Maldivian Culture

Very little is known about ancient people and their style of life. Historians put forward that the most primitive colonizers of the place voyaged from Indian Subcontinent, eastern Africa and Arabia among other lands. Data shows that Maldives has been flourishing and nurturing homes to people since primeval times (4th century B.C.). Presently the natives of Maldives exist as a mixed race. A survey conducted in 1997 estimated that the total population of the place is 263,189 out of which 127,647 (approximately 48.5%) are women. The stature is expected to rise in the upcoming years.

The inhabitants of the Maldives reflect the unique grandeur culture of the place. They exist as a miniature kin based society tied by the knots of common culture and history. They communicate through Dhivehi language and are devote their heart to Islam. Their belief in Islam adds a touch of vigor in their lifestyle. Dedication to the faith strengthens their unity and existence. It acts as a source of divine power. Both men and women folk are purely loyal towards the President, community and the whole nation. The faith in oneself and each other mirrors traditional family bonds. The inhabitants of Maldives are spiritual as well as intelligent. They welcome the visitors cheerfully and respectfully.

The populace of the land echoes an ideal blend of modernity and tradition. All hold the right to an education. Everyone has room to contribute equally to the economic life of the nation. In all, no marked disparities exist among the people.

Approximately 200,000 people extend over the islands of Maldives. The capital city of Male’ provides a niche to around one fourth of them. Village people may not reveal their true hospitality as they are shy of foreigners. But the warmth will elicit soon when you will be served with fresh coconut milk and freshly prepared hot snack (usually from sea food).

Soccer, swimming and diving, tennis, cricket and badminton are very popular sports of this land of islands. Juveniles are encouraged here to grow emotionally, mentally as well as physically. Values like honesty, friendliness and kindness are imbibed in the blood and soil of the place. Old customs have been preserved here like jewels of artistic grandeur.

The government is dedicated and enthusiastically works towards improving the standard of living of people. Children are boosted to opt and strive for advanced education. Government sponsors grants for young students to pursue higher education abroad and then come back and serve the nation.

Enthusiastic, dynamic and intelligent young women work diligently and vigorously to serve the people and nation. They embrace significant stance in the working of the government. As the dawn basks around, fishermen get set ready to embrace their craft with silver, ladies attired in traditional costumes flounce the base of the school building cleaning it for the Independence Day celebrations. If you are in this land, you will find people devotionally offering the religious prayers five times a day at one of the numerous mosques. Colorful festivals add that touch of vibrance to the exuberant, talented and dynamic people of the country.

In all, the culture of the Maldives is very warm, friendly and welcoming – a place to enjoy and dream of revisiting.

Maldives Economy

Tourism has been the main factor for the growth of Maldives economy which is growing at a rate of over 10% for the past 20 years. This is contributing to the GDP at a good rate. The field of trading and fisheries also contribute well to it. Foreigners are always welcomed in the Maldives to invest, and they do so too, giving a boost to the economy.

The two currencies used in the Maldives are Laaris and Rufiyas. One US Dollar is equivalent to approximately 12 Rufiyas. The Rufiyas are not available in coins, but notes of 500, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 2 being the least. People can pay for their stay at resorts and villas with hard cash or through major credit cards. Foreign currency which is common to be found in Maldives is the American Dollar.

The literacy rate among the people is pretty good, that is 98%, and the medium of teaching is English in almost all the schools, though certain schools use Arabic and their Maldivian language to propagate education. The system of teaching is followed as like the British system.

The Government is trying its best to improve the health facilities in the country. The biggest hospital is located at the capital island of Maldives, which is Male’. Doctors from all parts of the world practice and treat here to provide excellent healthcare facilities. Even the resorts and villas have doctors appointed for cases of emergencies to treat the guests. There are many private hospitals and practitioners spread all over the country.

The communication system in Maldives was not that sophisticated, but in the last ten years it has shown a great deal of improvement. The advancement in technology has reached these islands which are now able to communicate with the outside world without any hassle. Dhiraagu, which is a British company related to wireless and cable connections has played an important role in it by providing mobiles for rent and also internet connection.

Since Maldives is located on the equatorial region of the world, it receives daylight from 6am to 6pm almost throughout the year. Here the weekend is on Friday and Saturday, and people have to work from Sunday to Thursday. The sector which comes under the Government; people have to work from 7:30 in the morning to 2:30 in the afternoon, while the ones living in the private sector work from 9am to 5pm.

Maldives History

The Maldives is an island country comprising of 1192 islands and 26 natural atolls. The history of this nation is as interesting as its overwhelming natural beauty. Being located at the major maritime routes of the Indian Ocean, this island country had certain important historic moments throughout it’s past. Except a small period of 15 years in the 16th century, when the Portuguese occupied the island country of Maldives, it has been independent all through its history. After the Portuguese were overthrown it became a British Protectorate for about 80 years in the 19th century. However, the Maldivians gained complete independence in the year 1965.

Historians claim that at the time around 500 B.C., when the Aryan immigrants colonized Srilanka, they settled in the island of Maldives too. It was the beginning of human civilization in the Maldives. Further many people from South India and Srilanka also migrated to this island country. With the help of the latest archeological sources, historians suggest this nation to be inhabited as early as the 1500 B.C. However the first recorded contact of this nation with the outside world began in 947 A.D. when an Arab traveler came to this island country with the idea of trading. It was then, that the world really got to know how rich Maldives was in coconuts, pearls, spices, dried fish and certainly the cowry shells.

The outside world had a real impact on the culture and the history of Maldives. Buddhist traditions and practices were in vogue for the early traders but with the influence of the Persian and Arabic traders, Maldivians converted into Islam. This era is very important in the Maldivian history. The national language Dhivehi also seems to have been highly influence by the Arabic and the Persian language.

After Abul Barakaath Yoosuf Al-Barbary, the first recognized king of the Maley dynasty converted to Islam, all the rulers came to be known as Sultans. Sultan Mohammed-bin-Abdullah was the new name for king Koimala for a good part of his 25 years reign. The Maley dynasty ruled for about 235 years and then gave space to the Hilali dynasty who kept their control on the Maldives for about another 170 years.

The last ruler of the Hilali dynasty, Sultan Ali VI was defeated by Captain Andreas Andre of the Portuguese army. The colonialist’s tried to maintain their control on the Maldives for about 15 years. But it was the time when the real Maldivian hero was born. It was Mohammed Thakurufaan who made everything possible that the Portuguese were thrown out of the nation. Even today one can easily see a lot of love and respect among the local Maldivians for their hero. Muhammad reigned for a peaceful 12 years and died in the year 1585. The Utheemu dynasty of Muhammad however continued to rule over the Maldives for about 127 years. The next ruler after the Utheemu dynasty was Raja of Cannanore from the South coast of India who destroyed the royal palace and sent the Sultan into exile. However under the guidance of Ghazi Hassan lzzaddeen, the Maldivian forces recombined and defeated the Raja of Cannanore. This was the beginning of the Huraage dynasty, which continued till Maldives were announced to be Republic.

Today this island country of Maldives is completely independent and the local people are really enjoying their life in this beautiful naturally designed nation. The Maldives have good cultural and economic ties with its neighboring countries like India and Srilanka. The Mulee Aage, which is the president’s residence and the Hukuru Miskiy or the Friday Mosque are some of the historical monuments of this ancient nation.

Maldives Religion

Being one of the best holiday destinations in the world, there is a lot to notice about the heritage culture and the lifestyle of the local people of the Maldives. The main religion of this island country is Islam and all the people have true faith in their religion. Most of the local people of the Maldives are Sunni Muslims. They believe in their almighty “Allah” and conduct prayers 5 times a day in the nearby mosques. One can easily find a large number of stunning mosques and domes spread all over the inhabited islands of the Maldives.

It is more often than not said by the historians that Buddhism used to be the predominant religion of the Maldives before 1200 A.D. However, then Islam took over as the main religion of this island country and today one can easily find the impact of this sacred religion in the hearts of the local people. The beautiful golden dome of the Islamic center in the capital island Male, is a real treat to watch. This sacred dome was built in the year 1984 as a result of the President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom’s commitment to encourage and reinforce the character of the nation.

The artistic beauty involved in the making of this center is worth mentioning. Tourists’ coming to Male makes sure that they give a visit to this gorgeous center. The nicely built and comfortable interior of this center is often used for the necessary official occasions and regular meetings. The dark woodcarvings portray the religion’s history and are very special for the people of the Maldives. Worshippers get to see both the communication tower of the Postal building and the elegant minaret of the Islamic center while being in a mosque for offering prayers. It really seems to fill the gap between technology and tradition. The awesome beauty of the mosque gets breathtaking in the quite night and the tourist really feels it as a memorable moment of their life while standing at the steps and looking upwards at one of the most spectacular mosques of the world.

The Maldivians have a true faith in their religion and they believe in respecting other religions too. Maldivian hospitality to the tourists is something which can really show their respect towards other people. They look at Allah as the supreme of all the powers and the creator of the world. They believe that nothing can be done or even thought of without the permission of the almighty Allah. They consider “Muhammad” to be the messenger of Allah who can help them lead a pure life. Like all the other religions they believe that their deeds in their life will decide whether they will get hell or heaven after their death. Only good actions like offering alms to the poor, saying prayers five times a day, fasting for a whole month of Ramadan and offering a visit to the sacred Mecca can help them reach the heaven.

Maldivian Language – Dhivehi

Islam is the main religion which is followed in the Maldives and subsequently the national language, Dhivehi is found to have been highly influenced by the Arabic language. Dhivehi or Divehi as it is popularly known is an Indo–Aryan language which is spoken by more than 400,000 local people of the Maldives. Together with Arabic, this language is found to contain many of the Hindi, English, Malayalam, Portuguese and Persian words. The English words like “doni” and “atoll” are the adapted forms of the Maldivian words “Dhoni” and “Atolhu”.

Maldives is a group of large number of coral islands and so one may find a difference in the vocabulary and pronunciation of the Dhivehi language among the people of different islands. The Maliku Bas, Male’ Bas, Moloki Bas, Huvadu Bas and the Addu Bas are the different variants of the Dhivehi language spoken in the island country of the Maldives. Maliku Bas is the only Dhivehi language that is used in writing. All the other languages are simply spoken or find there presence felt in the classical Maldivian poetry and songs.

The Maldivians uses three levels of speech in the Dhivehi language

• “Enme maaiy goiy” finds place in addressing the members of the royal blood and the upper class.
• “Maaiy goiy” finds place for showing respect for the elders.
• “Aadhaige goiy” is used in everyday life and is the most informal level of speech used for talking.

The people of Maldives hardly greet anyone with a “hello” or a “goodbye”. Instead these islanders welcome each other with a smile on their face and raising their eyebrows. Some time they may use the normal Arabic welcoming words “Assalaamu Alaikum” while greeting each other. Similarly they may use the word “Dhanee” for wishing goodbye to anyone.

Some more useful phrases used in the Dhivehi language are:
“Aan” for “Yes”
“Noon” for “No”
“Kihineh?” for “How are you?”
“Shukuriyaa” for “Thank you”
“Ma-aafu kurey” for “I am sorry”
“Gadin kihaa ireh?” for “what time is it?”

The Dhivehi language is currently written using the Tana or Thaana script which is written from right to left. This Thaana script is said to be invented in the 16th century after the defeat of the Portuguese. The earlier Dhivehi language has gone through many transformations in the past centuries, and one can easily find the ancient Dhivehi language inscribed on the historical metal tabs which are known as “Loamaafaanu”.

Dhivehi is importantly used in the administration of the country and all the Maldivians respect their national language. The local schools used to consider Dhivehi as the medium of teaching till 1960. But with the government understanding the importance of globalization, has introduced English as the medium of education in all the schools. Many of the Maldivian kids are now familiar with the English language early in their life. The literacy rate of this island country is something around 98% and is far better than other South Asian countries.

Vital Information about the Maldives

Items Which are Prohibited

There are certain items which are not allowed by the Government Law to import them in the country. The Items are as follows:

• Any type of Nuclear Weapons or Gunpowder is not allowed
• Spear Guns, Chemicals which are hazardous and importing addictive drugs can bring some serious trouble for you. People are given life imprisonment for it
• Acids and different types of poisoning material is prohibited
• Animals which can be dangerous are not allowed. Carrying Liquor and Pork is also not advisable as it will be returned only during your departure. These are available at the resorts and hotels in Maldives
• Material which contain pornography should not be carried along with you
• Items which are made from endangered species are not allowed

Using a Private Jet

If you wish to enter the Islands of Maldives through air in a private jet, or pass over it, you require the permission from the Civil Aviation. You need to apply to Director of it 72 hours before you intend to land into the country in your private jet.

Using a Private Yacht

The customs are the ones who can give you the permission to enter Maldives in your private yacht. It can be granted only if they are notified 3 days before you arrive.

Crews Working for Professional Film-Makers

If the foreign film industry wants to shoot advertisements, movies and documentaries at the exotic location of Maldives, it can only be carried out after the Maldives Ministry of Arts, Culture and Information allow them to do so.

Maldives Visa Requirements

To get an entry to the Republic of Maldives, there are certain requirements which need to be fulfilled by the visitors after which the entry permit can be granted to them. The requirements to be fulfilled are stated as follows:

• A valid international travel document should be present which is issued by the government of Sovereign State’s.
• A return air ticket which is a valid one; to the next destination where the person has planned to go. He or she should have the permission to enter that destination and also the visa to carry on with his journey to that place.
• A reservation at a hotel should be made prior to your visit to Maldives and every person should have a minimum $30 (US) per day along with them.

The above requirements are exempted for the following people:

• UN Personnel
• A Diplomat
• People who are approved for employment
• People who are attached to the Government and are experts in the Technical and other fields as well
• Those who have bookings which are confirmed in hotels and tourist resorts which are registered under the government
• The ones who are sponsored by a Maldivian

A prior visa is not a necessity to enter Maldives. When the visitors arrive at designated ports, they get the entry permit based on the immigration requirements.

Sponsorship

The sponsorship program helps a foreigner to enter the Republic of Maldives without much of a hassle. The form for this purpose is available at the immigration and should be filled and submitted by the sponsor.

Without the sponsorship being approved, the foreigner cannot get entry to Maldives. It is the foreigner headache to make sure that the sponsorship program is approved before he or she lands up into Maldives. Any local person of Maldives or a locally registered company can act as a sponsor.

The Renewal of Tourist Visa

The renewal process of the tourist visa can only take place if the person applies to the immigration for a renewal before the existing visa gets expired. Immigration studies the person’s financial condition to make sure that he or she can stay at Maldives. The Extension Application form is required to be filled and applied, and this form is available at the Head Office during work hours only. This extension can be granted to a maximum of 90 days only, including the days which were already granted on arrival. An extra charge of Rufiyaa 750 is applicable as a visa fee if the stay is extended to the maximum that is of 90 days. If the number of days of extension is added to the number of days already granted, and the result is not more than 30 days, then no extra fee on the visa will be charged. Those foreigners who do not extend their visa or stay for more number of days than granted, maybe deported from the Republic of Maldives.