Music of the Maldives
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.
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.
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.
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.
For example, the Hindi words Ek din ("one day") are changed to 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").
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.
The day of the event, special food would be prepared, and beautifully displayed for the benefit of the Maulūd singers and a great number of guests coming from their rival island (or village), in their best dresses, on festively decorated boats.
This song was named hiy Adhu Roneeyey Nudhashey, which he admitted in a program broadcast on the anniversary of Television Maldives (TVM).
The Dhivehi band Zero Degree Atoll released an album named Dhoni ("Traditional Maldivian Boat").
This album had roots in folk and ancient arts such as Raivaru, a type of traditional poetry, where letters are swapped to be sung in a certain melody.
It is believed that the state sponsored radio and TV grew more in favor of foreign music, when most quintessential Dhivehi musicians started including political content in their lyrics.
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.
