ބޯހުނި ފިހެ މީރުކުރޭ

އިރު އަރަން ދިލަ ގަދަވޭ

އޮޑިގެއަށް ބޭރި ފާރަ

ކަންވެރިންގެ ބަދު ދުއާ

Be quick and prepare boahuni,

Eat it, in ritual, before venturing out for shark fishing. 

We need to leave before sunrise.

The beyri will devour us if it's too late.

Vengeful black magicians

are already casting incantations against us. 

ނިކުމެ ދަމުން ހަނުހުރޭ

ނިކުތް ދޮރަށް ދެން ނުބަލާ

ނިކުތް މަގުން ކަހާނުލާ

ނިކުތް ބަނޑަށް ހަނދުމަ ކުރޭ

Do not say a word when you leave the boat house.

Walk straight, stay true to the path and lower your gaze.

Say a prayer to the woman who carried you in her womb for 9 months.

އަތްތިލަ ލައްޕާ ހިނގާތި

ލޮނު ހަނޑޫ ބިންބި ފުށާ

ގާތް ވެލަން ދޭ ހަދިޔާ

ބީހިލަން ދޭ ރަތް މާ

Once you leave the premises,

do not give or gift staples or anything to anybody

-nor red flowers to your lover, so as to prevent the Tiger Shark from escaping our hook.

މިދުވަހު ހިފެހެއްޓި ބަންދު

ލޭ ކައްކާ ވަޖިދުވެލާ

މަޑަޖަހަން އަތް ތުރުތުރު

ނާޅާ ވަރަށް ހަރު ކުރާތި

Enter into a trance like state, so that your hands do not tremble,

when you have to spear the dolphin to be used as bait.

ކޯމަސް ގަނޑު މައްޔާ ދަށުން

މާއެޅިލަން ފަރިވަނީ 

ދާވަންޏަށް ދެވިހިއްޕާ

ވަގު ނުވަނިސް އެތެރެ ކުރޭ

The dolphins are coming near.

Quickly, before they leave, spear them

so that we can rot their flesh to be used as bait.

ތިންރޭ ފާއިތުމިވީ

މާ ބުޅި ގަނޑު ތިލަކުރޭ

ގޯނި އޮޅާ ކިޔެވި ފަތާ

ވާނުގަލަށް މޮޅު ފަންޑިތަ

Three days have passed,

ready the shark hook, wrap the blessed leaves around it.

Sink the blessed limestone anchor.

އައްސާ ދެން ފަލަ ހެތުރު

ފައްސާ ދެން ރޯނުއެދުރު

ކަޅު ފަލަ ވެން ލޭ ފެންގަނޑު

ފެމުނަށް ރަތް ދޫލަ ފަހާ

Tighten the rope, chase away the know-it alls

Sew a blood red carpet for the tiger shark, stitched from giant moray eel blood.

އުއްދަނޑި ބޯލަން އާދޭ

މޭގަނޑު ކައްކަން ދޭށޭ

ރަން ތެޔޮ ކޮޅެކޭ ތިދެނީ

ދިހަ ހާސް ދަތުރޭ ތި ދިނީ

Ask the shark to surrender, ask it to open its mouth.

Gaff it swiftly so as to be merciful.

Its liver yields oil that is gold.

Oil that will waterproof our boat for the next 10,000 journeys.

This poem is about traditional shark fishing practised in olden times and some of the auspicious beliefs surrounding it. It is said that traditional Maldivian shark fishing was done only to procure oil (by boiling down shark livers), to be used as a waterproof sealant for vessels, and not for the purposes of selling / exporting their fins. Generally speaking, tiger sharks were the preferred species for traditional shark fishing, owing to the fact that they are a larger species of shark, having large livers. I read that a well-fed, 13-foot (4-metre) Tiger Shark might contain a liver that would yield as much as 82 litres of rich oil - information courtesy of elasmo-research.org.

I was inspired to write this poem after reading what Mr. Adam Abdul Rahmaan (hailing from the island of Haa Alifu Utheemu) had written about މާކެޔޮޅުކަން (Shark Fishing) in his book titled -  ދިވެހި ދިރިއުޅުމުގެ ތެރެއިން (Excerpts from the lifestyle of Maldivians).

ސާމަރާ - Saamaraa is a wooden baton used by shark fishermen to kill and subdue sharks.

Beyri is a mythical demon of the sea that usually takes the form of logs and once touched by a human being, the form of that human being.

Boahuni - A sweet made from a mixture of cooked young coconut, flour and sugar.