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October 9, 2017 Maldivian Culture by ideas 0 Comments

Eid in Kelaa II

Tthe

Day 3

In the morning, a group of men gathered on a wide street with sticks made ahead in time for eid to play “Mandi/olhulaa mandi”. “Mandi” is a local sport played using a long stick (a bat) and small wooden pieces (3- 4 inch long, locally called “foali). It is played as two teams, one as the striking team and other team as the catching team.

A small dip was made in the ground and pieces were placed in the dip. Players hit the foali with the bat, which raises it into the air. With practiced precision, the player then strikes the foali hard towards the team on the other end of pitch. If the opponent catches the foali, the striker and the catcher will face a showdown, called “Udi enburun”, a type of synchronized dance similar to Capoeira. If the striker beats the catcher, he gets to play again. Or else he will be out. This art of playing mandi is slowly dying and today there are very few people who know the sport well and the proper way to perform the  “gulhamathi hiffun” and “Udi enburun”.  If we want to conserve this fading art, some serious work needs to be done and soon!

At the end of the game, the men dance over to the beach with live boduberu and clean themselves in the sea. As per tradition, women came to fetch the men from the sea. However, the modern twist is that instead of the hot herbal water and massage as in the past, now the women come with boduberu and hot noodle soup. Families enjoyed the meal together, bantering on the beach while enjoying the sea and the amazing view from the island as boduberu played in the background.

In the past, women would come to fetch the men from the beach playing drums and take them to a shady area on the beach. The area would be covered with dried coconut leaves and pots full of warm water with herbs. Women would give massages to players of mandi using the warm herbal water. This was called “veyogandu modun”. This is no longer practiced in the community.

 

 

Feel Sparse And Stark

In the evening there was a tug of war between male and female teams followed by an event held especially for children. As the evening went on, people gathered to perform a local play called “ vagu Kulhun”. The play is about a farmer trying to protect his banana trees from a group of thieves and involves a lot of improvisation. There is a leader among the thieves called “mula  vagu”  who leads the pack to steal the bananas. Also in the group of thieves is a doctor who treats all the injured thieves. The banana tree is guarded by the “Badi edhuru” (gun man) who shoots at and tries to kill the thieves as they try to steal the bananas. The end goal for badi edhuru is to kill the thieves before they steal the bananas; and for the thieves it is to steal the bananas without getting killed. Whoever finishes the job first wins the play. Special characters make appearances throughout the play to keep the audience entertained. Kids particularly enjoy this play, as do the adults who take part in playing and watching!

On the third night of Eid celebrations, the stage show continued but this time with more input from the community. Dance groups and short skits made their way on stage much to the amusement of the audience. The title group for the night was the popular rap group Symbolic Records. Most of the audience was rapping right along with the group, a testament to how popular they are in Kelaa!

How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Like It's In The French Countryside

Day 4

The activity died down just a little on day 4, when families took the day to spend time together at the Kelaa thundi area. People packed picnics and played watersports at the amazing beach and lagoon.

The sun set on the long Eid weekend surrounded by family, loved ones, good food and good tunes. An Eid well done in Kelaa!

  • Fusce justo ante, interdum in augue in, commodo imperdiet turpis.
  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  • Ut enim ad minim veniam, ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip.
  • Etiam purus lorem, aliquet a eros sit amet, vestibulum finibus.

Kitchens That’ll Make You Want To Redo Yours

The kitchen is probably the most used room in your house, so you want it to be a space you enjoy spending time in. From country casual to sleek and modern—and literally everything in between–we’ve got all the kitchen inspiration you could ever need. Marble countertops, we’re coming for you.  

There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a
difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are
afraid you will succeed

james jackson

The kitchen is probably the most used room in your house, so you want it to be a space you enjoy spending time in. From country casual to sleek and modern — and literally everything.  

Read More
September 24, 2017 Maldivian Culture by ideas 0 Comments

Eid in Kelaa I

Tthe

Day 3

In the morning, a group of men gathered on a wide street with sticks made ahead in time for eid to play “Mandi/olhulaa mandi”. “Mandi” is a local sport played using a long stick (a bat) and small wooden pieces (3- 4 inch long, locally called “foali). It is played as two teams, one as the striking team and other team as the catching team.

A small dip was made in the ground and pieces were placed in the dip. Players hit the foali with the bat, which raises it into the air. With practiced precision, the player then strikes the foali hard towards the team on the other end of pitch. If the opponent catches the foali, the striker and the catcher will face a showdown, called “Udi enburun”, a type of synchronized dance similar to Capoeira. If the striker beats the catcher, he gets to play again. Or else he will be out. This art of playing mandi is slowly dying and today there are very few people who know the sport well and the proper way to perform the  “gulhamathi hiffun” and “Udi enburun”.  If we want to conserve this fading art, some serious work needs to be done and soon!

At the end of the game, the men dance over to the beach with live boduberu and clean themselves in the sea. As per tradition, women came to fetch the men from the sea. However, the modern twist is that instead of the hot herbal water and massage as in the past, now the women come with boduberu and hot noodle soup. Families enjoyed the meal together, bantering on the beach while enjoying the sea and the amazing view from the island as boduberu played in the background.

In the past, women would come to fetch the men from the beach playing drums and take them to a shady area on the beach. The area would be covered with dried coconut leaves and pots full of warm water with herbs. Women would give massages to players of mandi using the warm herbal water. This was called “veyogandu modun”. This is no longer practiced in the community.

 

 

Feel Sparse And Stark

In the evening there was a tug of war between male and female teams followed by an event held especially for children. As the evening went on, people gathered to perform a local play called “ vagu Kulhun”. The play is about a farmer trying to protect his banana trees from a group of thieves and involves a lot of improvisation. There is a leader among the thieves called “mula  vagu”  who leads the pack to steal the bananas. Also in the group of thieves is a doctor who treats all the injured thieves. The banana tree is guarded by the “Badi edhuru” (gun man) who shoots at and tries to kill the thieves as they try to steal the bananas. The end goal for badi edhuru is to kill the thieves before they steal the bananas; and for the thieves it is to steal the bananas without getting killed. Whoever finishes the job first wins the play. Special characters make appearances throughout the play to keep the audience entertained. Kids particularly enjoy this play, as do the adults who take part in playing and watching!

On the third night of Eid celebrations, the stage show continued but this time with more input from the community. Dance groups and short skits made their way on stage much to the amusement of the audience. The title group for the night was the popular rap group Symbolic Records. Most of the audience was rapping right along with the group, a testament to how popular they are in Kelaa!

How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Like It's In The French Countryside

Day 4

The activity died down just a little on day 4, when families took the day to spend time together at the Kelaa thundi area. People packed picnics and played watersports at the amazing beach and lagoon.

The sun set on the long Eid weekend surrounded by family, loved ones, good food and good tunes. An Eid well done in Kelaa!

  • Fusce justo ante, interdum in augue in, commodo imperdiet turpis.
  • Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit.
  • Ut enim ad minim veniam, ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip.
  • Etiam purus lorem, aliquet a eros sit amet, vestibulum finibus.

Kitchens That’ll Make You Want To Redo Yours

The kitchen is probably the most used room in your house, so you want it to be a space you enjoy spending time in. From country casual to sleek and modern—and literally everything in between–we’ve got all the kitchen inspiration you could ever need. Marble countertops, we’re coming for you.  

There are two types of people who will tell you that you cannot make a
difference in this world: those who are afraid to try and those who are
afraid you will succeed

james jackson

The kitchen is probably the most used room in your house, so you want it to be a space you enjoy spending time in. From country casual to sleek and modern — and literally everything.  

Read More
August 24, 2017 Maldives HistoryState of Mangroves by ideas 0 Comments

Of Famine and Food Security: A Story from Kelaa’s Mangrove

From the moment you enter the vast lagoon of Kelaa, to when you close in on the neatly lined palms gently swaying a welcome to you, Kelaa never fails to astound a visitor. The mangroves that run along the rocky beach (futtaru) of Kelaa just adds to the already incredible biodiversity, beauty, and history of this island.

At a total area of 162,433 m3, Kelaa’s mangrove system is one of the biggest kandoofaa (small leafed orange mangrove areas) in the Maldives. Besides the small leafed orange mangrove (Dhivehi: Kandoo, Scientific: Bruguiera Cylindrica), the other dominant type of mangrove present here is the Ornamental Mangrove (Dhivehi: Bodavaki, Scientific name: Bruguiera Gymnorrhiza). In addition to Kandoo and Bodavaki, this mangrove system has pockets of Black mangrove (Dhivehi: Burevi, Scientific: Lumnitzera racemos), Loop Root Mangrove/ Red mangrove (Dhivehi: Randoo, Scientific: Rhizophora mucronata) and Mangrove Apple (Dhivehi: Kulhlhava, Scientific: Sonneratia caseolaris).

Kelaa’s Kandoofa During Bodu Thadhu

The use of kandoo as a food source in Kelaa has an interesting history. While it has always been a source of food in Kelaa, kandoo gained particular importance during the Second World War. The effects of the war reached Maldivian shores in the form of extreme food shortage which resulted in a big famine, locally referred to as bodu thadhu. During this time, islands with kandoofaa were among the most food secure populations, Kelaa among them. While the majority of the country was starving, having an abundant supply of kandoo made the people of Kelaa and surrounding islands much more food secure. Dried breadfruit was also used as a staple food source due to its abundance on the island. Kandoo is eaten even today, but is consumed more rarely as a delicacy.

With kandoo being so closely linked to food security, there were strict regulations for how people could interact with Kelaa’s kandoofaa. In the past, the island office regulated the kandoofaa area and oversaw the harvesting of kandoo, which was limited to only Wednesdays and Saturdays. The women of Kelaa would go in groups to collect kandoo in their palm leaf baskets (vashi). From there, the baton was passed to the men who would transport the collected kandoo from the mangroves to the community food storage (Rayyithunge Card ge).

As per island regulations, half of what was collected had to be donated to the community food storage. Only then could the collectors pocket the remaining half. From the Kandoo that people got to take home, usually by the end of the month each household would be able to save 1 bag (1 basthaa) of Kandoo per month after having used it as their main food.

Each month, locals and people from nearby islands would gather to Kelaa to participate in peeling the skin of the kandoo (this is known as kandoo kehun). This particular day would be allocated in advance, and was an event that locals took very seriously. A special knife (kandoo valhi) with a long handle and a very short blade was used to peel the Kandoo.

Of course, one could not come empty handed to take a share in the bounty of Kelaa’s kandoofa. People from neighboring islands would bring gifts such as garudhiya and dried fish (speciallly bandaidhoo). In return, they got some kandoo and stems of papaya trees to take home to their families. Times were so hard that some there are some local accounts of Vashafaru people saving even the peeled skin of kandoo. They are said to have asked for the peelers to not mix the peeled skin with the soil. Instead, they were saved and taken back to Vashafaru where food was so scarce that even the skin of kandoo was valuable.

Mangroves were not only an important food source, but the large old trees could be sold as hardwood timber to build the hulls of boats. The ones with long and straight trunks are used as push poles (rih dhandi) by smaller boats (bokkuraa/fathiyaa). It was also used to build the roods and as timber columns at residential houses as it is a durable hardwood. Since mangroves were such a huge source of food security for the local populations, logging of mangroves for any purpose without permission was considered to be a crime.

Preparation of Kandoo

Kandoo harvesting and cooking in itself is quite the process, and on an island like Kelaa with abundant Kandoo, the locals have mastered the art of preparing it.

Raw kandoo is tough and bitter in texture and taste. To make it edible, peeled kandoo is first covered in Breadfruit leaves and a small ball of ash and is boiled in water. Kandoo is usually boiled continuously until it softens and the bitterness disappears. During the preparation, water is added as it gets boiled off to ensure that the kandoo is ready. After this, the kandoo is washed 6-8 times until some color and all the bitterness are gone for good. After this, kandoo is then dried in the sun for a few days before being stored in bags. Stored kandoo can keep for about a year, and some used to be sent to Male’ to be sold (Male’ not having any mangrove areas, this was a good market).

Once the kandoo is prepared, it is eaten with garudhiya (fish soup), grilled fish, freshly grated coconut along with lime, chillies and sliced onion as condiments. Kandoo takes the place of what would usually be plantains or rice.

The effort that goes into the preparation of kandoo even inspired a Dhivehi proverb: “Emeeheh kehi kandulugge hithi filuvaanee emeehekeve.” This directly translates to “You are responsible for removing the bitterness of the kandoo you pick”. This saying is used to imply that if you begin something, you must stick with it till the end.

Today, due to the availability of rice at a cheap price, locals have stopped harvesting kandoo. The importance of kandoo as a food source has diminished in Kelaa, and the kandoofa has experienced overgrowth in recent years. As a result, the quality of trees has lowered and now the kandoo trees do not bear enough fruit (kandoo).

Preparation of Kandoo

During the second world war, the RAF base was built near the kandoofa and elders recall that the soldiers hung boxes full of oil-like liquid in the kandoofa. It was said that these liquids were hung to repel mosquitoes, but this had a negative effect on mangroves. Some trees were killed and most of the trees became weak and, according to the elders, seem to not have recovered since.

The history of the kandoofaa of Kelaa shows the important part mangrove forests have to play during a food shortage. Indeed, they saved the people of Kelaa from bodu thadhu and could save them again during famine. In this way (and many others), kandoofaa is an important natural resource that must be fiercely protected in the interest of our food security as a nation.

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July 23, 2017 Maldives History by ideas 0 Comments

Kelaa in the Time of British

t is usually Addu at the southern tip of the Maldives that is renown for the British presence. Most people overlook the fact that the British also had a base in the northern tip of the Maldives, even if it was fleeting. In 1945, the British established a staging post in Kelaa until the end of World War II as a complimentary northern base to the southern base in GAN.

According to Abdulla Waheed, a former island chief, the RAF base in Kelaa was used as a refueling station for war planes. To this day, it is possible to see two concrete anchor columns built by the British in the lagoon for this purpose. They used a carrier boat to transfer their army from seaplanes to land. This same boat now lies in ruins in the lagoon, dubbed boatu gandu by the locals.

Vaijeheyge, a house at the current Rahvehige location was used for all formal meetings between RAF and Maldivian government officials. The British did not do any formal communications with the Kelaa island office, instead bypassing them to talk to the central government. Mohamed Shihab was among those who visited as government officials to discuss maters with the RAF. From a local standpoint, Ismail Katheebu was the one charged with escorting the government officials to the meetings.

IDEAS had the fortune of meeting Ismail Katheebu and listening to his memories of the time. According to him, during the time of Mohamed Amin Didi, five Britons came to Kelaa to do an initial survey of the area.

A Mr Iren was the leader of the team, and Ismail Katheebu remembers him always carrying his pistol with him. Mr. Iren would sleep in a hut (holhuashige which is still there) at the beach on Odiban Magu (the name given because a boat was built there). The rest of the team stayed at the Avashuge (a house build by the island office as an accommodation block for government officials from Male’ near the football ground).

After the survey, a cargo ship delivered all the materials for the construction of the RAF base at the thundi. Locals guided the ship safely through the atoll to the channel between Kelaa and Dhapparu, the closest point to the Kelaa Thundi. The cargo was unloaded to the island by local fishing boats.

Ismail Katheebu recalls that four workers came from each island in Haa Alif, Haa Dhaal, Shaviyani, Noonu and Lhaviyani. He does not recall any workers from Raa or Baa Atoll. According to him, around 400 people moved to Kelaa as workers. They came bearing gifts of toddy and fish for the British in the RAF base. In return, they got clothes, juice, milk, curry powder, biscuits, basmati rice and even kerosene.

The British are remembered as having been generous to the workers. At the time, the people who worked for them were usually the more well off people. However, most of the locals were afraid of the RAF base and rarely ventured to the area. If a local beside the workers wanted to visit the base, a special permission from vaijeheyge had to be obtained to enter the area. At the same time, RAF soldiers did not enter the local areas either. They only ventured out of the base area to attend official meetings at Vaijeheyge.

An accommodation block called Boduvalhu was built near fili park for all the workers. All the food for the workers and for the base was stored at bandahage near fili park. The food was supplied by Bodu Istoaru (Mega Store) opened by Amin Didi during the Second World War to supply food to all the islands. The supply was managed by the island chief.

The workers helped build 40 houses as barracks for the RAF. Most of these buildings were timber framed structures with thatch roofs and timber flooring built on a concrete base. Around 100 RAF soldiers were stationed at the base at a time, most of whom were pilots. In addition to these barracks, a small jetty was built near the area for the army vessels. Since all the buildings were built near the beach, a windbreaker wall was also constructed along the beach using timber boxes.

According to Abdulla Waheed, the army barracks were prefab buildings. They casted a concreted foundation for each building of which the ruins still remain. Following the end of World War II, locals removed most of the concrete and prefab parts and repurposed them to build wells.

During its glory days, the RAF base also had a badi ge (armory) for storing weapons. The walls of the armory are still standing, and conservation works are ongoing by the island council and local NGOs. The base also had an open drainage system similar to the one at the Addu base, but most of the drainage system in Kelaa has now been buried by soil over the years. The famous Bunbaa Valhu was used to supply fresh water to all the barracks.

Ismail Katheebu’s memories of the incidents that took place at the Kelaa RAF base are still very vivid. He describes a night when a plane caught on fire and had to do an emergency landing. The two pilots onboard died and one was buried at Kelaa thundi. The other was buried at kuda rah, an uninhabited island near Kelaa. The plane sank into the lagoon and later on the aluminium from the plane was claimed by nearby islanders, especially from Kulhudhuffushi. It is possible to see the frame of one of the wings of the plane. According to locals, the cockpit is still in the deep regions of the lagoon.

But the memory that left his eyes crinkling in mirth was of the day the British held an urgent and serious meeting with the island chief concerning some marks around their buildings. The markings looked like Japanese characters and the British were worried that it might have been a message from the Japanese, when they found out from laughing locals that these were marks left by the baraveli, hermit crabs!

The British stayed in the base at Kelaa for 11 months. Once the war ended, they left leaving all their material behind. All of it was then taken to Male’ by the government.

List of officials who visited from Maldivian government

As recalled by Ismail Katheebu

  • Karafaa Ahmed

    Masodi Kaleyfaanu

    Ibrahim Hassan Manik

    Hassan Afeef (grandson of Salahuddin)

    Bageechaagey dhonthedhee

    Hoarafushi Mudhim Thakurufaanu

    Workers at the RAF base

    As recalled by Ismail Katheebu

    Ako Aadhanu – Laundry

    Dhonbe Ali – dishroom washer

    Tholhey Thuthu – general worker

    Ismail Katheebu – focal point from island office

    Ingireysi Moosa – unkown

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June 21, 2017 Maldives History by ideas 0 Comments

Memories From Kelaa Radar Station

In the 1980s, it was in the interest of the Japanese Government to build three radar stations in the Maldives to track ships in Maldivian waters. While deciding where to base these stations, the first location considered was in Hdh. Hanimaadhoo. However, building there meant that the stations would have to operate under Air Maldives. To avoid this, the Japanese government decided to move the stations to Ha. Kelaa.

The work to build the radar station began in early 1985, and was completed at the end of the year despite the fact that progress was halted for about 6 months within that time period. During this time, 10 Maldivian National Defense Force (MNDF) officers were stations in Kelaa to oversee the construction stage of the project.

Prior to the arrival of the full MNDF team, instructions were relayed to the island office in Kelaa to clear a road to the designated area. The area that was being cleared was a marshy area, and had to be filled with rock boulders from the beach, leveled off with a layer of soil on top. This work was done by the locals and supervised by two MNDF officers who went ahead of the others to provide instructions. The locals who worked on this project provided their hard manual labor for free, as ‘volunteers’. At the time, this was seen as rayyithu masakkaiy – work that almost had a sense of civic duty associated with it.

During the construction phase, there were some temporary buildings at the site that quickly became haunts for young locals. Back in the day, the youth of the island would walk all the way (about 2 km) to watch movies at the temporary buildings. At the time, there was no electricity on the island, let alone access to a television. These movie nights became a fast favourite, and many nights entire groups of friends would walk in the dark without any lights to go there. The really lucky ones would sometimes get to hitch a ride on the MNDF pick-up or lorry.

The end of the construction phase produced a three story prefab steel structure building with timber decking. The walls were made of lightweight aluminum panels. In addition to this building, a single story accommodation building with a tin roof was constructed. This building had one kitchen, two bedrooms, a storage area and an open bathroom area. This style of open bathroom is called gifili and it had a well, a washing area for clothes, and a concrete bench. The kitchen had a chimney made of solid blocks, which is still visible in photos like the one below (chimney on the top left).

The area was fenced off with metal posts and a barbed wire fence. Once everything was complete, the MNDF officers were stationed there for a few months. During their stay, three of the MNDF officers got married to locals, and two of them are still married and one of them still lives in Kelaa.

After their stationed duty, the guardianship of the radar station building was handed over to Seedhibey and the MNDF officers left. Seedhibey was picked as he was a good friend of the senior staff of MNDF. The MNDF officers never came back to claim the place, and later Seedhibey used the building to store coconuts that he collected from the Thundi area.

In the end, the Japanese government and Maldivian government abandoned the Kelaa Radar Station and installed the radar in Haminaadhoo Airport as originally planned.

The abandoned building slowly became a playground for the youngsters of the island. In the 90s, Kelaa kids and youth would cycle there during Ramadan evenings to play cards and pass time. The kitchen in the accommodation building was used to make food when they went on picnics. Somedays, they would just sit at the top of the three story building and watch the amazing scenery from the highest point on the island. The memories that many kids and youth of Kelaa created there are painted vividly with images of the open ocean on the east and the sandy beach and turquoise lagoon on the west.

Not all the memories of the abandoned buildings are sweet. Overtime, the building saw people come in to steal its aluminum sheets. It was also subject to vandalism and small acts of arson. Its neighboring single story building’s tin roof slowly gathered rust. Some of the metal posts were removed and repurposed as neru baththi – navigation lights in the sea. The barbed wire around the perimeter and the metal posts were used by islanders for different purposes. The place slowly went to ruin without anyone to look after it and without being protected from the elements.

Today only the metal frame of the radar building is left, rusted and exposed to weathering. Although the walls of the accommodation block still stand, they are covered with dense overgrowth.

Despite this, the stories that come with the Kelaa Radaru ge (radar station) are etched into the memories of many locals, both young and old. For its historical significance, and we would argue even its sentimental value, this place is worth some renewed attention. These structures can still be restored and developed as a tourist attraction as part of the Integrated Resort Project.

Historically significant sites such as these are unfortunately left to ruin on many islands of the Maldives, but we at IDEAS believe that the sentimental attachment to and purpose of a place can evolve and be redesigned over time. The building can be re-developed as a museum or cafe’, or could even become a watch tower to view some magnificent sunsets over the island and lagoon!

Once we pay attention to these places, and how local communities create meaning and memories from and in these places, the need to preserve and re-develop becomes increasingly clear. If we apply a place-making approach to these spaces, and involve community voices in the decision making, we can create meaningful places in communities that also have historical significance. The possibilities are endless! And as for what place-making approach means — let’s save that for another blog post!

Information sourced from Ahmed Hussain (Rinso) by H. Faarooq (Summer Home Kelaa) and Adam Saaneez
Written by Hulwa Khaleel
Aerial Photos by Ali Nazim
Landscape photos by Liushan

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June 16, 2017 Kelaa by ideas 0 Comments

Explore With Kelaa Water Sports

When your country is made up of 1190 islands, there are bound to be many untouched hidden gems ready to be explored. HA. Kelaa is just one of these many gems, but one that will definitely leave an impression if you visit. Since 99% of the Maldives is water, a visit to the Maldives will only be 1% complete if you spend your time solely on land!

Kelaa boasts one of the biggest lagoons in the Maldives, measuring up to 20km2 compared to the 2.02 km2 of the island, and is enclosed by a 7.28 km house reef. A shallow lagoon area encloses a deep area (vilu), where the depths reach 5-6 m and 10-20 m respectively.

Kelaa Water Sports

In this blogpost, we want to introduce and throw the spotlight on a group of youth who recognize the vast potential for exploration and fun involved in our lagoon, reef and beach by operating water sports in Kelaa. In the spirit of youth empowerment and supporting local businesses, we applaud their efforts and vision to boost local tourism in Kelaa.

With Kelaa Water Sports, you can explore our enormous reef and one of the biggest lagoons in the Maldives in multiple ways. Whether you want to go to specific snorkeling sites and jump into the turquoise blues off their boat, or you want to take the jet ski out for a spin, these guys have you covered.

How To Make Your Kitchen Feel Like It's In The French Countryside

One of the best parts of experiencing water sports in Kelaa is because the reef enclosing our island and lagoon creates a calm and still area for you to boost the speed on the jet ski up to the maximum and try out stunts and spins safely.

In addition to this, you can try out stunts on the wake board, water ski, or try out the fun tube with your friends and family.You can also have a go at wind surfing, learning the ropes from the experienced staff at Kelaa Water Sports.

If that is too much excitement to begin with, you can kick off with a smooth sail on their catamaran. A catamaran, a sunset, and a pod of playful dolphins are the makings of a good day. If you’re lucky, you may be able to sting rays sail past in the water as well.

If you want to have some quiet moments of reflection just to yourself, take a paddle board or a standing board out, drinking in the scenery and the sunset. There is nothing like a paddle either alone or with company to make you feel rejuvenated!

Visit Kelaa

Kelaa being a hidden gem really has its perks for visitors. Often, you may find that you are the only one in the calm and peaceful lagoon. It is a true get away from all things that weigh heavy on your mind, away from busy resort life, and the guest houses inland. Just you and breath taking scenery.

For all this and more, we cannot recommend a better group of people to guide your exploration of our waters. The friendly, young and energetic group that runs Kelaa water sports grew up on the beach and exploring the lagoon. They know the area like the back of their hands, and so we can guarantee that you are indeed in the best hands with them.

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June 10, 2017 EnvironmentKelaa by ideas 0 Comments

The Wonders of Gaa Muli

Kelaa is an inhabited island found in the northern most atoll in the Maldives, Haa Alif. It is home to a unique reef formation, boasts a magnificent beach area, and is ripe with the telltale signs of tropical paradise: palms on palms on palms. In addition to this, the local population of Kelaa still maintains local traditions and customs, and their traditional celebrations are hard to rival.

Currently, there are efforts underway to build an integrated resort in the Thundi area of Kelaa, which also has a natural bay. This bay has a unique V- shape and is a protected section of calmer waters where a different ecosystem thrives. The area is rich in marine biodiversity, with baby sharks and rays flourishing among a significant number of juvenile fish. The proposed project will be constructed in this area of island.

Locals know the area by the name gaa muli, a name given to the site because of the coral gravel and small rocks (gaa) that cover an area which bends into the land (muli). The turquoise area is called fungandu which means deep area. In the past fungandu was much deeper with a vertical drop from the sandy area to the sea bed, hence the origin of the name. However, today with the construction of the harbor at the other end of the island, the changes in the current and wave patterns have now accumulated sand to the area and is much shallower.

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The rich biodiversity that can be found at gaa muli is apparent even in the different species of fish that exist there. Besides baby sharks and sting rays, there are significant populations of samoan silverside (thaavalha), Redtailed Pipefish (venu bandeyri), Bluespotted cornet fish (onugandu tholhi) and many others. (For a more comprehensive list of fish species, please scroll to the end of the article).

For obvious reasons, this area is very popular for Stilt/Pole fishermen. They sit on their stilts for several hours, often with packed snacks to keep them occupied, while they fish for uniya and kalhu oh in Hulhangu moosun (southwest monsoon) when the sea is too rough for tuna fisheries. The age old custom of fishing in shallow water from vertical poles secured in the lagoon is unique and gradually dying out.

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Kelaa’s gaa muli area is therefore not only important on biological levels, but also as a place that is deeply intertwined with local customs, traditions and history. As the integrated resort project continues to take shape, so do some concerns regarding the protection of the area.

The Maldives unfortunately has a bad track record of developmental efforts that directly pits economic activities against natural ecosystems and cultural heritage sites. Harbor dredging, large scale land reclamation, channel blasting with dynamite are modifying our coastal landscapes and island topography on scales we have never witnessed before. These coastal modification projects must take place with proper environmental impact assessments, which unfortunately is not the case with all the projects. Often, we are blind to the ecosystem impacts that these projects have, instead focusing on anthropogenic needs.

On the other hand, the Maldives also has some protected marine areas and few terrestrial sites. However, protection does not necessarily ensure conservation and appreciation. When poorly managed and monitored, these areas can suffer more damage than good.

These issues are a result of poor policy management that does not hold sustainability (of our people and culture as well as environment) as a key value. In contrast, if we moved past the idea that sustainability and development are at odds with each other, there are many opportunities to grow while ensuring future environmental, economic and social stability.

One of the ways in which we can do so is by exploring ecotourism on a strategic national level. The Nature Conservancy defines ecotourism as “environmentally responsible travel to natural areas, in order to enjoy and appreciate nature (and accompanying cultural features, both past and present) that promote conservation, have a low visitor impact and provide for beneficially active socio-economic involvement of local peoples.”

What this means on the ground is identifying ways in which our rich biodiversity and cultural heritage can be celebrated and preserved while reaping the benefits of tourism income. To do this, we must support local conservation efforts and incorporate locals in decision making. Often, they are the best identifiers of places that hold environmental and cultural importance.

We believe that the Thundi area in Kelaa is a prime example of such a place. For reasons outlined above, the protection of the area stands to have multiple benefits, not just on the environment but also on local income.

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In addition to this, ecotourism poses educational benefits for both visitors and local communities – by teaching both to appreciate and conserve nature and heritage for future generations. To do this, we must encourage low-impact visitor behavior and a sensitivity towards local culture and biodiversity.

Furthermore, we must take a different approach to design with the idea of showcasing our local strengths without exploiting them. What are ways we can build for tourist accommodation without destroying natural habitat? What are ways in which we can design that celebrates local art and history?

As the integrated resort project efforts continue, we at IDEAS emphasize the importance of incorporating these biological and cultural aspects of the area into the project. The area must be left intact from human encroachment and preserved as a natural heritage site that benefits present and future generations. We hope that the bay area will be left intact in the form of a natural park to attract tourists.

With the right approach, the HA. Kelaa Thundi area is a prime location that can be used to promote ecotourism and showcase the diversity of marine life in the Maldives. We hope that these issues are taken into account, and conversations are held with local stakeholders and policymakers. Ecotourism when adapted on a policy level will promote economic and social development as well as environmental protection.

Fish species found in the area:

Baby sharks
Sting rays
Samoan silverside ( Local name : Thaavalha)- A seasonal fish used as bait.
Redtailed pipefish ( Local name : Venu bandeyri)
Bluespotted cornet fish ( Onugandu tholhi)
Half beak ( baipen tholhi)
Trevally ( handhi)
Double Spotted gueenfish ( Kashi vaali)
Small spotted dart ( Goru vaali)
Snubnose pompano ( rindha Vaali)
Big eye scad ( mushimas) – A seasonal fish
Bengal snapper ( Reendhoomas)
Common silver biddy ( Uniya)
Fringelip mullet ( Mekunu)
Baby trevally ( Korakali / handhala)
Humpback red snapper ( Ginimas)
One spot snapper ( Filolhu)
Painted sweetlips ( Kilanbu Guruva)
Thumbprint emperor ( Lah filohlhu / Vilu filolhu)
Six-fingered threadfin ( Keyla)
Dash-dot goatfish ( Maa kalhuoh’)
Side-spot goatfish ( lah kalhuoh’)
Barred flagtail ( Kattafulhi)
Seven –banded sergeant- major ( Gui burandha/ Gobbooru)
Convict surgeonfish (raabulha)
Spotted Unicornfish ( Thunbi/ a’mas)

Aerial Photography: Island Beauty of Kelaa
Landscape Photography: Adam Saaneez

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May 16, 2017 Kelaa by ideas 0 Comments

Back to the Roots with Faththaah

Imagine yourself as a movie director, excited about a new story you want to film. You spend ages researching the perfect places for the location, because of course, location is key. You pack up all your equipment, and finally your crew and cast catch a flight to one of Maldives’ pristine islands for the shoot.

Upon arrival you expect to find a stunning location but every morning you face a rude awakening. Because even though the sky is perfectly clear, although the sea is stunningly blue, and even if the palm leaves continue to dance in the wind – the beaches are constantly littered with all sorts of plastic and other waste.

This is the story of how Abdul Faththaah came to know and understand the deep rooted problem of waste management in the Maldives. He speaks of how there are days where his crew had to clear 20 bags of waste just to begin shooting! And the problem does not only stay on the beach, it extends inland as well.

From seeing and experiencing these problems, and from talking to locals about their issues, Faththaah has developed a passion for working towards good practices in waste management. Some of the success stories that came out with his involvement as a volunteer include Faresmaathodaa, R. Ungoofaaru, Girllankan Fushi and so on. (You can follow his facebook page here for updates on the work he is involved in).

Because of his experience in helping communities gather and pool their resources to tackle waste management problems at grassroots levels, IDEAS decided to invite him to speak at Madhrasathul Sheikh Ibrahim (MSI) on 16th February 2017.

The session was well attended with all students from grades 5-10 and their parents showing up. In the session, Faththaah spoke of the 3Rs – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, with an emphasis on the REDUCTION aspect.

One of the examples he took was that of energy drink cans. He identified them as one of the most recurring sources of waste on many islands and pointed out the multiple layers of hazards that it causes. Energy drinks cost you wasted money, has negative health effects, and also harms the environment when not disposed properly. Faththaah stressed the importance of making small changes to your lifestyle to make a big positive impact on the environment. For example, reducing the use of such drinks, and opting for a more organic, more environmentally friendly and healthier alternative: fresh juices!

Moreover, he introduced the participants to the Ukulhas model of waste management as a success story, and explained the pros and cons and the feasibility of implementing it in Kelaa. He further connected Kelaa’s agricultural resources and activities to a potential for creating compost on a large and economic scale.

Afterwards, Faththaah and IDEAS also met with the local council and school senior management members to have a fruitful dialogue about how the community and school can come together to tackle issues of waste. In this meeting, we discussed the possibilities of starting sorting and segregation of waste at a school level to increase awareness about different types of waste and different ways to reduce our waste. Faththaah also spoke of how our main hope is the next generation, as our generation has unfortunately handed over an environment in near-ruin.

For us as an NGO passionate about these issues, we too believe that our main hope lies in strengthening our roots – at the school level, at community levels, at grassroots levels.

We thank Faththaah, MSI management, students and parents, and Kelaa council for their time, energy, and active participation.

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March 15, 2017 KelaaMaldives HistoryMaldivian Culture by ideas 0 Comments

Maliku Dhandi and Kelaa Dhandi Group

Age group of performers: 15 – 35 years old
Average no. of performers: 30

Kelaa Dhandi Group is a group of youth living in Male’ who are proud of the culture and heritage of Kelaa. They strive to preserve their traditions through participating in community events and keeping traditional activities alive by performing them consistently over the years. They are firm believers that sharing cultural activities with the public is one of the main ways to preserve Maldivian culture – through exposure, education, and enjoyment.

Maliku Dhandi

Maliku dhandi originated in Maliku Atoll, which is the southernmost atoll of the Union Territory of Lakshadweep, north of the Maldives. Maliku dhandi was taught to the people of Kelaa by visitors from Maliku. Although the exact dates of origin are unknown, this is an ancient tradition that the people Kelaa has worked hard to preserve. It has been changing over time with variations added by the locals. Today, the art has been lost from Maliku and is only practiced in Kelaa. Maliku dhandi has two types of stick dance, Mulhifoa Dhandi and Maali Dhandi, both of which the Kelaa Dhandi Group will perform.

All the sticks are made from locally sourced materials such as iron wood (Kuredhi) and Lime berry (Kudhi Lunboa) which are abundant in Kelaa. These are decorated with a ‘Maa’ made of cloth and/or wool. A loose ring of metal caps called Fulus is also attached to the sticks at the bottom. The dance is accompanied by traditional music from a hand drum with singers. The hand drum is called Thaara and is made using the skin of goats or rays.

The people of Kelaa have worked hard to preserve this tradition. Between the years of 1990 and 2000 the art teacher in Kelaa, Amir Usmaan, taught Maliku Dhandi to all male students (grades 5-7) at school as an extra activity. This was done in the hopes to conserve the cultural art of performing Maliku Dhandi. As a result, today many Kelaa youth know the history, culture, and art behind Maliku dhandi because of his hard work and commitment. The members of IDEAS and Kelaa Dhandi Group remember Amir sir and his 2-4 pm Friday afternoon practices fondly, and express their heartfelt gratitude to him.

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