Maldives Independent
01:20PM
ފިލިDhivehi Edition
Poetry

Dheli Maali

A poem by Baburu Akuru.

Artwork: Dosain

Artwork: Dosain

12 Apr, 3:52 PM
Baburu Akuru
‎އަނދިރި ވަލުން ފިޔޮއް ގޮވާ
‎އަޑަށް ނިކުމެ މަރުވަޅި ފިޔަވަޅަށް
އި‎މޮހޮރުޖަހާ ކުކުޅު ކަށި ގޮހޮރާ
‎ލޭޖެހި ރަތް މުންޑެއް
  
Upon hearing the chirping of chicks,
the boy came out of the darkened jungle,
and hammered nails into the imprints of footsteps. 
He then bundled and buried
the chicken bones and entrails
in a blood soaked Maldivian mens’ sarong.
   
‎ފޮރުވާ ވަޅުލާ ކިއެވެލި
ކިޔަވަން ކެތް ކުރި
‎އަނދަގޮނޑި ބަކުރަށް ހޭވަރު
ކަތިވަޅި އަނގުރުން ފަރުމާ
   
He tried hard to keep reciting the verses as instructed.
The supernatural restraints fit him well.
The Maldivian machete made of embers had become sharp enough.
   
ދެލިފިލުވަން ބޮޑު ކުޅިޔަށް
‎ގައި އުނގުޅާ ހަންގަނޑު ދެމި
ލޯބޯލާ ގޮހޮރަށް ދެމި
‎ތިލަފައި ބުރިކޮށް އަންދާ
   
He was commanded to bathe in the mangrove,
to wash the charcoal body paint off his skin.
The discontent demon then forced him 
to scrub away all five layers of his skin.
After that, his eyes were gouged out and eaten,
his entrails were cut out and hung from holes in his abdomen.
Finally, his feet were hacked off. 
   
‎ދެބަދޭތެރެޔަށް މަރުވަސް
‎އެއްދާން ކުރުމަށް ގަބުރެއް
‎ބަދަ ބިންދާ ކީހާލާ
‎އަރިކައްޓަށް ލޮނުމިރުހާ
   
He was kept alive until he finished killing all the people participating in the parade.
He killed some men while they dreamed, and others while they fornicated,
replacing their bodies with corpses while their wives copulated with them.
   
‎ފަނިފަކުސާ ދޮސް އަޅަމާ
‎މޭގަނޑު ކައްކާ ހަދިޔާ
‎ކުރުމަށްފަހު ދެންއާދޭ
‎ތިކޮޔަށް މަގޭ ސިފަޖައްސަން
    
He broke their spines and seasoned the bones with chilli and worms.
He cooked their livers and presented them to the demon.
After, the demon summoned him for the finishing touches
to make his appearance more like theirs.
   
‎ބަންކޭ ހަބަނޑަށް ކައިގެން
‎ފަހު ރަހަކޮޅު ދިރުވާލާ
‎މިބިމުން ދާގަޑި ޖެހުނީ
‎ރަށުފަންޑިތަ ދަންވަރަަކަށް
   
The demon offered him a last meal of fried breadfruit, his favourite snack,
and informed him that it was time to perform the last rites,
to cast an unbreakable incantation over the island for generations to come.
   
‎ތައްޔާރަށް އޮތް ސޮރެކޭ
‎ވައިނޮޅި ފޮނިވެފަ ލޮންޖޭ
‎މަސްގަނޑު ވަޅުކޮލި ރަހަފަދަ
‎ރުކަކަށް ބަނދެލަން ހޭވަރު
   
The demon ate the severed feet of the boy,
bit down on his moist windpipe and finally,
nailed his small frame to a tree with a message engraved on his forearm, 
   
‎މަރުވާން ބިރުނުގަނޭ ވެސް
‎ދެލި މާއްޔަށް ދެން ވަންޔާ
‎އަންގާށޭ އެވެރިންނަށް
‎މިވަރަށް ލޭއޮހޮރަން ދެން
   
telling all the islanders that if they continue to impersonate its kind,
through the Dheli Maali parade and dance,
to shed blood as it has done so and not fear dying like the boy.
   

Backstory

I have always been fascinated by Maali, especially the more prominent Dheli Maali. This fascination was what inspired me to write this poem. This poem is a fantastical tale of a Maldivian boy who was possessed by a demon during a Dheli Maali parade. The boy was  bewitched to perform black magic and kill each and every participant of the Dheli Maali  parade. I have not made the reasons for the possession too clear cut. My theory is that a demon took offence to the parade, seeing human beings trying to impersonate their kind.
   
Footnotes:

Dheli Maali is a ‘’costume” or appearance mimicking demonic beings of the ocean, donned nowadays during mainly Eid festivities. The “costume” or appearance is made by rubbing charcoal all over one’s body, derived from coconut husk fibres that are burnt.

Dheli Maali traditionally incorporates charcoal (derived from burning coir) for body paint and skirts made out of leaves. There is also another similar practice called Mashi Maali which utilises greyish clay from mangroves as body paint and various makeshift masks and costumes

Maali originally refers to demons that dwell in the Maldivian ocean. Maali is also the name of a festive parade, mainly held during Eid festivities, where people paint their faces and put on costumes to impersonate demons and parade and dance throughout the island, to playfully scare the spectators.

   
Rafil Mohamed is the author of “Baburu Akuru,” a collection of contemporary Dhivehi poems with English translations, that drew inspiration from Maldivian folklore.

Discussion

No comments yet. Be the first to share your thoughts!

No comments yet. Be the first to join the conversation!

Join the Conversation

Sign in to share your thoughts under an alias and take part in the discussion. Independent journalism thrives on open, respectful debate — your voice matters.

Support independent journalism