޖާ؟
ދާރުލް މި ފަނާ، ދާރުލް ހެ ބަލާ؟
ލެއްވީ މިއަޅާ ލިބުމަށްހެ ސަޒާ؟
ހޭތޮށަލި ދުޅައިން ނީދުނިޔެހިނގާ؟
ހޭމީ އެޖަހަންނަމު ތަ ބުނާ؟
ހޭނުލެވޭނެހެ މިކަމުން ނާމާން؟
ހޭނުވެވޭނެމި ހުރަގޭން މިނިވަން؟
ހޭނާރާނެ އިރެއް މިރެއަށް ކަޅުފޮއެ؟
ހޭމަންޒިލަކަށް ނުދެވޭނެ އަމާން؟
ބާރުންގަދަ ވީ ދަނޑިމާރުއަޅާ،
ވާށޭ މިނިވަން ވަގުތުން ހެވިލާ ،
ދާށޭ އަދުވީ މިދުނިޔެ އަޅާ!
އާނއޭ މިކަރަށް ދަންމަޅިމިމަހާ!”
“There were thousands of results but what is commonly associated with maldives is tourism, not terrorism.how ever yesterday’s news was covered by hundreds of news outlets around the globe.This struck me so much.It have been sometime since we started to talk about terror minded narrow minded groups of saudi and pakistan educated (some even trained at Islamic military camps) growing in maldives.But we just talked, we didnt do any thing. now they have stricken. is this the beginning?no, this cant be, but we’ve got work to do.Leave the political fights aside and lets concentrate on this serious issue at hand.we should be united, not divided by this.”
“It is the hypocrisy of Maldives government when it comes to religion ...that have created a breeding ground for jihadi islamic movements and islamic extremism in maldives.For example; we are told that we should follow Quran and Hadith...but we are lied about them.Lies which are so evident that even the kids will know some thing is wrong in those fatwas.Now when this happens children turns to islamic books or websites originating from saudi arabia or saudi funded groups, looking for answers.These will lay a foundation for the wahhabi islam.Now from this stage a person may develop in to anything...just a salafi,a follower of political islam (hizb-ut-tahrir/ikhwanul muslimeen?) or to a houri seeking jihadi muslim.I am not saying that it is their right to preach terrorism. but we cant define what the limits are ,as long as we try to strengthen the ‘islamic unity’ by force.Let it come by its own (if there is any such thing as an islamic unity) .
I think what we need to cultivate is not islamic unity and hatred for other religions.what we need is an free society, a free environment in which religious tolerance,humanism, and brotherhood would prosper.For this to happen we need social change as well as political change.To bring about this we need education,awareness,change of policies and a secular state or atleast a state with freedom of religion.A state which wouldn’t threaten to kill a person for choosing his or her own way of life or belief or for discussing a religious topic freely.Religion have to become more spiritual rather than being a ‘dividing-in-the-name-of-uniting’ force.Hate and violence would give nothing but hate and violence.The government should understand that these islamic groups too are maldivian citizens, faceveiled women and bearded men are our people..parents to our children...if you jail them beat them up just for what they believe or how they dress..it would be very unjust.I have known so far that .... two leaders of the dotcom group (the guys behind the bomb plot) have fled Maldives.This is what we need to concentrate on... bringing the violent and the terror breeding to justice and tackling the extremism problem ideologically.”
“Maldives’ sexual network...
Ali Didi is a business man in Male’.He owns two toy shops in Majeedhee magu.This guy who is in his 40’s lives in Male’ but travels to bangkok frequently, on ‘business trips’.On these business trips he spend few days after his work is done just to enjoy.And every night he have an invited guest to sleep with him (sometimes licensed sometime illegal road prostitutes).
Ali Di’s brother Ibrahim Didi have recently returned to Maldives after 3 Years working as a seaman (what we call boattudhathurukurun). He really enjoyed it there, especially the sex.At brothels, and even from young prostitutes who come on board when they are at certain ports.Ibrahim Di went to his Island and started a business there, now with Ali Di’s help he can stay home with family and work there (thank you Ali Di).
Ibrahim Di’s Eldest son Vishah works in a Tourist Resort near the Capital Male’, he is now visiting his island.Working in a tourist resort is fun for Vishah.Working in the water sports section; he often creates close relationships with visitors and some staff (foreign and local) too...and ofcourse have great sex. Now that he is in his Island, he needs locals to replace those friends.He have a ‘serious girl friend’ there. But he also found this lady in her 30’s - married to a 50 year old fisherman- very interesting. Vishah now contacts a friend and gives her the message. Well... the next day at dawn just as the fishermen left for work...Vishah goes in to that house...and all the doors were open .... Bang bang! (gud that this time he did not have to go through the window as he does at midnight when he goes in to rooms secretly..in the islands this is called meehunkairiahvanun, a very common thing).
Now, This fisherman husband of the lady... this pervert ...is interested in children.He is able to lure some kidsn his island.But when he is in Male’ he always hires drug addict underage girls...and Bang Bang!
and...one of them was aazimaa. She has a boy friend (jawish) who is also a drug addict.But recently she have broken up with him ...after she discovered that she is in a ‘serious’ relation ship with zaahiya a 13 year old in Ameeniya.And yeah when Jawish’s gang have little stuff in store, and cant afford more...sometimes they make ‘heroin solution’ with lime and any other stuff they like.This solution is mixed and heated on a table spoon and injected...all using the same needle.
Ali Di’s wife lives in a small 3 room apartment in Maafannu ,with her children. Zahiya is the youngest of them.Then there is Fathin (the bisexual, who was caught under a staircase in Ameeniya with nasreena - Jawish’s new Gf.) and the eldest Rashida.Rashida left to SriLanka for higher education 2 years back. She lives in a two room Apartment with 3 other girls in Lanka. She dont have a serious boy friend now, but some ‘friends with benefits’. One of them she met last month from a Disco (it was ‘dhivehi ecstasy’..and yeah...ecstasy and other party drugs were used there) organized by the Maldivian students there.His name is Malli...Malli is very special for Rashida, but she don’t want to go into a serious relationship...but ehhe..ofcourse... there is Bang Bang!day and night!
NOW , WHAT IF:
Monica with whom Vishah once had sex had HIV.... who and who are at risk? or for example..Malli was infected? or someone else.... How many of them take safety measures? ...i dunno... if vishah gets married to that ‘serious’ he had at the island. what will happen? ...and make more possibilities for yourself.”
“4 pedophiles (who gang raped a 12 year old after breaking in to her house breakin the window with an axe have been sentenced to 2 years banishment and 15 lashes. and our human rights (or is it prisoners’ rights) commision actually congratulated this . well... there was an improvement if you can call that; before this high court sentence (after an appeal)...it was even worse. then it was 8 months banishment only, for just ‘consensual sexual intercourse’!!!.... but congratulate?!! can we congratulate the rapists for just raping her and not murdering her afterwards?
and a lady who burned her 10 year old brother with a heated iron was sentenced to 6 months banishment.
These sentences are childabuse.
I believe that revealing the identity along with pictures of these rapists to the public is an important matter, and must be done so in the interest of the public. because we at least have a right to know rapists who are let loose, so that we may protect our children from them. And this is a responsibility of home ministry. but instead they even freaking helped them cover their faces from journalists, when taken in and out of justice building. but why is it? police often publicize pictures of people even before they have been sentenced, take for example the case of the sultan park terror attack and the recent vodka bust. how are these child molesters special?”
“Though this is not a very civilized thing to do it indeed is/was a part of Maldivian culture, i should say. this is what a classic zuvaabu would look like. i just wanted to share this...as this old (not so kool) custom of zuvaabu is uncommon nowadays. Parents would not send children to these zuvaabu scenes as it is usually an 18+ form of arguing, challenging and expressing anger, hatred, jealousy..or simply just mockery and angering the opponent. people say... that they even go to the extent when they would lift the kandiki (skirt) and hit on their private part and ..point at the opponent and say challengingly ; “mine is fairer than yours!”... as for guys they would also do same kinda thing by lifting their mundu (sarong) and hanging it on their head sometimes. It was earlier done in the form of raivaru poetry, which lead to the death of it as an art form...because it was used in this way...giving rise to a vulgar, abusive form of raivaru.
how uncivilized this may seem, it is far better than box cutter/sword attacks and home made bombs. maybe we could teach this to the whole world, so that it can replace war. then maldives could be the superpower maybe. ehehe. but ive seen similar zuvaabu in India though not this advanced. and here is an interesting zuvaabu from Muhammaa kalo’s ‘Bunyey bunyey’. i dont find him funny at all but i kinda liked that one; based on a real story from his island (ihavandhoo).”
“Gayom revoked Nasir’s ‘Kilege’ title and a stone in the Male’ international airport -which stated that airport was officially opened by Ibrahim Nasir- was thrown in to the sea, and was later replaced with something about Gayom reopening the airport. The prison where Gayom was allegedly tortured was destroyed and made in to the Biggest mosque in country and the center for brainwashing the people with the new version of Islam Gayom brought from Egypt. The hero of Maldives’ independence was pushed aside and on independence days we hear only the semi- mythical holy jihad tales from olden days . Gayom often make sure he does not to even mention Nasir’s name in his speeches.
No matter how jealous Gayom is with Nasir, or how much he hates him; history will have lot more good things to say about Nasir than about Gayom. Not that he did not do anything bad, but he is actually the father of modernization and development in Maldives, he laid the foundations of almost everything gayom failed to develop. Maybe that is why Zaeem hate him. Because he did everything Zaeem could have done (and take exaggerated credit along with titles and awards) if it wasn’t already done.
Now we are seeing the same kind of thing against Gayyoom. But still (being civilized maybe?) i think we are unable to top Gayyoom and his reformists in that. DO lava party is nothing compared to the auguraana, death threats..etc in those songs. Koto is nothing when compared to those cartoons. Demonstrations of that caliber have never been held against Gayom. But it is said that ‘history repeats itself’. Lets just hope it stops repeating from the point a new government is formed.Coz we don’t want another golhaa.
”
“its a lil late maybe. but i just wanted to congratulate all of us on this historical occasion of kicking out a brutal dictator who ruled over us -with extreme power, in which ever manner he wished- for 30 consecutive years. yup, i may have a problem with my short term memory and i maybe insane. but i still mean all that. father of democracy? oh puleeeez, he is the same gayoom. we maybe in ‘aneh dhivehi raajje’ but that does not change facts (is the world flat now? Duh), or is everything upside down in aneh Dhivehi raaje?).
I really liked and is happy for and am proud of the example of democracy, maldivian people and leaders have shown in this election. how Anni and Gayoom adressed the people and how Anni did not want revenge or how gayoom have been offered security and pension. I do like the fact that Gayoom decided to stay with us. i believe in goodness in humans. I dint know what to say after watching that on TVM. i never saw that coming.Gayoom accepting defeat and Anni not taking things personally, how the people united against gayoom, how the people used the power of the ballot to achieve this, how peacefully they did this...everything is amazing and i am very very happy to see this day turning out like this
..........But still the facts will remain as they are. A theif will never say he is a thief (especially when he is a very good liar). This is not a matter of Anni’s personal feelings towards Gayom. This has nothing to do with how humble he is. Do something else to prove that (try forgiving gayoom for your personal sufferings). Only the people can forgive Gayoom. This is just like Gayoom forgiving his brother in law and putting him back in the cabinet (and we forgot that too) or how he forgive dangerous criminals as afuaamu, to show that he is ‘ghafoor-ur-raheem’. How could he?, when those money belong to Maldivian people.
I may not be very religious, but i do knowhow these kinda stuff work with God.... God have forbidden forgiving of this sort for himself. Things God can not (by his own will) forgive include; taking away the rights of other people, or harming another person unjustly. So inorder to get in to paradise, these people should be forgiven by their victims. Or another deal is to transfer their good deeds to the victim’s account (if the sinner is out of credit, then he should transfer bad deeds from the victim’s account and suffer for those).naaeeees.
my point is; that it is a good thing...something we can be proud of..that Gayoom is still with us, that he is safe and is being given all his rights and all the credit he deserve (if nothing else, it could make him feel reallybad inside maybe.heehee.). But stuff he does not deserve (like saying he brought democracy to maldives) should not be given, and justice should be served. we’ve got a lot of cleaning up (the mess he made) to do and a lot of rebuilding to do, i understand. but we should never forget the facts and the truth.
once again i congratulate the people of maldives, the opposition leaders, Anni, and Gayom for being so civilised and showing that good example of democracy.this is a happy moment.a turning point.a new dawn.a beginning, not an end.
and to keep a record;
The Reformists: 54.21% (97,222 votes)
The Dictator: 45.79 (82,121 votes)
Invalid Votes: 1,861 (dumbasses!)
Eligible Voters: 209,294
Turn Out: 86.08%
note: i am still alive, i am just away from my blog and the blogosphere for many reasons. and btw, would dhohokko be peeping down from heaven, and saying ‘ah, there you go’....anywayz i dedicate this post to him.”
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A Maldivian MP removes her hijab, and the whole country predictably freaks out
As always the reality of “Islam” or any ideology for that matter, depends on the framework within which you are practicing that ideology. If you are practicing in a largely secular country, with freedom of consciousness and all that jazz, chances are, you will probably craft your own version of Islam that is quite progressive. A version where the hijab becomes a “choice” and a symbol. If you are from the Maldives however, the reality of this “choice” being not a choice at all is made apparent from how society reacts to someone removing the hijab. A choice can only truly be a choice if it goes both ways, and the Maldivian social contract is most certainly not a two way street. This is paralleled in the Maldivian constitution and mindset where everyone is “born Muslim” but no one is allowed to leave. It's 2015 and people still love claiming that the Maldives is "100%" Muslim.
Below are the 10 top rated comments on a post made by Channel News Maldives facebook page. I simply waited 24hrs and let facebook decide what was “top” or not according to their algorithms. I kept the focus narrow for my sanity as there are more than 240 comments on it already at the time of writing; the majority of which is hateful nonsense. I think these comments, the support they have garnered, and the fact that a woman’s “personal choice” is somehow worthy of making national headlines, largely speak for themselves in terms of whether or not the hijab is a “choice” in Muslim majority countries such as the Maldives; where the garment even seems to take priority over medical conditions.
At first I wasn't going to censor the names of these people, since they are so public in their bullying, but I've decided against it. I will instead censor their names as ugly and messily as possible. That will be the extent of my self inflicted bad taste.
1.
Translation: “If you believe you will get salvation/treatment/better from doing what is forbidden by Allah, then you have reason to reflect upon/revise your faith.”
2.
Translation:
Person One: “Can you say that on the day of questioning??? That the doctor told you to take of the hijab(burugaa)?? That you started wearing a bikini because the doctor told you??”
Person Two: “That is a great point Adam Shahydhoo.”
3.
Translation:
Person One: “Asmaa, why don’t you just stop wearing clothes, is it because of the doctor that you took it off (to do something new).”
Person Two: “Yeah that will make the doctor much happier eh?”
4.
5.
Translation: “(I) don't know why this should be news.”
6.
Translation: “She just claimed it was religion of the ideology of Zaeem (Maumoon Abdul Gayyoom) and wore it to get elected to her parliament seat. However (she) only does whatever she does in name only. Previously Zaeem had said he’s a religious person and bragged and boasted about it loudly. Now what.”
7.
Translation: “It’s lucky (she) wasn’t ordered to take off her clothes.”
8.
Translation: “Look, even if you did take of the hijab, if you aren’t outdoors 24hrs a day, why don’t you just wear it when you go outside? If you feel discomfort after you cover yourself for even such a tiny amount of time, can’t you wait when you’re outside for a small amount of time? You sound like you feel crazy for putting it on when you say stuff like that.”
9.
Translation: “A higher authority than the doctor has commanded (the hijab) because no harm can come from it to women.”
10.
Translation: “The authority that gives one illness is also the authority who will take it away… This is not related to the hijab… May Allah grant Asma sound thinking.. Amen.”
Because just ONE comment from the entire top 10 questioning the news worthiness of the article is kind of depressing, here is a bonus from further down the thread that sincerely asks people to leave her alone (using religious justification that still makes the hijab obligatory, but its still better than nothing). If for nothing else, it's useful to illustrate how they immediately get shut down.
11 images from my photographic portfolio as interpreted by Google's Deep Dream #dreamdeeply #deepdream
I haven't gotten around to setting it up on my system yet, so I uploaded some of my portfolio to dreamdeeply.com (one of the many third party virtual servers hosting the program) to see how my images would be interpreted by Google's Deep Dream. I've only run 11 through as not to spam them too much. Predictably it's seeing dogs everywhere. It's interesting how some of the scenes become almost unrecognizable. Except for the Tasmanian landscape, all of the photographs were taken in the Maldives. Science has never been so kitsch!
As per request, these are the original images:
1000 words on Maldivian Art - Nazaal Shiyam's photograph of a one way sign in Malé
Photograph by Nazaal Shiyam
Malé is a maze of one way streets and dark alleys. You can drive around it for days, for weeks, your whole life, and you can still feel like you're going somewhere. Perhaps this is why the national sport of my country is driving.
Driving? Why would driving be the national sport of a nation of islanders? Of a country whose borders are filled with water and not land? Why not swimming? Fishing perhaps? Nope. It's driving. Driving motorcycles specifically. And nowhere is the fanbase stronger than good old Malé City.
The stinking heap of concrete is less than 5sqkm in area, yet is home to almost, if not more, than 200,000 people. If you were wondering, no, there isn't a beach. Well there is a rather pathetic little inlet that is rather imaginatively called the artificial beach. And there is the tail section of the harbour does have a bunch of floating platforms hovering above the trash, used condoms and diesel. Oh and perhaps that dandy little 5m stretch near Raalhugandu that's full of broken bottles and garbage? How lush! How wonderful!
Nope, not much love for swimming here. And of course any fish you catch will have been lovingly fed off of the endless supply of sewage. It's the circle of life, and the people of Male' city are full of shit.
So what do you do? You save up and buy your self a fine motor vehicle that's what! Things will surely turn up now! Just look at how shiny it is! You will be the talk of the town! Everybody will be jealous of your sweet ass ride.
Now the cogs of our destiny are really in motion! Oh yeah baby! We'll drive around the city all night!
You'll rest your head against my back. You'll whisper soft kisses into my ears, hearts in a daze from the fumes of our forbidden love. Perhaps your arms will wrap themselves around me, deftly working their way through the edges of my shirt, your warm bare palms radiating love back into my chest.
You arch back and gasp as we hit that bump. Lots of memories about that bump! We almost crashed into a patrol van that New Years; all because of that goddamn bump. That morning, after we made love between the tetrapods, we kissed and watched the sunrise set the heavens ablaze. Or maybe it was just smog from Thilafushi. Who knows. It was a long time ago. All you know is you had a good time.
We pass by the flag, and then speed up as we go through that impeccable section of road they always keep nice for the tourists because their lives are more important than ours. We pass carnival, waving at our friends going the other way.
You wonder to yourself, why are some of us going in the opposite direction? You convince yourself that you, in your infinite wisdom, are driving in the right side of the road. There are less potholes and bumps on this side of the road see.
Dense traffic, and all of a sudden, Raalhugandu! For the briefest moment, as the spray hits you in the face, you feel an odd sensation. The slightly rotten smell of the salty mist. The way the lights flickered across the dark abyss between the Seawall and the planes taking off the runway in Hulhumalé. A lightness. A heightening of the senses yet a paradoxical relaxing of your inner self. You can't quite place it, but you feel it everytime you pass by this magical place. It is as if you can feel your soul gasping for air.
Did you know you were drowning?
As you pass it, you look behind your shoulder, staring back at it longingly like a burning man stares at the asphalt as he falls toward it from the top of a skyscraper, rushing towards the ground faster than the speed of light. As long as you hit the ground before the glass, you will be fine, you tell yourself. As long as I make it to the ground, the fire will be gone, and with it, the pain.
BALAA ENNU NAGOOBALHAA! KES BE' RANGALHAH BOALAIN' DHO THI INEE!
You almost crash into another couple. You tighten your grip and laugh it off. Your laughter makes me feel that way too. You wonder where the other couple were going, and why they were so angry.
Do you think they know where they are going?
As you pass the line of shmucks waiting for petrol (You're smarter than them! You filled your tank at that special time only you know about when there aren't that many people around! Give yourself a pat on the back for this one!), you think to yourself how it's only a matter of time before Raalhugandu swings on back. It didn't matter which inventive route you took, it was inevitable. Always. Forever. All roads eventually become a one way street. You've already passed it twelve times just this night, maybe one day you'll actually get there.
Folk Tales of the Maldives by Xavier Romero-Frias - Chapter 1 - The First Coconuts
A reading of the first chapter of Folk Tales of the Maldives by Xavier Romero-Frias.
Folk Tales of the Maldives was first published by NIAS press in 2012. Xavier has informed me that despite the fact that he had made a point to send copies of this book and his previous ones to the National Library in Male' immediately after publication, a European researcher had told him that a search for his books turns up blank. Worrying news, and utterly evil by the library if it is indeed somehow trying to censor Maldivian culture from Maldivians themselves.
Available from NIAS Press:
http://www.niaspress.dk/books/folk-tales-maldives
"The Maldives are mainly known as an equatorial tourist paradise to the south of India but some will know the archipelago risks drowning owing to global warming. Far less is known about the people, who have occupied these islands for millennia but whose deep indigenous culture is today under threat from a multitude of external forces.
This volume is a collection of 80 traditional short stories and legends selected from the large corpus of stories in the local oral tradition, and translated and illustrated by the author who is the foremost authority on the language and anthropology of the Maldives. These folk tales offer keen insights both into the history, culture and beliefs of the people of the Maldives and into the world they live in. The close relationship the Maldivians have with their environment is clear, likewise the syncretic nature of their Islamic faith, the tales bustling with spirits, sorcerers and monsters as well as local people, seabirds, etc.
Would-be travellers to the Maldives will find this a unique insight into the real country behind the tourist brochures. For scholars, the folk tales and analytical material offer a wonderful literary/folklore resource as well as fresh perspectives on the effects of globalization."
And also from Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Folk-Tales-Maldives-Xavier-Romero-Frias/dp/8776941051
More research from Xavier Romero-Frias
http://independent.academia.edu/XavierRomeroFrias
For Naail. RIP.
Children of the Islands pt.I - Fishing
The sound of a koveli. A freshness in the air, crisp with the smell of Palm leaves basking in the light of dawn. A hurried breakfast, the clinking of bicycle gears and the rattling of bottles and tin cans in a bucket. We were off! I look back and smile at my sister. She grins back, beaming that she was riding her bike without her training wheels. She had thrown them into the ocean a few days ago after they had given her a cut. She didn't need them anyways.
We rode along a path dappled in the shaded light of an avenue of palms. The sand made gentle crunches beneath our tires as we swerved around the many slight dips and curves which pockmarked the unpaved earth. We got to the canteens and immediately ran to the back with our bucket to find the chef. The chef was a cheery fellow and he always greeted us with a laugh. Do you have any bait? Of Course! He'd say. He had a bit of guts and off cuts left from the garudhiya they were making for lunch. We collect some in the bucket, say our thanks and set off again, this time heading towards the harbour.
The crunching was gone, replaced with a much more uniform whirring now that we were on paved ground. They are such odd things. We need them for our tires yet they feel harsh and unweilding beneath our feet.
We reach the harbour and park our bikes near the inner edge. Here first and the outer edge later. Will the korakali be here today? Do you think we'll catch a big filolhu? My sister asks grinning. I hope so, I reply.
I remove some of the offcuts from the bucket and place them on the ground so I could slice them into little slivers. We put some on our hooks and hold our plastic bottles towards the ocean, before throwing them out into the murky depths of the bay. Almost immediately ripples appear on the dark green surface, all heading towards the sinking hooks. We grin at each other knowingly and slowly begin to pull the line in, carefully wrapping it around the bottle as we did. Tangled lines could be a nightmare!
Sure enough, the ripples began chasing the hook, and as it got shallower we could see a small school of korakali excitedly chasing the bait. The trick was to slow it down, and sharply tug it right after they'd had a bit of a nibble. My sister hooked one and then I had one too. Soon we had dozens and were running low on bait. But not to worry. A dhoni was pulling up. After they docked, I asked one of the fishermen if we could please have some bandaidhoo; which is the cut of meat right outside the stomach of a fish and below the gills. It was firm and the fact that it still had skin meant that it'd stay much more securely attached to the hook. To top it off, most fish went bonkers for the stuff. He laughed and asked if we had caught anything yet. I was 11 and my sister was 6, both of us were wearing kiddy hats like typical city kids, and must have looked quite out of place on that smelly and industrial looking harbour. I pointed to the bucket full of croaking korakali. He laughed heartily and told someone on the ship to fetch us a tuna. He then cut out the bandidhoo himself and gave it to us with his luck and blessing.
Using it,we caught a few more korakali and even a few big fani handhi. It was always a rush seeing the much larger fish zoom amongst the korakali, lunging towards the bait, their magnificent blue fins slicing through the water like neon streamers. They gave a much stronger fight too, and required a bit more patience to reel in; making the reward all the more sweeter.
We were once again almost out of bait, and we hadn't even yet gone to the outer rim of the harbour. There, standing on the jagged rocks, you could throw into a part of the shallow inner lagoon that was home to schools of ori; which dwelled between the sea grass meadows and the rocks.
Are we going back? My sister asked. Nah we'll just use the korakali! And if we ran out of that, we could always find some golhaa hiding among the rocks.
So we cut some of the little fish up and try our luck at the ori. The water on this side of the harbour was much clearer and, we could see the fish excitedly huddle around the bait, almost as if having some secret conversation. My sister hooks one almost immediately. She had a gift for catching ori. She knew exactly when to execute that all important final tug, just as the fish was turning to leave, not too quick, not too late. Grinning like a mad child she'd expertly let the fish swim off a bit to the left and then right before pulling it in again, slowly tiring the fish.
A violent tug at the line around my fingers and I almost slip off the rocks. I regain my balance, only to hear the sharp wet twang of the hook snapping off. Annoyed, I begin to wrap it back onto the bottle so I could tie another hook. The previous year, or perhaps it was earlier, my father had taught me the knot, and it is ingrained into my memory to this day to the point where recalling it comes as easy as it was riding that oversized bicycle.
Meanwhile, my sister had pulled up her fish and was holding it out triumphantly. Can you get the hook out for me? She asked. And I hop over the rocks to grab the line and take the fish to where we'd kept the bucket. The ori thrashed around madly and before I could take the hook out, one of its dorsal spines punctures my hand. A strangely deep feeling pain emanates from the wound like a slow burn. Ori apparently have mild toxins in the spines, but it wasn't the first time I'd been stung so I wasn't really worried. I shake my hand a bit and put some fresh bait on my sisters line. We manage to catch a couple more, including a few filolhu that had ventured out from among the seagrass.
The most exciting thing about that little area was the giant muda handhi that would occasionally storm through, smashing through the water at incredible speed and scaring all manner of fish back into hiding, jumping over the surface as they fled in terror. It was so large that if the tide was low, sometimes it's dark blue dorsal fin would slice the top of the water like a shark. Whenever we saw it coming we'd frantically throw our lines in its path. We knew our lines were too weak. And the fish was bigger than us so even if we did catch it, and even if the line did hold, it'd probably just result in the fish catching us. Didn't stop us from trying though.
Buckets full of fish, we pedal back to the canteen to hand our bounty over to the chef. Ahh I could fry these up for lunch he'd say. Triumphant, we returned back to the bungalow to get cleaned up and see what our parents were up to.
I loved that house. It was the complete opposite of our house in Male'. Instead of sleeping on a bunk, we slept on separate beds. Instead of cold water in a tiny bathroom, there was a hot water cylinder in a space that felt like a palace. Instead of smelly tharafaalu that moved when you stepped on it, there was a soft carpet beneath our feet. Instead of just having to deal with the propaganda filled and censored to death TVM being the only channel to watch on TV, there were several international ones to choose from, courtesy of some satellite magic; our favourite being Nickelodeon. It was a joy to watch shows like Kenan & Kel, All That and seeing happy young people smiling and making genuinely funny jokes. The animated shows like Aargh! Real Monsters were such a breath of fresh air from the endless Disney re-runs on TVM. The place was even air conditioned. And it was surrounded by lush vegetation instead of being swallowed in by the looming city around it; with a beautiful beach less than a minute away. This beach encircled the island; much better than a seawall and perimeter road full of traffic. On some mornings when the tide was low, you could walk across the glowing expanse of the lagoon right to the edge of the reef. We had never known such luxury as those few weeks of school holidays. The people were much friendlier and the air was fresher. And it was where my father lived and it was where my Mum smiled the most. She was a school teacher and a mother raising two kids mostly by her self; undoubtedly two of the hardest jobs in the world. After we'd gone back to Male', sometimes by boat, sometimes by plane, I'd cry in secret because I missed him and that happy home.
Did you have a good time? You reek of fish! Did you catch lots? Oh you got stung by an ori? Here, put some dettol and vokadine on it.
Soon we were off again on our bicycles, back to the canteen. The fish was deep fried with delicious spices, and you could even crunch down on the bones of the little korakali and eat the entire fish whole. We laughed and grinned triumphantly. Those were some of the best days of my life and I am incredibly thankful that I was lucky enough to have such experiences.
"THE PROBLEM OF THE MALDIVE PAST" - From 'The Maldive Islanders' by Xavier Romero Frias
While the coup of February 7th 2012 was going on, a group of people broke into the Maldivian National Museum with the sole purpose of demolishing what little physical evidence remained of our pre-Islamic past.
This chapter from the excellent Maldive Islanders (p. 25-27) by Xavier Romero Frias, highlights how this may be a case of history repeating itself. Maldivian Culture is in turmoil and even though it has always been more or less in a state of flux, unless we work to preserve the past so that we may analyse it, we are doomed to keep repeating the same mistakes. More than anything else, Maldivians need to stop being so ashamed of their rich and cultured past. Following is the chapter in its entirety including footnotes (minus some phonetic characters).
THE PROBLEM OF THE MALDIVE PAST
There are very few historical documents throwing light on the past of the Maldivians. Even many documents locally accepted as history are mostly myth. Archaeological evidence shows that there was a flourishing culture in the islands before the last Buddhist king decided to convert to Islam. The precise reasons why this monarch decided to abandon his ancestral Buddhist faith are not known, but edicts written on copper plates (Lōmāfānu), make it very clear that the general conversion to Islam was ordered by the king. Lōmāfānu edicts were etched on long copper plates held together by a ring of the same metal. The oldest lōmāfānu that have hitherto been found and preserved are from Male', the royal capital, and from the islands of Isdu and Dambidu in Haddummati Atoll, where there were large Buddhist monasteries. These copperplates were issued at the end of the twelfth century AD.[51]
The lōmāfānu were written in the curly Evēla[52] form of the divehi akuru[53] or old Maldive alphabet, which has strong similarities with the Tamil Grantha script of the 7th century Pallava and Pandya dynasties.[54] In certain documents, a form of old Nagari or Protobengali script is also present, which shows that there were contacts with the centers of Buddhist learning of Nalanda, Ratnagiri and Vikramaśīla. These must have taken place from the 8th century AD onwards, when Buddhist culture revived and flourished in Eastern India owing to the patronage of the Pāla kings of Bengal.[55]
The religious and cultural relationship between Maldives and Bengal was made possible by regular seaborne trade with that region of the Subcontinent[56] facilitated by favorable winds and currents. The large wooden trunks used by traders in their journeys were known in Divehi as ‘bangalufosi’ (Bengali box) and in the oral tradition of the Maldivians there are legends telling that trade with Bengal was very important in the distant past.
The Pala dynasties were rulers over the last Buddhist coastal kingdom in South Asia. In spite of some squabbles with the Cholas to the South and the Senas to the West, their reign was generally so peaceful that in 1196 it was possible for a small party of Muslim horsemen to ride directly to the Pala palace and slaughter the dynasty’s last king with impunity. The Muslim armies went on to thoroughly destroy the great centers of Buddhist learning named above. It is said that the vast seven-storied library of Nalanda University kept burning for six months and that fifteen thousand monks were burned to death trapped inside while having their midday meal. Some of the monks who escaped the massacre took refuge in Burma, Nepal and Tibet. These events took place but a few years after the conversion of the Maldives to Islam.
Even at that time, the actual Maldive archipelago was under the control of a single king (Radun) or royal family. This king must have been very secure in his power to be able to deal with the strains of the country’s mass-conversion from Buddhism to Islam. In the Dambidu lōmāfānu[57] the Radun addresses his edict to all islands between Kela (in Tiladummati Atoll), one of the northernmost islands of the group, and Addu (Atoll) in the Southern end. It is interesting to note that Maliku[58] (Minicoy) is not mentioned in those documents, even though it is known that, besides sharing the Buddhist faith, this rather isolated atoll already had both ethnic and linguistic affinities with the rest of the Maldive Islands at that time.
However few, a number of archaeological remains from the Buddhist period have survived. Thanks to the lōmāfānu it is known that the monasteries in Haddummati Atoll were of great importance within the Maldive Kingdom. In other atolls, many islands have mounds or low hills which indicate where a Buddhist Stupa was located.[59] In fact, these remains quite accurately indicate which islands were inhabited during Buddhist times.
Unfortunately, these mounds have been heavily vandalized, especially in the recent past when certain ancestral superstitious beliefs were overcome. According to those beliefs, going near old ruins or interfering in any way with them, like removing stones or earth, would bring disgrace to the intruder. As an example, in Malos (Ari Atoll), a man who had tried to break a little hemispherical coral block (probably a small Stupa) known locally as Mudu, complained that he had horrible nightmares that same night.[60]
Another cause of heavy destruction during recent years has been archaeological excavations on those sites themselves. Regrettably, these investigations were either done carelessly, or left the site unprotected after excavation. The removal of the sheltering jungle exposed the site to subsequent vandalism. Often local inhabitants plundered the place in the vain hope of finding gold or other treasures, as soon as the archaeologists and accompanying government officials left the island.[61]
Perhaps the fact that most endangers the preservation of ancient archaeological remnants in the Maldive Islands is that among Maldivians, save rare exceptions, there is a definite lack of pride in their ancient history, especially in what has come to be labeled as ‘pre-Islamic’. Hence, it is not surprising that disrespect for the ruins of Buddhist monuments is very common among islanders of all walks of life.
Much of the general disinterest in their ancient cultural heritage lies in the confusion arising from the lack of definition of Maldive cultural identity. In every Maldivian mind there is a sharp struggle between inherited customs and Muslim ideology. Since this conflict remains unresolved, there is a widespread feeling of guilt and frustration at being unable to adjust the ancestral cultural heritage to the Islamic ideological pattern.
After the country’s mass-conversion to Islam in the 12th century AD, the culture of the Maldivians and the Islamic ideals were only overlapping to a certain extent. Large areas of the Maldive cultural heritage had no compatibility with Islamic ideology (albeit these have been greatly reduced during the 1980’s and 90s as government-sponsored Arabic cultural influence grew exponentially). At the same time, all through the post-Buddhist history of the country there were large areas of Islamic cultural patterns incompatible with the ancestral ideals of Maldivians.
To illustrate the latter point, when Ibn Batuìta, the Moroccan traveler who had been appointed as supreme judge by the Maldivian queen, ordered the hands of people guilty of stealing to be cut off according to Islamic Sharia’ law, most spectators in the hall fainted.62 Although this event took place in the 13th century, average Maldivians still privately consider acts of violence, even if committed in the name of the religious law, barbaric. Paradoxically, these strengths, fruits of an inherited cultural refinement that the Maldive islanders possess as a nation, have been made to appear as their weakness by elements propounding greater arabization.
Always suspicious of any type of religious syncretism, the government has been responsible for the enforcement of religious orthodoxy in the island communities. This activity has known no respite throughout Maldive history and, as a result, it has brought about periodical repression of all type of Divehi cultural expressions deemed un-Islamic. As this has been the pattern since the 12th century, there was no small amount of perplexity in far-off islands at the paradox of a sudden official interest in preserving the remainders of “Kafir ruins” in recent times, when tourists and foreign archaeologists have begun to pay regular visits to ancient Maldive Buddhist sites.
Undoubtedly, the most conspicuous physical destruction happened at the time when the King ordered the islanders to abandon their ancestral religious practices. The converted monarch was ruthless in his resolve to erase all traces of the former religion of the Maldivians. According to the Isdu lōmāfānu , monks from monasteries of the Southern Atoll of Haddummati were brought to Male' and beheaded.[63]
All anthropomorphic and zoomorphic iconography and other important religious symbols were systematically vandalized. The Dambidu lōmāfānu tells us that Satihirutalu (the Chatravali crowning a Stupa) were broken to disfigure the numerous Stupas. It tells us also that statues of Vairocana, the transcendent Buddha of the middle world region, were destroyed; and the destruction was not limited to sculptures.
The wealth of manuscripts - probably written on screwpine leaves - that Maldivian monks in their Buddhist monasteries must have produced was either burnt or otherwise so thoroughly eliminated that it has disappeared without leaving any trace. Therefore there are no samples of paintings from the Maldive Buddhist period itself. The only actual remains of the art of those times are a few sculptures and etchings on coral stone. Most of these are preserved in a little room in the Male' Museum.
[51] The Isdu lōmāfānu was issued precisely in the year AD 1194, however, the conversion of the Maldives to Islam was in AD 1153 according to the Maldivian ‘Taìrikh’ chronicle.
[52] The ancient Divehi alphabet. ‘Evela akuru’ was a tentative name given by H.C.P. Bell to differentiate it from the more recent forms of the same script (divehi akuru) which were in use between the 12th and the 19th centuries. H.C.P. Bell, ‘The Maldive Islands. Monograph on the History, Archaeology and Epigraphy.’
[53] Wilhelm Geiger and H.C.P. Bell in their writings erroneously called this alphabet ‘Dives akuru’. The word ‘Dives’ is a misspelling. The real name of that alphabet, as quoted by Bodufenvaluge Sídí in his authoritative work, is ‘Divehi akuru’, meaning ‘Island letters’ or ‘Maldivian letters.’ Previously Christopher and Young had referred to this alphabet as ‘Divehi Hakaru’. W. Geiger, ‘Maldivian Linguistic Studies.’ H.C.P. Bell ‘Excerpta Maldiviana.’ Bodu Fenvaluge Sídí, ‘Divehi Akuru’ Vol 1. Lieut. I.A. Young & W. Christopher, ‘Memoirs on the Inhabitants of the Maldive Islands.’
[54] Some authors claim that the old Divehi script resembles the medieval Sinhalese Elu alphabet, but the fact is that the affinities with the Tamil Grantha script and with the earlier forms of Malayalam script are much greater from a graphic point of view, even though the Divehi language itself is closer to the Sinhala language.
[55] The Pala kingdom included Bengal (made up of present-day West Bengal and Bangladesh), Bihar and part of Orissa (Ganjam).
[56] Trade between Sri Lanka and Bengal also flourished during that time. When the Pala Kingdom fell, Mahayana and Vajrayana influence in Ceylon came to an end. In time, the Buddhist kingdom of Sri Lanka became practically landlocked. Nandasena Mudiyanse, ‘Mahayana Monuments in Ceylon.’
[57] A tentative transcription of this lōmāfānu was made by M. Loutfi and was subsequently published in ‘Faiytura’, the organ of the Maldivian Cultural Affairs Council.
[58] A culturally Maldivian island now part of the U.T. Lakshadweep, India. Oral tradition says that in centuries past Minicoy was devastated by a cyclone that broke most of the coconut trees. The island was then ruled by the Maldive king, so Minicoy islanders sent a delegation to MaleØ asking for financial assistance. Since the king told them that he had not enough money in his treasury, this delegation went onwards to the Malabar coast, where they found favor with the king of Cannanore who agreed to help them rebuild their island. Thereafter the Minicoy people owed allegiance to this kingdom of the SW Indian shore (Information: Magieduruge Ibrahím Dídi)
[59] Stupas were said to have been built by the Redin. V. Rasovesi: Havitta uhe haudahau, Redin taneke hedí ihau (How tall is the Caitya! A Redin place built in ancient times). Thor Heyerdahl made much speculation around that word, but I am convinced it is just a name that Maldivians used in the first centuries after conversion to refer to their Buddhist ancestors.
[60] Information by Ahumadu Salímu, Victory House, Malos, Ari Atoll.
[61] Information by the late Magieduruge Ibrahím Didi
[62] Ibn Batuìta, ‘Travels in Asia and Africa’.
[63] H.A. Maniku & G.D. Wijayawardhana, ‘Isdhoo Loamaafaanu’.
For the Sake of Progress
A line of coral stone houses will eventually be demolished and replaced with constructions made of neat concrete bricks.
Thulhaadhoo, Baa Atoll, Maldives. (2009)
