Traditional Music Performances in Maldives

The greatest widely known type of native music is known as boduberu and it is also the most famous especially in the Northern Atolls. This is said to emerge in the Maldives in about the 11^th century and that may have east African roots. This is a dance music that is performed by fifteen people including the lead winger and the three percussionists as well as a bell and a small stick of bamboo with horizontal groves known as Onugandu.

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The song of Boduberu starts with a slow beat, and then enters a frenetic crescendo followed by frantic dancing. The lyrics can be about any number of subjects and it is often include the vocals (which is meaningless syllables).

Gaa odi lava is a unique form of song that is performed after the conclusion of manual labour. It is said to have been established during the administration of Sultan Mohamed Imadudeen I from 1620 to 1648 for the workers who built defense for the city of Male.

During the early 20^th century, Sultan Muhammad Shamsudeen III governed the youth and developed a type of music that is known as langiri and they used thaara as the major source and adapting its performance.

Bolimalaafath neshun is a type of dance that is performed by women on a special events or when giving gifts to the sultan. These gifts must be shells and it must be kept in an intricately designed box or vase known as kurandi malaafath. There are about twenty-five women who are typically involved in the small groups of two to six. They march towards the sultan singing songs of patriotism or loyalty. Since Maldives became republic in 1968, this dance is no longer performed for any sultan.

Another type of women’s dance is known as maafathi neshun, which is like langiri and it is performed by women dancing in pairs rows of ten each, carrying a semi-circular cord with fake flower attached.

Fathigandu jehun is another type of a dance that is performed by either one person or a group of men that uses two pieces of short bamboo sticks to follow the dancers and a drummer, who also sings. This song is typically epics, most popularly one known as Burunee Raivaru.

Bandiyaa jehun is possibly related to the Indian pot dance and it is performed by women. The dancers mark the beat with a metal water pit while wearing metal rings. New groups also perform either by standing or sitting, and have added drums and harmonicas.

Kulhudhuffushi on Haa Dhaalu Atoll is also known for kadhaamaali that is performed by a numerous drums and a kadhaa, which is made of a copper plate and rod. About thirty men take part and they are dressed in costumes of the devil spirits (known as maali). Kadhaamaali involves a traditional walk around of the island and late at night the elders order to ward the maali. This type of walk takes three days which is also followed by music and dancing of popular songs and dances. Maldivians feel some connection to the Northern India through their language, which is related to the languages of the North India. The greatest older generation or traditional Maldivians like to watch the Hindi movies during the 60s and 70s and also listen to the songs of those movies. The motive is that out the similar language, similar rhythms and cadences are developed. In fact it is easy for Maldivians to fit the local lyrics to a Hindi tune because of this cultural closeness. For instance, Ek din in Hindi word is one day which is changed to E kudin to mean those kids in Dhivehi and in this manner a new local song initiated.

Before the cable TV, most of the renowned radio programs from the Voices of Maldives (VOM) were those broadcasting the older Hindi songs like the Vakivumuge kurin before the breakup. One of the rural islands, the Hindi songs is still the most famous songs, especially the old people from Mukesh, Asha Bhonsle, Mohammed Rafi, Lata Mangeshkar, Kishore Kumar and Hemant Kumar. With that, the most popular Maldivian songs are based in or influenced by the Hindi songs.

The renowned musical instrument of Maldivians, apart from the drum, is the bulbul tarang, a type of horizontal accordion. The instrument is also used to follow devotional song such as Maadhaha. Singer like Naifaru Dohokko who became popular through his songs with bulbul music in the background, the first bulbuls were brought from the Calcutta during the early 19^th century. Effects from the North Indian music and dances traced back to that time and they did not start the broadcasting of Hindi songs by radio until the 60s and 70s.

Also there are female singers that produce traditional songs and among the most famous are Fareeda Hasan and Jemuge Donkamanaa, whose songs continue to be valued by Maldivians though both of the women are death.