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!

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!

އޮލިވްރިޑްލީ ޕުރޮޖެކްޓަކީ މިފަދަ ދާތަކުން ވެލާކަހަނބަށް ލިބޭ ގެއްލުންތަކާ ބެހޭގޮތުން މަސްވެރިން ހޭލުންތެރިކޮށް، ކަނޑަށް އުކާލާ ދާގަނޑުތަކުގެ މިންވަރު މަދުކުރުމަށް ހިލޭސާބަހަށް މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ޖަމިއްޔާއެކެވެ. އެގޮތުން ރާއްޖެ އާއި ޕާސްކިތާނުގެ މަސްވެރިންއުޅޭ ސަރަހައްދުތަކުގައި ހޭލުންތެރިކަން އިތުރުކުރުމަށް އެތަކެއް މަސައްކަތްތަކެއް ކުރުމުގެ އިތުރުން، ރާއްޖޭގެ ސަރަހައްދުން ފެންނަ،އަނިޔާލިބިފައިވާ ވެލާކަހަންބަށް ފަރުވާދޭ މަރުކަޒެއް ބ.ދުނިކޮޅު ރިޒޯޓްގައިވަނީ ގާއިމުކުރެވިފައެވެ. އަދި އެތަކެއް ވެލާކަހަނބަށް ފަރުވާދިނުމަށްފަހު ވަނީ އަލުން އަނބުރާ ކަނޑަށް ދޫކޮށްލެވިފައެވެ.

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.

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.