Boduberu
Encyclopedia
Boduberu is similar to some of the songs and dance
s found in east and south west Africa
. It is likely that the music was introduced to The Maldives
by sailors from the Indian Ocean
region. It may be said that Boduberu known commonly as "Baburu Lava" (Negroid Song) first made an appearance in The Maldives in the 11th Century AD, or possibly before that.
, and an onugandu - a small piece of bamboo with horizontal grooves, from which raspy sounds are produced by scraping. The songs may be of heroism, romance or satire. The prelude to the song is a slow beat with emphasis on drumming, and dancing. As the song reaches a crescendo, one or two dancers maintain the wild beat with their frantic movements ending in some cases in a trance.
The costume of the performers is a sarong and a white short sleeved shirt.
sung. The lyrics do not have a meaning, because it consists of a mixture of local, neighbouring and some African words. Today, meaningful songs written in the local language Dhivehi are sung to the rhythm of Boduberu.
Boduberu is usually sung after a hard day's work. The location is up to the performers. Today, Boduberu is an important item of entertainment at stage shows, celebrations and festivals.
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
s found in east and south west Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
. It is likely that the music was introduced to The Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
by sailors from the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
region. It may be said that Boduberu known commonly as "Baburu Lava" (Negroid Song) first made an appearance in The Maldives in the 11th Century AD, or possibly before that.
Performance
Boduberu is performed by about 15 people, including three drummers and a lead singer. They are accompanied by a small bell, a set of drums also known as a bodu beruBodu beru (drum)
The bodu beru is a Maldivian drum, made of bamboo wood lashed with sting-ray hide, and often grouped in trios. The instrument is used to accompany a dance of the same name, the Boduberu....
, and an onugandu - a small piece of bamboo with horizontal grooves, from which raspy sounds are produced by scraping. The songs may be of heroism, romance or satire. The prelude to the song is a slow beat with emphasis on drumming, and dancing. As the song reaches a crescendo, one or two dancers maintain the wild beat with their frantic movements ending in some cases in a trance.
The costume of the performers is a sarong and a white short sleeved shirt.
Evolution
Boduberu evolved among the common citizens as an alternative to court music. In the early days, the people gathered together to perform Boduberu, and it became widely accepted as the music of the common people. The performing of the music is often referred as "vibrating the island". A notable point about Boduberu is its noise and sometimes meaningless lyricsLyrics
Lyrics are a set of words that make up a song. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist or lyrist. The meaning of lyrics can either be explicit or implicit. Some lyrics are abstract, almost unintelligible, and, in such cases, their explication emphasizes form, articulation, meter, and symmetry of...
sung. The lyrics do not have a meaning, because it consists of a mixture of local, neighbouring and some African words. Today, meaningful songs written in the local language Dhivehi are sung to the rhythm of Boduberu.
Boduberu is usually sung after a hard day's work. The location is up to the performers. Today, Boduberu is an important item of entertainment at stage shows, celebrations and festivals.