BoduBeru

By Zeean Firmeza

Music is an integral portion of any culture — it also tells the history of a country. Boduberu, a striking type of music in the Maldives, shares similar tunes as those in Southwest and East Africa. According to Maldives’ Finest, Boduberu is “.. a dance song, which starts with a slow beat and in due course would lead to a hyperactive, frenetic and tumultuous beat” and typically performed by a group of fifteen to twenty individuals. The highly energetic music belongs in the Dhihevi culture and is popular in the country for festivals and afternoon celebrations. The actual translation of BoduBeru means “big drum”, which appropriately fits the rhythm and crescendo of the music. While it has been explicitly discussed as a form of music, Boduberu also refers to the drums played in the performance. It is played over multiple occasions, from festivals to weddings, and everyone is welcome to come to celebrate and dance.

What type of songs are played in BoduBeru? Most themes include mythology, romance, and prosperity. For the most part, the songs are not supposed to be discernible, and the most important aspect of it is the rhythms.

An example of where Boduberu is played in would be the Eid. Eid is celebrated about the day after the Hajj, where families come back home together from the journey to the Holy Land. The Hajj is a holy event where those who practice Islam go to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The Eid celebration in the Maldives exemplifies how the island truly is a melting pot of cultures. The BoduBeru plays after the fishermen catch a good fish and people begin to commemorate this - which is a part of the Eid.

The Maldives is located in the Indian Ocean - particularly the Arabian Sea. Geographically speaking, the tiny island is surrounded by African and Asian countries — which reflects how the Maldivian culture is heavily influenced by others. Hence, there is no doubt that BoduBeru may have diffused from sailors anchoring in the Maldives.

Many historians have many ideas as to how BoduBeru may have originated. It could be said that the drums were brought to the Maldives as early as the 11th century A.D and as late as the 18th century A.D through African slaves. Without a doubt, the sound indeed has African origins. To read on the unique and diverse history of the Maldives, check out our staff writer Lindsay Wong’s piece on “The Colonial History of Maldives.”

Sources

“Boduberu The Local Maldivian Music.” Boduberu the Local Maldivian Music, maldivesfinest.com/maldivian-music.

Maldives, An article by Cruising. “MALDIVIAN MUSIC : AN HISTORY OF DRUMS, EVIL SPIRITS AND SULTANS.” CRUISING Maldives, 5 Nov. 2019, cruisingmaldives.blog/2016/04/27/maldivian-music-an-history-of-drums-evil-spirits-and-sultans/.

Champa Central Hotel. “Boduberu – The Big Drums of the Maldives.” Champa Central Hotel, www.champacentralhotel.com/our-blog/2020/05/06/216/boduberu-the-big-drums-of-the-maldives.