Music of the Maldives
Encyclopedia
The Maldives
are an island nation in the Indian Ocean
, and its culture
is marked mainly by India
n, East Africa
n, and Arab
influences.
The most widely-known form of indigenous music is called boduberu
. It is also the most popular, especially in the Northern Atolls. It is said to have appeared in the Maldives in about the 11th century, and that it may have East African origins. It is a dance music
, performed by about fifteen people, including a lead singer and three percussionists, as well as a bell
and a small stick of bamboo
with horizontal grooves called an onugandu.
Boduberu songs begin with a slow beat, which eventually enters a frenetic crescendo accompanied by frenetic dancing. Lyrics can be about any number of subjects, and often include vocable
s (meaningless syllables).
Thaara music is performed by about 22 people seated in two rows opposite each other. It is performed only be men and is somewhat religious in nature. Like boduberu, thaara songs begin slowly and come to a peak. Thaara is said to have arrived from Arab
s who came from the Persian Gulf
in the middle of the 17th century.
Gaa odi lava is a special type of song performed after the completion of manual labor. It was said to have been invented during the reign of Sultan Mohamed Imadudeen I (1620–1648), for the workers who built defenses for the city of Malé
.
In the early 20th century, Sultan
Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
ruled the Maldives and the youth developed a form of music called langiri, using thaara as the major source and modifying its performance.
The bolimalaafath neshun is a dance performed by women on special occasions or when giving gifts to the sultan. These gifts, most often shells, are kept in an intricately-decorated box or vase called the kurandi malaafath. About twenty-four women typically participate, in small groups of two to six. They march towards the sultan singing songs of patriotism or loyalty. Since becoming a republic
in 1968, this dance is no longer performed for any sultan, since one no longer exists.
Another woman's dance is called maafathi neshun, which is similar to langiri. It is performed by women dancing in two rows of ten each, carrying a semi-circular string with fake flowers attached.
A dance called fathigandu jehun is performed by either one person or a group of men, using two pieces of short bamboo sticks to accompany the dancers and a drummer, who also sings. These songs are typically epic
s, most famously one called Burunee Raivaru.
Bandiyaa jehun is perhaps related to the India
n pot dance, and is performed by women. Dancers mark the beat with a metal water pot, while wearing metal rings. Modern groups perform either standing or sitting, and have added drum
s and harmonica
s.
Kulhudhuffushi
(on Haa Dhaalu Atoll
) is known for kadhaamaali, which is performed with numerous drums and a kadhaa, which is made of a copper
plate and rod. About thirty men take part, dressed in costumes of evil spirits (maali). Kadhaamaali is associated with a traditional walk around the island late at night by the elders, in order to ward of maali. This walk lasted for three days, and was followed by music and dancing.
which takes up about 80% of the whole music industry. There have been talks about stopping the habit by the end of 2009, although no remarkable progresses have been made. Most of the non-copy or original songs come from independent bands who prefer to make their own music. Some of the popular original bands include Mezzo Band, Zero Degree Atoll
, Nothnegal
, Trio, Shiuz, 1984 and Traphic Jam. The people against pilgarism are generally the Maldivian youth while the older generation still prefer copy songs.
movies the 60's or the 70's and like to listen to the songs of those movies. The reason is that out of a similar language, similar rhythms and cadences develop. In fact it is very easy for Maldivians to fit local lyrics into a Hindi
tune because of this cultural closeness. For example the Hindi words "Ek din" (one day) become "E kudin" (those kids) in Dhivehi
, and in this manner a new local song develops.
Before cable TV the most popular radio programmes from the Voice of Maldives (VOM) were those broadcasting older Hindi songs, like Vakivumuge kurin (Before the breakup). Still, in rural islands Hindi
songs are the most popular songs in Maldives, especially the older ones from Mohammed Rafi
, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar
, Asha Bhonsle, Hemant Kumar and Kishore Kumar
. Therefore most popular Maldivian songs are based in (or influenced by) Hindi songs.
Similarly, the few popular local dances are based on North Indian dances, especially Kathak
.
The favorite musical instrument of Maldivians besides the drum is the bulbul tarang
, a kind of horizontal accordion. This instrument is also used to accompany devotional songs, like
Maadhaha. Singers like Naifaru Dohokko became famous through songs with bulbul music in the background. The first bulbuls were brought from Calcutta in the early 19th century. Influences from North Indian music and dances date back already to that time. They didn't begin with the broadcasting of Hindi songs by radio in the 1960s and 70s.
There are also female singers producing traditional songs, among them the most popular were Fareeda Hasan and Jēmuge Donkamanaa, whose songs continue to be cherished by Maldivians even though both women have died.
However, popular music shifted from plagiarizing to more original concepts. The Dhivehi band Zero Degree Atoll
released an album named Dhoni ("traditional Maldivian Boat"). This album had roots in folk and ancients arts such as the Raivaru
, a type of traditional poetry, where letters are swapped to be sung in a certain melody. The album was a huge success following its remake with few new songs in 1997, the album titled Island Pulse recorded in France.
The band had a huge impact on the local population, which unofficially claimed it to be as the saviors of traditional dhivehi musical art and the pioneers of modern dhivehi music.
Many other bands and local performers have kept tradition. It is believed that the state sponsored radio and TV grew more in favor of foreign music, when most quintessential dhivehi music started including political content in their lyrics.
Such lyricists include Easa of Sea Child, unofficially considered the Bob Dylan of modern dhivehi music, who was jailed on several accounts for drug related issues. Although Easa is not regarded professionally, many of his songs have been stolen and sung. After registration at the relevant government institute (Eg: Dhiniye), while serving time at Maafushi he is said to have written more than a hundred songs. Songs such as "Jamalegge Soora" ("face of a camel"), "Filavalhu" ("lesson"), "Fangivinun" (a collaboration of folk and an original Raivaru), "Insaana" ("the Human") and "Govaali Adu" are very prominent among musicians and in the underground music scene.
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...
are an island nation in 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...
, and its culture
Culture
Culture is a term that has many different inter-related meanings. For example, in 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions...
is marked mainly by India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n, East Africa
East Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
n, and Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
influences.
Traditional Performances
Boduberu
Boduberu is similar to some of the songs and dances 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" first made an appearance in The Maldives in the...
. It is also the most popular, especially in the Northern Atolls. It is said to have appeared in the Maldives in about the 11th century, and that it may have East African origins. It is a dance music
Dance music
Dance music is music composed specifically to facilitate or accompany dancing. It can be either a whole musical piece or part of a larger musical arrangement...
, performed by about fifteen people, including a lead singer and three percussionists, as well as a bell
Bell (instrument)
A bell is a simple sound-making device. The bell is a percussion instrument and an idiophone. Its form is usually a hollow, cup-shaped object, which resonates upon being struck...
and a small stick of bamboo
Bamboo
Bamboo is a group of perennial evergreens in the true grass family Poaceae, subfamily Bambusoideae, tribe Bambuseae. Giant bamboos are the largest members of the grass family....
with horizontal grooves called an onugandu.
Boduberu songs begin with a slow beat, which eventually enters a frenetic crescendo accompanied by frenetic dancing. Lyrics can be about any number of subjects, and often include vocable
Vocable
In speech, a vocable is an utterance, term, or word that is capable of being spoken and recognized. A non-lexical vocable is used without semantic role or meaning, while structure of vocables is often considered apart from any meaning...
s (meaningless syllables).
Thaara music is performed by about 22 people seated in two rows opposite each other. It is performed only be men and is somewhat religious in nature. Like boduberu, thaara songs begin slowly and come to a peak. Thaara is said to have arrived from Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
s who came from the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
in the middle of the 17th century.
Gaa odi lava is a special type of song performed after the completion of manual labor. It was said to have been invented during the reign of Sultan Mohamed Imadudeen I (1620–1648), for the workers who built defenses for the city of Malé
Malé
Malé , is the capital and most populous city in the Republic of Maldives. It is located at the southern edge of North Malé Atoll . It is also one of the Administrative divisions of the Maldives. Traditionally it was the King's Island, from where the ancient Maldive Royal dynasties ruled and where...
.
In the early 20th century, Sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
Muhammad Shamsuddeen III
Sultan Muhammad Shamsuddeen Iskander III, CMG, son of Ibrahim Nooraddeen and Kakaage Don Goma, was the Sultan of the Maldives first from May 7, 1893 and then again from 1902....
ruled the Maldives and the youth developed a form of music called langiri, using thaara as the major source and modifying its performance.
The bolimalaafath neshun is a dance performed by women on special occasions or when giving gifts to the sultan. These gifts, most often shells, are kept in an intricately-decorated box or vase called the kurandi malaafath. About twenty-four women typically participate, in small groups of two to six. They march towards the sultan singing songs of patriotism or loyalty. Since becoming a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
in 1968, this dance is no longer performed for any sultan, since one no longer exists.
Another woman's dance is called maafathi neshun, which is similar to langiri. It is performed by women dancing in two rows of ten each, carrying a semi-circular string with fake flowers attached.
A dance called fathigandu jehun is performed by either one person or a group of men, using two pieces of short bamboo sticks to accompany the dancers and a drummer, who also sings. These songs are typically epic
Epic poetry
An epic is a lengthy narrative poem, ordinarily concerning a serious subject containing details of heroic deeds and events significant to a culture or nation. Oral poetry may qualify as an epic, and Albert Lord and Milman Parry have argued that classical epics were fundamentally an oral poetic form...
s, most famously one called Burunee Raivaru.
Bandiyaa jehun is perhaps related to the India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n pot dance, and is performed by women. Dancers mark the beat with a metal water pot, while wearing metal rings. Modern groups perform either standing or sitting, and have added drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
s.
Kulhudhuffushi
Kulhudhuffushi (Haa Dhaalu Atoll)
Kulhudhuffushi is the capital of Haa Dhaalu Atoll administrative division and geographically part of Thiladhummathi Atoll in the north of the Maldives....
(on Haa Dhaalu Atoll
Haa Dhaalu Atoll
Haa Dhaalu Atoll - officially referred as Thiladhunmathi Dhekunuburi is an administrative division of the Maldives...
) is known for kadhaamaali, which is performed with numerous drums and a kadhaa, which is made of a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
plate and rod. About thirty men take part, dressed in costumes of evil spirits (maali). Kadhaamaali is associated with a traditional walk around the island late at night by the elders, in order to ward of maali. This walk lasted for three days, and was followed by music and dancing.
Copy Songs
The most widely-known songs in Maldives are copied from BollywoodBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
which takes up about 80% of the whole music industry. There have been talks about stopping the habit by the end of 2009, although no remarkable progresses have been made. Most of the non-copy or original songs come from independent bands who prefer to make their own music. Some of the popular original bands include Mezzo Band, Zero Degree Atoll
Zero Degree Atoll
Zero Degree Atoll is a Maldivian band, formed in 1987. Since their formation, the band has released 3 albums. This band is known for their locally influenced music and tunes that bring up the maldivian culture and heritage.-Formation:...
, Nothnegal
Nothnegal
Nothnegal is a Maldivian heavy metal band from Malé, formed in 2006. The band is currently signed to Season of Mist. Nothnegal is endorsed by Jackson and LTD guitars.-History:...
, Trio, Shiuz, 1984 and Traphic Jam. The people against pilgarism are generally the Maldivian youth while the older generation still prefer copy songs.
Popular Songs and Dances
Maldivians feel some affinity to Northern India through their language, which is related to the languages of North India. Most older generation or traditional Maldivians like to watch HindiBollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
movies the 60's or the 70's and like to listen to the songs of those movies. The reason is that out of a similar language, similar rhythms and cadences develop. In fact it is very easy for Maldivians to fit local lyrics into a Hindi
Hindi
Standard Hindi, or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi, also known as Manak Hindi , High Hindi, Nagari Hindi, and Literary Hindi, is a standardized and sanskritized register of the Hindustani language derived from the Khariboli dialect of Delhi...
tune because of this cultural closeness. For example the Hindi words "Ek din" (one day) become "E kudin" (those kids) in Dhivehi
Dhivehi language
Maldivian is an Indo-Aryan language predominantly spoken by about 350,000 people in the Maldives where it is the national language. It is also the first language of nearly 10,000 people in the island of Minicoy in the Union territory of Lakshadweep, India where the Mahl dialect of the Maldivian...
, and in this manner a new local song develops.
Before cable TV the most popular radio programmes from the Voice of Maldives (VOM) were those broadcasting older Hindi songs, like Vakivumuge kurin (Before the breakup). Still, in rural islands Hindi
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
songs are the most popular songs in Maldives, especially the older ones from Mohammed Rafi
Mohammed Rafi
Mohammad Rafi , was an Indian playback singer whose career spanned four decades. He was awarded National Award and 6 Filmfare Awards. In 1967, he was honoured with the Padma Shri awarded by the Government of India....
, Mukesh, Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar
Lata Mangeshkar is a singer from India. She is one of the best-known and most respected playback singers in India. Mangeshkar's career started in 1942 and has spanned over six and a half decades. She has recorded songs for over a thousand Hindi films and has sung songs in over thirty-six regional...
, Asha Bhonsle, Hemant Kumar and Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar
Kishore Kumar , born Abhas Kumar Ganguly, was an Indian film playback singer and an actor who also worked as lyricist, composer, producer, director, screenwriter and scriptwriter.Kishore Kumar was one of India's greatest performers of the late 20th century...
. Therefore most popular Maldivian songs are based in (or influenced by) Hindi songs.
Similarly, the few popular local dances are based on North Indian dances, especially Kathak
Kathak
Kathak is one of the eight forms of Indian classical dances, originated from Uttar Pradesh, India. This dance form traces its origins to the nomadic bards of ancient northern India, known as Kathaks, or storytellers...
.
The favorite musical instrument of Maldivians besides the drum is the bulbul tarang
Bulbul tarang
A bulbul tarang literally "waves of nightingales", alternately Indian banjo is a string instrument from India and Pakistan which evolved from the Japanese Taishōgoto.The instrument employs two sets of strings, one set for drone, and one for melody...
, a kind of horizontal accordion. This instrument is also used to accompany devotional songs, like
Maadhaha. Singers like Naifaru Dohokko became famous through songs with bulbul music in the background. The first bulbuls were brought from Calcutta in the early 19th century. Influences from North Indian music and dances date back already to that time. They didn't begin with the broadcasting of Hindi songs by radio in the 1960s and 70s.
There are also female singers producing traditional songs, among them the most popular were Fareeda Hasan and Jēmuge Donkamanaa, whose songs continue to be cherished by Maldivians even though both women have died.
Religious Songs
Formerly in the islands of Maldives there was a festival called Maulūdu, where religious songs were sung by groups of males within a pavilion (haruge) specially built for the occasion. When a Maulūd was arranged, local islanders had to build a large, open-sided pavilion with wooden poles. They would thatch it with coconut-palm fronds and decorate it with oil lamps and special patchwork draperies. The day of the event, special food would be prepared and beautifully displayed for the benefit of the Maulūd singers and of a great number of guests coming from their rival island (or village), in their best dresses, on festively decorated boats. Here the host islanders had to prove themselves hospitable in the preparations and accommodation, in order to be able to compare favorably when it was their own turn to receive hospitality in the rival island on a similar occasion.the other name for religious songs are called madaha .Modern music
Hussain Shihab, who was formerly a musician and is now the minister of state for arts, wrote a song to a foreign tune. This song was named "hiy Adhu Roneeyey Nudhashey," which he admitted while speaking in a program broadcast on the anniversary of the Television Maldives (TVM). Western music is more popular in the Capital, as in any global city.However, popular music shifted from plagiarizing to more original concepts. The Dhivehi band Zero Degree Atoll
Zero Degree Atoll
Zero Degree Atoll is a Maldivian band, formed in 1987. Since their formation, the band has released 3 albums. This band is known for their locally influenced music and tunes that bring up the maldivian culture and heritage.-Formation:...
released an album named Dhoni ("traditional Maldivian Boat"). This album had roots in folk and ancients arts such as the Raivaru
Raivaru
Raivaru is a type of Maldivian traditional singing, where letters are swapped to sung in a certain melody without accompaniment....
, a type of traditional poetry, where letters are swapped to be sung in a certain melody. The album was a huge success following its remake with few new songs in 1997, the album titled Island Pulse recorded in France.
The band had a huge impact on the local population, which unofficially claimed it to be as the saviors of traditional dhivehi musical art and the pioneers of modern dhivehi music.
Many other bands and local performers have kept tradition. It is believed that the state sponsored radio and TV grew more in favor of foreign music, when most quintessential dhivehi music started including political content in their lyrics.
Such lyricists include Easa of Sea Child, unofficially considered the Bob Dylan of modern dhivehi music, who was jailed on several accounts for drug related issues. Although Easa is not regarded professionally, many of his songs have been stolen and sung. After registration at the relevant government institute (Eg: Dhiniye), while serving time at Maafushi he is said to have written more than a hundred songs. Songs such as "Jamalegge Soora" ("face of a camel"), "Filavalhu" ("lesson"), "Fangivinun" (a collaboration of folk and an original Raivaru), "Insaana" ("the Human") and "Govaali Adu" are very prominent among musicians and in the underground music scene.