Ethnicity | Language |
Dhivehi Phrases
Family Life | Religion | Food
 Ethnicity
The origins of the Maldivian people are shrouded in mystery.
The First settlers may well have been from Sri Lanka and Southern India.
Some say Aryans, who sailed in their reed boats from Lothal in the Indus
Valley about 4,000 years ago, probably followed them. Archeological evidence
suggests the existence Hinduism and Buddhism before the country embraced
Islam in 1153 A.D.Not surprisingly, the faces of today's Maldivian display
the features of various faces that inhabit the lands around the Indian Ocean
shipping and maritime routes, the Maldives has long been a melting pot for
African, Arab and South East Asian mariners.
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Language
The language of the Maldivians is Dhivehi, a language which is
placed in the Indro-Indian group of languages. Dhivehi with its roots in
Sanskrit and according to some researchers Elu, an ancient form of Sinhala,
(spoken in Sri Lanka), is strongly influenced by the major languages of the
region. The language has been influenced heavily from Arabic since the
advent of the Islam in 1153 and English in more recent times, especially
since the introduction of English as a medium of education in the early
1960s.
Given the wide dispersion of islands it is not surprising that the
vocabulary and pronunciation vary from atoll to atoll, with the difference
being more significant in the dialects spoken in the southernmost atolls.
The Maldivian script known as thaana was invented during the 16th century
soon after the country was liberated from Portuguese rule. Unlike former
scripts thaana is written from right to left. This was devised to
accommodate Arabic words that are frequently used in Dhivehi. There are 24
letters in the thaana alphabet.
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Dhivehi
Phrases
| Hello (formal) |
Assalaamu
Alaikum |
| Hello (informal) |
Kihineh? |
| How are you? |
Haalu kihineh? |
| Yes |
Aan |
| No |
Noon |
| Where? |
Kobaa? |
| Why? |
Keevve? |
| Who? |
Kaaku? |
| There |
Ethaa |
| Here |
Mithaa |
| What? |
Koacheh? |
| This |
Mi |
| That |
E |
| What is (your)name? |
Kon nameh kiyanee? |
| My name is |
Aharenge namakee |
| Good |
Ran'galhu |
| Goodbye (informal) |
Dhanee |
| Where are you from? |
Kon rasheh? |
| Thank you |
Shukuriyaa |
| I am sorry |
Ma-aafu kurey |
| How old are you? |
Umurun kihaa vareh? |
| My age is |
Aharenge umurakee |
| Where are (you) going? Or
What place are we going? |
Kon thanakah
dhanee? |
| What time are (we) going? |
Kon irakun dhanee? |
| What is the price? |
Agu kihaavareh? |
| How long will it take? |
Kihaa ireh nagaanee? |
| What time is it? |
Gadin kihaa ireh? |
| What island is that? |
E-ee kon rasheh? |
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Family
Life
The close-knit island communities practice mutual aid to
survive difficult circumstances. A system of extended families provide a
safety net for members of a family going through a difficult period. In
addition to the parents other members of the family also contribute in the
care of children. Traditionally men go out fishing during the day and women
are responsible to look after the affairs of the family and vary often the
community. This remains so even today in smaller island communities.
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Religion
Since Maldives embraced Islam in 1153, Island has been
central to the life of Maldivians. The main events and festivalss of
Maldivian life follow the Muslim Calendar. From infancy children are taught
the Arabic alphabet. Religious education is provided both at home and at
school. Islam is part of the school curriculum and is taught concurrently
with other subjects.
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Food
Maldives being at an important crossroad in the Indian
Ocean, traders and visitors over time have left their mark on Maldivian
cuisine in addition to contributing towards the moulding of the country's
culture and norms.
As the Maldives comprises more sea than land, it is only natural that fish
(mainly tuna) have always been the most prominent element of Maldivian food.
However, with travelers from different parts of the world, new seasonings
and vegetables were introduced in to the country and added to the existing
(limited) repertoire of seafood and tubers (e.g. taro & sweet potato). Each
new discovery was incorporated into the diet in quantities most palatable to
Maldivians. Thus Maldivian cuisine now comprises Arabic, Indian, Sri Lanka
and Oriental tastes blended into a unique cuisine that embodies a culinary
identity of its own. source:
www.mymaldives.com
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