On the occasion of World Heritage Day, the Maldives National Museum invited visitors to view the special exhibition featuring the historical craft of Maldivian ancestors. The exhibition ends at 22:00hrs tonight, April 27.
On occasion of World Heritage Day, the national museum, usually closed after 15:30 in the evening opened its doors to showcase a spectacular exhibition featuring three major monumental displays of the nation's history.
Sporting the name, Silent Echoes of the Living Heritage, the exhibition ponders into physical displays of crafts inherited from our forefathers. Quite astoundingly, delicate artwork and antiquated letters were the watermark of their lifestyle, creativity replacing the slack enforced by modern civilization.
The staff at the National Museum had collected specific artifacts with symbolic historical value from various corners of the cluster in order to elaborate on its forgotten heritage for a span of two weeks.
Their drive had merged together Loagandu (boards) made of copper, locally referred as ‘Loi’ with tombstones made of Hirigaa (Coral stone) and letters written on Banbukeyo Filaa (breadfruit timber) dating across various historical timelines into a singular room.
During an era when sustainability and environmental preservation were not as prominent in daily events as is today, the country's ancestry heavily relied on readily available materials for everyday use, sculpting, and the craft of art. Timber and coral were widely acknowledged as the most durable materials during this time.
The Silent Echoes of the Living Heritage traces the fragile techniques of our ancestors' hands and olden craft mediums now extinct. The exhibitions displayed at the lobby of the museum are mostly centered around the religious remains of Maldivian heritage over the centuries.
Letters that significantly resemble the Thaana Dhives Akuru, the writing system of the earliest variation of Maldivian language, Old Dhivehi recorded in the 12th century are delicately inscribed on a long piece of wood that appears to be 5 feet in length.
Nearly four hundred and ninety-nine years after the country embraced Islam, a royal grant was written by the Sultan Ibrahim Iskandhar I (1648 – 1687 AD) to the people of Addu atoll Gan. This grant was the first of its kind after the nation-wide religious conversion.
Utilizing timber procured from a breadfruit tree, records on the day of this historical transformation during Sultan Ibn Abdulla (Dharumavantha Rasgefaanu)’s rule was delicately carved onto this durable medium.
With the aid of preservation techniques, this letter had prevailed over the centuries to the current era, allowing the people of 21st century to witness the unique and endurable craft of the 17th century.
Inscribed on this wood are the events of the religious conversion by Sheik Jalaal Yusuf of Thabriz and the subsequent administrative restructure that followed to morph into the newfound beliefs. Delivered halfway across the country from the capital island of Male’, this letter was the earliest recorded scripture written after the country’s religious foundation was altered.
Regarded as a treasure of the country’s history, this tombstone is the oldest and tallest gravestone in the country during its entire archived history; the primary embodiment of Maldivian coral stone carpentry and art.
It is located in the Addu-Meedhoo Koagannu Cemetery —one of the rare historic sites that demonstrates the intricacy of ancestral headstone carpentry— which accommodates graves of Maldivian brothers and sisters linked to the country’s long history.
Recovered from the inscriptions on the tombstone and attested by the Museum with historical records and books, it is revealed that tomb is home to the fifth-generation descendant of Mohamed Shamsudheen, Khadheeja Manikfan. She had two daughters who would grow up to become queen consorts to the two sons of King Hassan Izzudheen, generally referred to as Dhon Bandaarain; founder the Huraa Dynasty.
Khadheeja had passed away 244 years ago in the hours of midnight on, Sunday, June 30, during the reign of King Mohamed Muizzudeen (Kalhu Bandaarian). In a bid to substantiate the immense respect in their hearts for their mother-in-law, the two kings, Muizzudeen and his brother, King Hassan Noorahddeen —who would reign over the country subsequent to this brother— had employed artisans from the capital island to craft this magnificent tomb work of 7 feet and 10 inches.
Furthermore as a symbolic display of love for their wives, the two kings had transported the majestic gravestone of Khadheeja to her native island, Meedhoo, wherein she currently rests.
Embodying carpentry that is indisputably inimitable, this tombstone parades the traditional crafts of the age while also managing to display a unique and rare disposition that remained unrivalled across the history of that generation, as well as the centuries that followed.
The Museum had presented two tall replica of accurate height to represent the image of this tombstone at their exhibition, one placed next to a descriptive writing and the other stationed at the center of the exhibition lobby.
Copper boards engraved with scripture that are generally affixed to the center of tombstones, locally referred to as ‘Loagandu’.
An intricate ‘Foiygondi’, a native version of a Quran stand made of wood, exhibiting a design that is exotically poised and elegant to the modern eye.
‘Voshifilaa’, a local version of lesson boards used to conduct lessons on Quran and ‘Foiyfoshi’ (Book boxes) used in mosques for storing the holy Quran.
This last segment at the center of the exhibition features an array of religious artifacts acquired from distinct historical timelines.
The Voshifilaa grouped within a quadriple formation on the shelf presented here is believed to be of an age not too far from the recent generation. Their use of pencils to jot down verses of the holy scripture indicates an 18th century trademark however, versions of Voshifilaa that dates further back had used mediums such as ink to write.
Tombstones of various artisanal designs have also been positioned as an embellishment to the arrangement, together with the copper boards and ‘Thaakihaa’ (a religious hat worn by muslim men), the singular tombstone placed atop the shelf embodies coral stone carpentry and evidently was crafted for a young girl, heavily indicated by its smaller size and round disposition.
Since olden ages, Maldivians had utilized their creativity to discern the demographics and gender of the deceased. Another gravestone belonging to that of a man further embellishes this corner floor, symbolized with their crafty design protruding an extension of the stone at the upper tip. The large tombstone of Khadheeja at this exhibition had empaneled the shape of a smooth hemicycle; a quality distinctive to women in native gravestone carpentry. Such has been the practice in crafting tombstones throughout the generations.
At the middle of the distinct historical assemblages lies a massive book of the holy Quran, presented to the museum as a gift on occasion of the World Heritage Day. A white board with delicate designs symbolizing religious sentiments believed to be acquired from a mosque also embellishes this segment as a testament to the crafty hands and visions of the ancestral heritage.
Nearby the reception counter, photographs documenting the gifted stone carpentry of older times are transitioned on a touch operative digital screen. Sporting the in-depth carvings and notable masonry on ancient mosques alongside distinct features of respective timelines such as ancient lanterns and lacquer work, these photos show the sole representation that remains of the intricate carpentry now vanished.
Another screen is placed next to the royal grant inscribed on timber, featuring the craft of tombstone and grave curb carpentry across the ancient ages, including relics from the country’s Buddhist past. These images depict monuments from across the country, preserved to retain the heritage of the Maldivian culture.
Additional artifacts besides these three symbolic representation of the country’s history depicted in this special exhibition are displayed deeper inside the museum.
As the last day of the exhibition, it is scheduled to end at 22:00hrs tonight.
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