Tuesday, January 2. 2007
Our history. A fantasy?
Maldives is pretty old but much of the Maldivian history seems to be shrouded in mystery. That remains the case even with things that are at the very core of our ancestry and our culture. The bulk of what we have are just stories of some of the important moments in history. We've all learnt of Boduthakurufaanu, Alirasgefaanu and the lot but I can't help think of them as nothing more than mere folklore that stink with excessive valour and patriotism. Just how real are these accounts from our history?
One of the bigger moments in Maldivian history is the conversion of the entire nation to Islam. I regard the moment as "big" simply because the conversion of a scattered population of people of different backgrounds and beliefs must have been no easy feat, to say the least. What more, that moment seems to be the starting point for most if not all of what we know of our past. The various religions, beliefs, temples and idols that existed before the introduction of Islam just seem to have vanished in entirety except for a handful of remains. Were it not for these our past would probably be even murkier. Whatever really happened for the country to convert, how it converted and what happened in the ensuing years is all a matter of no-speak with the magical and beautiful story of Rannamaari to be plugged-in conveniently instead to wipe the awkward silence.
The legend of Rannamaari has two versions - a "traditional" version and an Ibn-Batuta narrated version. Both of the stories speak of a monster that rises out of the sea once a month demanding the sacrifice of a virgin girl which the people of Male' obligingly provided. The people supposedly drew straws among the families to select fresh virgin twat every month for the horny monster. Interestingly, the monster left the girl dead but unscathed otherwise, after it had done whatever it is that monsters usually do. An Arab traveller is credited to have gotten rid of this monster by offering to take place of the girl one month and reciting Quran at the sacrificial temple - an act which the monster apparently found extremely terrifying that it never returned! The Arab traveller called on the king to convert which he then passed on to the rest of the people and everyone lived happily ever after. It was the perfect ending to the perfect fairytale!
However, interestingly, it seems it wasn't until quite recently that the story was acknowledged for what it is - a fantasy story. "Medhu Ziyaaraiy", the mausoleum supposedly housing the body of the revered Abul-Barakaath-ul Barbaree - the Arab hero of the Rannamaari story, stand as evidence of this Rannamaari incident. Few of us have ever seen inside the place and almost never in person. Yet, just single-digit generations ago people believed the Rannamaari story so much that if one were to ask of it from the ageing generation they'd speak of it with utter conviction and reminisce the respect that they all commanded to the Abul-Barakaath mausoleum - a respect that was so intense that they stopped and prayed for the mofo every time they passed by the mausoleum. It is as if the story is both real and imaginary!
The Portugese occupation of Maldives is another major event in our history. It is regarded as a painful period in our history, the rescue from which made for another fascinating story. It gave rise to a public holiday, after all we prevailed over a mighty empire of the time. But, sadly, even this story has its nasty twist. Evidence of an official Portugese presence in the Maldives is sketchy. I distinctly remember my Dad telling me of this incident where he mentioned the Portugese episode in our history to a top Portugese official during one of his meetings. Needless to say, the Portugese weren't too amused by it, considering they don't recall of ever setting up official camp in our sandy beaches. So was it a scam too? The story may not hold anything to it apart from that the Maldives was occupied by a renegade that managed to scare the Maldivians and keep them at bay for years! More details of it are available here. The supposed Portugese rule in the Maldives is documented in the book "Dhivehinnai Portugeesun" (available for download).
There might have been a very good reason for the invention and sustenance of the Rannamaari fantasy and the other more acceptable tales of our past. The imaginary becomes acceptable reality in the absence of the truth. Fantasy gets invented to cover up the detestable - i.e. cosmetic covers for something much bloodier, less heroic, less admirable and most certainly less entertaining. This self-deceit seem to have become a way of life for Maldivians and as more and more of our history turn out to be make-believe there is left nothing precious in the little bit of national and cultural identity that we ever had...
One of the bigger moments in Maldivian history is the conversion of the entire nation to Islam. I regard the moment as "big" simply because the conversion of a scattered population of people of different backgrounds and beliefs must have been no easy feat, to say the least. What more, that moment seems to be the starting point for most if not all of what we know of our past. The various religions, beliefs, temples and idols that existed before the introduction of Islam just seem to have vanished in entirety except for a handful of remains. Were it not for these our past would probably be even murkier. Whatever really happened for the country to convert, how it converted and what happened in the ensuing years is all a matter of no-speak with the magical and beautiful story of Rannamaari to be plugged-in conveniently instead to wipe the awkward silence.
The legend of Rannamaari has two versions - a "traditional" version and an Ibn-Batuta narrated version. Both of the stories speak of a monster that rises out of the sea once a month demanding the sacrifice of a virgin girl which the people of Male' obligingly provided. The people supposedly drew straws among the families to select fresh virgin twat every month for the horny monster. Interestingly, the monster left the girl dead but unscathed otherwise, after it had done whatever it is that monsters usually do. An Arab traveller is credited to have gotten rid of this monster by offering to take place of the girl one month and reciting Quran at the sacrificial temple - an act which the monster apparently found extremely terrifying that it never returned! The Arab traveller called on the king to convert which he then passed on to the rest of the people and everyone lived happily ever after. It was the perfect ending to the perfect fairytale!
However, interestingly, it seems it wasn't until quite recently that the story was acknowledged for what it is - a fantasy story. "Medhu Ziyaaraiy", the mausoleum supposedly housing the body of the revered Abul-Barakaath-ul Barbaree - the Arab hero of the Rannamaari story, stand as evidence of this Rannamaari incident. Few of us have ever seen inside the place and almost never in person. Yet, just single-digit generations ago people believed the Rannamaari story so much that if one were to ask of it from the ageing generation they'd speak of it with utter conviction and reminisce the respect that they all commanded to the Abul-Barakaath mausoleum - a respect that was so intense that they stopped and prayed for the mofo every time they passed by the mausoleum. It is as if the story is both real and imaginary!
The Portugese occupation of Maldives is another major event in our history. It is regarded as a painful period in our history, the rescue from which made for another fascinating story. It gave rise to a public holiday, after all we prevailed over a mighty empire of the time. But, sadly, even this story has its nasty twist. Evidence of an official Portugese presence in the Maldives is sketchy. I distinctly remember my Dad telling me of this incident where he mentioned the Portugese episode in our history to a top Portugese official during one of his meetings. Needless to say, the Portugese weren't too amused by it, considering they don't recall of ever setting up official camp in our sandy beaches. So was it a scam too? The story may not hold anything to it apart from that the Maldives was occupied by a renegade that managed to scare the Maldivians and keep them at bay for years! More details of it are available here. The supposed Portugese rule in the Maldives is documented in the book "Dhivehinnai Portugeesun" (available for download).
There might have been a very good reason for the invention and sustenance of the Rannamaari fantasy and the other more acceptable tales of our past. The imaginary becomes acceptable reality in the absence of the truth. Fantasy gets invented to cover up the detestable - i.e. cosmetic covers for something much bloodier, less heroic, less admirable and most certainly less entertaining. This self-deceit seem to have become a way of life for Maldivians and as more and more of our history turn out to be make-believe there is left nothing precious in the little bit of national and cultural identity that we ever had...
