Bodu Beru – the beat of a nation
22 Sep 2013, 12:44 PM
Donna Richardson
Bodu beru – literally meaning “big drum” – is one of the oldest surviving aspects of Dhivehi culture and is popular amongst tourists visiting the Maldives.
It is a tradition thought by historians to have been brought to the islands by African slaves shipped from Arabia.
It is widely believed that these magnificent beats settled in the Maldives in the 18th century as these slaves sought to remain close to their culture. Now, these enthralling drum beats form the very pulse of the islands.
The beat is hammered out with bare hands on a goatskin drum of traditional design – sometimes stingray skin is used.
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