During the ancient times when there were no territorial borders, nations were mostly separated from their culture and ethnicity. Due to the extreme remoteness of the Maldive islands, the islanders of different communities and ethnic groups evolved into the Maldivian demographic and thus the island nation was born. Maldivians were not aware of the colonialism efforts that were raging over the continents during that time, as their only focus remained in survival. Hunting, gathering and doing all sorts of primary work to sustain the community, political affairs were not of interest and to this day Maldivians have to live in regret.
Maldivian monarchs fancied their titles as “King/Queen of Twelve Thousand Islands” where the number twelve thousand was an exaggeration for twelve-hundred in common Dhivehi speaking. However, it was more surprising as the two words “Malikaddu Midhemedhu” were written in the ancient scriptures. In Dhivehi, this statement translates to “In-between Maliku and Addu” in reference to the realm of the Maldive monarchy. Maliku (Minicoy) was the northernmost atoll of the Maldives while Addu is the Southernmost, however after the colonial era, Maldive territory drew a line between Maliku and Ihavandhippolhu Atoll removing Maliku from the Maldives.
Maliku, now part of the Indian territory had ended their ties with the Maldives a long time ago, and that was due to the great neglegence of the Maldive kingdom. Sometime during the 17th Century when Maldives recently won through the Malabarian invasion, Maliku faced a great tragedy from the tropical cyclone. When the survivors of Maliku sailed to Male’ asking for the King’s help, the King refused as he had spent so much on the Malabarian war. In the end, people of Maliku were forced to beg to the King of Kannanur (Ali Raja), who offered them help for their housing and agriculture, in return for their loyalty. Ever since then, Maliku people considered themselves part of India. Even-though they politically referred to India, Maldivians did not end their connection with Maliku especially through the travel route between H.A Thuraakunu and Minicoy. In Maliku, they spoke the Maldivian language- Dhivehi and carried out Maldivian customs that made it almost impossible to split the atoll from the Maldives. However, in 1976 both governments of India and the Maldives signed a ‘Maritime Boundary Treaty’ where Maliku was officially placed outside of Maldive territory. Since then, direct sea travel from Maldives to Maliku was officially banned, cutting off the Maliku people from the Maldives forever.
Today, a part of the Maldive demographic is going extinct as we watch. As time passes, the Indian culture plays a major role in influencing the Maliku-Maldivian culture. The dialect of Maliku is slowly being forgotten as Malayalam and Hindhi are more enforced during political and educational affairs. As Maliku is now a part of India, the use of Maldive tradition, language and culture fails to be of importance, thus is on the verge of being faded from the world.
Many argue and blame many authorities for this undertaking, however history of the colonial era has disrupted many cultures and ethnic groups. It is only the future we will see, to which evolution and diversity will come to be. Maldives once had an atoll called Maliku or more, but now it is time to move on.
