Extra: Maldives Art

Some of the most skilled craftsmen in the world are known to live in the Maldives. Due to tourism it has many art galleries with beautiful artwork created by the Maldivian people. Trades and skills have been passed over centuries leading to the perfection of artwork they have today. People from all over the world travel there to see and purchase the art. Craftsmanship has been very valuable to Maldivian culture since foreign trade rarely reached their lands. Some examples of crafts are the huge boats they build from wood, the Thundukunaa mats that are woven, and their wooden lacquer ware which is a local wood that has been transformed into beautiful bowls, baskets, boxes, etc. Here are some pictures:
 

  

References

Websites:

• google.com/imghp
• http://www.orbital-maldives-holidays.co.uk/maldives-history-and-culture/
• http://www.infoplease.com/country/maldives.html?pageno=1
• http://www.vermillionmaldives.com/maldives-birds.htm
• http://wildernessmaldives.com/?page_id=37
• http://oilprice.com/Latest-Energy-News/World-News/Maldives-Buying-Land-In-Australia-As-Preparation-For-Mass-Migration.html
• http://www.timesofisrael.com/maldives-president-visits-palestine-and-skips-israel/
• http://www.maldivesculture.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=134&Itemid=76
• https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mv.html
• http://maafushimaldives.com/maldives-arts/
• Facebook.com

Academic Journal Articles:

• Adam, M., & Urquhart, C. (2007). IT capacity building in developing countries: A model of the Maldivian tourism sector.Information Technology For Development, 13(4), 315-335. doi:10.1002/itdj.20065
• Akahashi, H. (1999). Maldivian National Security--and the Threats of Mercenaries. Round Table, 88(351), 433.
• MALDIVES. (2003). Index on Censorship, 32(2), 159.
• Scheyvens, R. (2011). The challenge of sustainable tourism development in the Maldives: Understanding the social and political dimensions of sustainability. Asia Pacific Viewpoint, 52(2), 148-164. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8373.2011.01447.x

Books:

• As, Xavier. (2012). Folk tales of the Maldives. Copenhagen: NIAS Press.
• Grimmett, R., & Inskipp, C. (2012). Birds of India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives (2nd ed.). Princeton: Princeton University Press.
• Lum, Roseline. (2011). Maldives ([2nd ed.). New York: Marshall Cavendish Benchmark.

Maldivian Cultural Survival

      

The Maldivian people face a few challenges and threats in continuing their survival and maintaining their culture. They fear to once again fall into dictatorship. They are now a democratic republic like many other parts of the world and they are happy with that. They fear once again having a tyrant. 
Also, many neighboring countries want to take over the Maldives and make it part of their countries due to it's good standing in tourism and economy. The Maldivian people protest a lot and become upset when other countries talk about doing this.
All the tourism has a big influence on the people. So many people from all over the world go there for vacation. They bring their own beliefs with them and ways of living. The Maldivian people enjoy their fishing and hunting-gathering culture and Muslim way of life. They try not to let outsiders affect their way of living or influence change in their lifestyles.

Interview

          
I interviewed someone I found on Facebook that is of Maldivian Culture and lives in the Maldives. I told him I was a student in college in the United States and was doing a project on The Maldives and if I could ask him a few questions. I did this with almost 15 people that I found on Facebook that are from the Maldives. Only one replied and it was this person. He was born and still lives in Male, Maldives. His name is Ahmed Hassan. I just asked him a few simple typical questions about himself. Here are the five that I asked:

• What is your favorite food? RE: "Dosa."
• What is your favorite movie? RE: "Happy Days."
• What are your hobbies? RE: "Not to have a hobby is my hobby." (I thought that was weird)
• Do you have any siblings? RE:"Yes, one elder brother."
• Are you close to your family? RE:"Yes we are very close."

(The picture above is not him, it is from google "Maldive People," he did not want his picture used.)

Here are pictures I googled of his favorite food "Dosa" and favorite movie "Happy Days":