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Traditional Dress of Maldives - 5 Local Traditional Maldives Dresses
India’s strength lies in its diversity, multiplicity, and ethnicity. Every region of India has its very own lingual and traditional culture. The Maldives is no exception. The Maldives inherited parts of the Arabic, Indian and Sri Lankan culture but retained a unique blend of all. They do reflect much of their customs and traditions. This can be seen in the way they dress. Their apparels are diverse with combinations of different cultures clubbed into one island. The Maldives is a great tourist magnet impresses a lot of the tourists with their traditional costumes.
Here are a few of the traditional dresses of Maldives that are unique to the island that you will find men and women sporting around-
Women's Traditional Dress of Maldives
1. Dhivehi Libaas
Source Dhivehi Libaas, the traditional Maldives dress adorned by women is unique to the island boasting its embroidery techniques. It is all about highlighting the embroideries which are called Kasabu Viyun. They usually surround the neckline or sometimes on the dress borders. They are undoubtedly beautiful designs. They look best when weaved on bright fabrics. There are kurtas and long dresses which behold the embroideries. Kasabu viyun is nothing but gold and silver laced weavings pasted on a patch of clothing attached to Dhivehi Libaas.
One can see these traditional dresses of Maldives being widely worn in local islands and the city of Male. Dhivehi libaas is worn with an underskirt called feyli. It is best matched with it. Feyli is black or dark blue wrap-around which has a border at the bottom with different types of stripes. With the evolution of this piece of apparel, the original black lines have been replaced by gold and silver to match best with the libaas.
These dresses are widely worn during ceremonial occasions and dance performances. Dhivehi libaas is a little difficult to purchase as you have to get it tailored, but you can find it at some traditional dress shops and souvenir shops of Maldives.
2. Dhigu Hedhun
Source Also treated as the national dress of Maldives, it serves an essential purpose in representing the island's identity. This apparel is gown made with lace. It is elegant, made to fit the body contours well. The charm of the outfit lies in the elegance it reflects when it is worn. It is a lace creation, but with evolution, other textiles are also used. They are worn at important occasions such as formal and national functions. However, simpler versions of it are worn regularly by traditional ladies of the island. They are not as elaborate as the party Dhigu Hedhun outfits. They are worn along with minimal ornaments.
3. Hedhun Buri
Source Another traditional dress of Maldives is the Hedhun Buri. It was a daily-wear outfit in the earlier era. The young women of Maldives commonly wear this dress, especially on festivals and dance programs. The costume consists of long shimmery jacquard blouses with wrap-around skirts to pair with. They often come with head-bands matching with blouses. The attire is classy and beautiful. The skirts are worn with matching coloured skirts. It is an accurate representation of the Maldivian tradition. The outfits are rare to find, and if you get a hold of them, they are usually available in souvenir shops, or you have to get it tailor-made.
4. Burqa
SourceDue to Arabic influence in Maldives, women wear black robes and headscarves. They are worn mainly by their community, and one can identify them by their attire. It is out of religious respect that women continue to wear black robes and cover their heads. Not all those who wore Burqas adhered to the etiquette that went along with the traditional attire. They are worn with evolved and fashionable robes and scarves.
Men's Traditional Dresses of Maldives
5. Sarungan
SOURCE Men’s traditional dress of Maldives are simpler. They form the very beginning sported Sarungan which are long clothing wrapped around their waist. They are usually black with white stripes. They are very similar to Feyli- that which is worn under Dhivehi Libaas. It is matched with either a white long or short-sleeved shirt. The men usually wore this simple attire, mostly weaved in cotton fabrics. The Sarungans are smart, and light wears clothing piece.
Along with Sarungan, they usually wrapped their heads at times to cover their heads, either out of religious culture or to keep their heads protected from the scorching heat.
These traditional dresses of Maldives uphold Maldivian culture and customs. It is a true reflection of their history and traditions. It is sporadic that the attires have carried forward since aeons and stayed close to the hearts of the people. If you take a trip to this eye-catching and spell-bounding island, make sure to get your hands on their traditional dresses and take back home some as souvenirs and keepsakes for yourself. You are bound to look charming after wearing these outfits. Don’t miss out on them!
Food in Daily Life. Rice and fish are the staple foods. Fish is the most important source of protein in the average diet. Very few vegetables are eaten. Betel leaf with arecanut, cloves, and lime, known as foh, is chewed after meals. Old people smoke guduguda, an elongated pipe that goes through a trough of water. Most food served in tourist resorts is imported.
Food Customs at Ceremonial Occasions. Meat other than pork is eaten only on special occasions. Alcohol is not permitted except in tourist resorts. The local brew, raa , is a sweet toddy made from the crown of the coconut palm.
Basic Economy. All the fish that is consumed locally is from the domestic economy. Basic food commodities such as rice, sugar, and flour are imported. There are over seventy resort islands near the capital.
Land and Tenure and Property. Land belongs to the state and is given free to families in the island of their origin to build houses. The only exception is that public servants lease land where they work. In other islands, where tourist resorts, a cannery, the airport, and other small industries are located, employees are provided with temporary accommodations.
Young girls gather at a well. Almost half of the country's population is under fifteen years of age.
Commercial Activities. Because of the limited land mass, the main prospect for economic development is the country's marine resources. Fisheries, tourism, trade, and transport (shipping) constitute the principal economic base.
Major Industries. Fisheries and international tourism are the main industries. The economy has changed from a reliance on fisheries to a service-sector-based economy driven by international tourism. The main primary sector is fishing. The secondary sector consists of construction and manufacturing. In the tertiary sector, tourism, government administration, and transport are the dominant industries. Manufacturing output consists primarily of processed fish; apparel and clothing; cottage industries such as woven mats, coir rope, and handicrafts; and boat building industries.
Trade. In addition to food, the country imports manufactured goods such as petroleum products and various consumer goods. In 1997, these products were imported primarily from Singapore, India, Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, Malaysia, and the United Kingdom. About 80 percent of exports consist of frozen, dried, and salted skipjack tuna; canned fish; dried shark fins; and fish meal. A small manufacturing export sector exports apparel and clothing accessories. In 1997, the leading destinations for exports were the United Kingdom, the United States, Sri Lanka, Japan, and Singapore.
Division of Labor. There were approximately sixty-four thousand members of the Maldives workforce in 1999, one-third of whom were foreign workers. About 20 percent of the workforce in 1999 worked in the fishing industry; 15 percent in industry; 10 percent in tourism, and 55 percent in other sectors. The minimum working age is fourteen (sixteen for government work).
Culture of Maldives - Customs and Traditions of Maldives
Being an island nation, Maldives' culture is based on the island lifestyle and revolves around the sea. The culture of Maldives is influenced by the cultures of the Indians, Africans, Arabs and the Sri Lankans. Maldivians have assimilated parts of all these and built a culture that is unique. One can still find Dravidian influences on many aspects of the lifestyle of Maldives even today. As a result of this melange, although one can see similarities and link it back to other cultures, the Maldivian culture has emerged as its own unique identity - something which all Maldivians are proud of.
The official language of the Maldives is called Dhivehi which is of Indo-Iranian Sanskritic origin. One can see that this language borrows from all the influence and culture of Maldives. Dhivehi is related to Sinhalese - the language of Sri Lanka - and other Indian languages, although, now they're no longer mutually intelligible. The language is in the Thaana script and written from right to left like the Arab languages. Interestingly, the people of Maldives are locally called Dhivehin which can be traced back to the Indian word 'deevi' which means island.
Islam is the official and only allowed religion in the Maldives. To be a citizen or to own land, one has to be a Sunni Muslim. Historically, Maldives was a Buddhist country for a long time. However, in the 12th century, a North African Arab known as Abu Al Barakat brought the first Koran to the island. According to records, Maldives become an Islamic country in 1152 AD. Religion is an integral part of life here, and the culture of Maldives itself is based on the Islamic Sharia law.
The cuisine of Maldives, like the lifestyle, is dependant on the sea. Therefore, fish is an integral part of the culture of Maldivies. The style of cooking again draws influence from Arab, Indian and Sri Lankan styles. Another primary ingredient used in Maldivian cuisine is coconut and its products, such as coconut oil and milk. Favourite local food items include:
Garudhiya: A fish broth served with rice, lime, chilli and onions.
Mas huni: A popular food throughout the island, smoked shredded fish, is served with grated coconuts and onions.
Fihunu mas: Barbecued fish that is basted with chilli
Since the Maldives is an Islamic country and most of its citizens are staunch believers of Islam, alcohol is prohibited although a local toddy called 'raa' is consumed.
One can find food dishes and drinks from all around the world at the resorts they stay in due to the number of tourists in the country. Hence, food shouldn't be a concern for a visitor!
The Maldivians are expert craftsmen. They are incredibly skilled at wood carving and lacquer work making beautiful and intricate designs that are astounding. The carvings at the Friday mosque are a testament to these. The women of the country also make beautiful woven mats made from reeds that are dyed and woven into beautiful intricate patterns. One can also find beautiful jewellery made by locals adding to the culture of Maldives.
Both music and dance form an integral part of the culture of Maldives. Both of these are heavily influenced by North Indian styles of music and dance. The Indian film industry plays an essential role, with Bollywood movies and music being popular amongst a lot of people. Old Hindi songs still remain very popular and actually are an inspiration for many Maldivian songs too! The traditional dances of Maldives also draw strong inspiration from the Northern Indian classical dance form of Kathak.
A popular instrument in the Maldives is the bulbul tarang. Another type of very famous music and dance performances using the drums and incorporating their beat known as Bodu Beru (Big Drum) is said to have North-African roots.
Since the primary religion of the Maldives is Islam, most of the festivals celebrated here are Islamic festivals. The major festival of Maldives is Eid. It is revelled with pomp, and ardour throughout the country, like in other Islamic countries. The other big Islamic festival celebrated here is the birthday of the Prophet where mosques are full of people praying.
Another popular nation-wide festival and important to the culture of Maldives is the National Day celebrated on the first day of the third month of the lunar or Islamic calendar. The event sees parades and marches that go on in all parts of the country. Another patriotic event is the celebration of the Republic Day on November 11th celebrating the formation of the Republic of Maldives.
People celebrating National Day in Maldives (Source)
Maldivian Society and Occupation
As mentioned earlier, the society and culture of Maldives is dependant on the sea. Day to day life and society thus revolves around the sea and the jobs that people do. Unlike some other countries of South Asia that the Maldives borrows its culture from, where patriarchy is prevalent, and the women are expected to be subservient, in Maldives women play a crucial role in society. They hold influential positions and are a significant part of the workforce. It has even been postulated that society has matriarchal origins. Property is passed on both to sons and daughters, and often the women keep their maiden last name without adopting their husband's last name after marriage. The importance of women can be explained by the fact that the men were fishermen at least historically, and went out in the day to fish while the women handled homes and the other affairs outside.
Due to its position in the Indian Ocean, the Maldives has had a rich history. As per the records, early settlers haven't left any traces. There are possibilities that there were people from the coasts of Southern India who sailed and settled here. However, there remains no concrete evidence about the early settlers of Maldives. The first records of people on the Maldives are the Sinhala of Sri Lanka arriving and settling down. After an extended period of Buddhist rule, Maldives also saw Islamic influences. Today, the glorious island is a unitary presidential constitutional republic.
Although it draws many influences from cultures around the world, Maldives has assimilated them to create something of its own, something all Maldivians are proud of. What better way to experience this beautiful culture of Maldives than to come here and experience it first hand!
This nourishing fish soup is one of the staple Maldivian dishes. In its basic form, it is usually prepared with chunks of tuna that are slowly simmered in water, while the additions may include curry and pandan leaves, onions, or fresh chili peppers.
The soup is served with fresh or deep-fried chili peppers, sliced onions, rice, lemon wedges, or roshi (Maldivian flatbread) on the side.
