Traditions of Malé
The crowded island capital of the Maldives, where fishing, boduberu drums and Friday prayers shape the week.
Malé is the capital of the Maldives, a city packed onto a small coral island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. Its people are Sunni Muslims and speak Dhivehi. Tuna fishing, coconut and lacquerwork are old trades, and drumming and song survive in many island communities.
Island customs
Boduberu, big-drum music, accompanies group singing and dance, and was once part of folk ritual. Ramadan, Eid and the national holiday of the Islamic new year are marked with prayers and family meals. The Friday Mosque, with its coral stone walls, is the oldest in the capital.
At the table
Mas huni is a breakfast of shredded smoked tuna, coconut, onion and chilli eaten with flatbread. Garudhiya, a clear tuna broth with rice and lime, is a daily staple. In the evenings, hedhikaa, small savoury snacks, are served with tea in the shops, a tradition that continues through Ramadan.
Signature traditions of Malé
Also part of it, and being written: Mas huni (The tuna and coconut breakfast.), Garudhiya (The tuna broth of the islands.).
A trail idea for Malé
- Hukuru Miskiy The Friday Mosque, built of coral stone in 1658.
- Fish market See the tuna come in from the boats.
- Sultan Park Stroll the garden near the old palace site.
Written by the EveryParampara desk with AI assistance. Opening hours, markets and festival dates change; check locally before travelling. Customs differ from place to place and family to family. If this is your tradition and we have it wrong, tell us.
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Photo credits on this page
The small pictures above come from Wikimedia Commons under free licences. Some are cropped to fit.
- Boduberu: Suvalex, CC BY-SA 4.0, source