As Islam is the national religion and all Maldivians are Sunni Muslims, Meedhoo is of no exceptions. And the people of Meedhoo have been a very religious community since the conversion to Islam. Hence, unlike other islands of the country, traditional music and dance are not performed in this island. The people of Meedhoo believed performance of these activities as contrary to Islamic religion. But in the recent past, there developed a contemporary Dhivehi culture with outside influences which is strong and adaptive. Western fashions, pop music and videos are visible in the island, but on public occasions, like the beginning and end of Ramadan, the celebrations always have a distinctly traditional touch. 

Though the islanders are very religious, ancient beliefs survive: for example, islanders fear jinnis - evil spirits which come from the sea, land and sky. These are blamed for everything that cannot be explained by religion or science. 

Most visitors to this island in the past admired the cheerfulness of the men, their prowess as mariners and their acceptance of new ideas and probably strange cultures. They complimented the way the elders, poised and sage; the women beautifully clad and wearing gold embellishments, and the eagerness of the children. Also the visitors complimented the immaculately-maintained village streets, the incredible sunsets and the overall beauty of the island. 

The Meedhoo culture is rich with flavors from most of the seafarers who set foot on its soil. Though traditional dresses are not used by present day generation there are many types of traditional dresses made for both sexes. Like the unique geographical formation, the cultural events and ceremonials are unique according to the event that is celebrated or performed. Naming a newborn child, Mauloodhu (a prayer accompanied with festive meal), Eid festival and circumcision of male child are few events that take place where the taste of rich cultural 'cocktail' can be experienced. The people of Meedhoo perform two very specialized Mauloodhus – one specialized for women on the 27^th day of the month of Rajab and the other one for coconut sap tappers on the 26^th day of the month of Rabeeul Awwal. 

A traditional meal called Keyn is prepared for the above Mauloodhus comprising of a number of courses. A single Keyn would serve 10 – 12 people and includes rice, curries, salads, grilled fish, coconut cream, coconut syrup, bananas, puddings and other delights.

Keyn is set out in a very large wooden dish called a Malaafaiy. The outside of this dish is placed within the dish and small individual plates are filled with curries, salads, and other items and set around the rice. This would be covered with the lid and wrapped in a white cloth and tied at the top. At the meal times this would be carried into the Mauloodh Haruge (dining hall specially made for this event) and placed on straw mats for service. Individual plates and other food items in individual dishes are placed as well. Beverages are individually set in glasses. Water is served in a ceramic jug. Food is consumed using the fingers of the right hand. At the end of the meal hand is washed using a copper jug into a copper basin.

Business and Commerce 

Merchants of Meedhoo had, until relatively recently, by-passed Malé and traded directly with ports in India, Ceylon and the East Indies. The affluence of the Addu merchants was always far above than the mercantile classes in Malé. 

In 1941 British forces built a military base in Meedhoo and other parts of Addu Atoll and since then except a short break period, British forces were there in Addu Atoll until 1976. During this period the British were allowed to employ Addu people in their facilities. The income from this and the luxury goods available to the workers brought a huge cultural change and increase of commercial activities. 

The islands of Maldives were said to be in the trading crossroads of several maritime nations, long before European Maritime History began. Many traders and visitors came from Arabia, China and India. The Currency of Africa In the thirteenth century, cowrie shells were brought to Africa from the Maldives by Arab traders. Meedhoo and other islands of Addu Atoll played a major role in these activities.

Daily Routine 

People are woken up by the call for prayer, Fathis Namaad, before dawn between 4.30 and 5.00 am. After prayer the fishermen get ready for the day, collect baitfish from the nearby reef and start their trip before sunrise. 

Women prepare breakfast, sweep the yards and roads and get the children ready for school. Weavers, carpenters, coconut sap collectors and staff at the island office commence their work. The majority of fishing boats will return before sunset and old people and children gather at the beach to see the day’s catch. If a dhoni brings back more than 1000 fish, a flag is hoisted on the boat.

The fish is then distributed with half to the owner of the boat and half for the crew. The fish is taken cut, cleaned and taken home for cooking.  In the evening many fishermen gather at the captain’s house resting in udholis (= a big wooden swing) and jolis (= traditional chairs made of rope) talking about the day. Women process the fish, prepare dinner and relax.

Children play football or other games, swim in the sea and people gather in houses to watch satellite TV or videos or go for walks round the island. 

Staple Foods 

Traditionally Meedhoo is more an agricultural than a fishing island. Home grown vegetables and other agricultural products along with fish were used as foods but now fish and rice are the staple foods of the island with meat and chicken eaten only on special occasions. Typical island dishes include and fish soup, fish curry and fried fish. The local brew is Dhoaraa, a sweet and delicious coconut sap tapped from the crown of the palm trunk. Apart from coconuts, there are very few fruits and vegetables grown on the island.

Some of the specialty cuisines from the island of Meedhoo 

Boakuri Banbukeyo 

Made of bread fruit (peeled, cored washed and cut length wise), caster sugar and water by placing all the ingredients in a thick-bottomed pan and cooked over a low heat by stirring occasionally until all the water has boiled down and the breadfruit is coated with caramelized sugar. 

Bocholhi 

Made of rice flour, coconut – semi-firm (grated) and coconut palm syrup by mixing all the ingredients until freed from lump and cooked over a moderate heat until the mixture is thickened. 

Foni Bis Fathafolhi 

Made of Patna Rice flour, coconut (grated) caster sugar, coconut milk, eggs and oil, by mixing the rice flour, sugar and coconut to make a sandy texture. Formed a bay in the centre of the rice mixture and added in the eggs and half the coconut milk. Cut using a round cutter of 3 – inch diameter. 

Godhan Fushu Bo Folhi 

Made of flour, coconut – semi-hard (blended to a smooth paste), eggs, coconut cream, jasmine water, coconut palm syrup, cinnamon powder, cardamom powder and oil by mixing all the ingredients apart from the oil together. Cooked over a moderate heat and once the top of the pancake dries up, turned over and cooked.  

Han’dulu Aurus

Made of rice (soaked overnight), washed and blended to a smooth paste), coconut palm syrup, Jasmine water and jasmine flowers by placing all the ingredients apart from the flowers in a thick-bottomed pan and cooked over a moderate heat by stirring constantly to avoid the mixture getting stuck to the bottom. Wrapped entirely with banana leaf and placed jasmine flowers over the sweets. This sweet will keep for two to three months without spoiling. 

Han’dulu Ulhaali 

Made of Patna Rice flour, coconut (grate), caster sugar (pulverized), eggs, hot water, flour, oil and coconut palm syrup by mixing the sugar, rice flour and coconut and formed a bay and placed the eggs and poured some water and mixed/formed the dough whilst adding the remaining water as required. Kneaded thoroughly to form smooth elastic well-developed dough, greased banana leaf and rolled the balls to ½ cm thick string. Placed two strings and than made another round of decorative border within. When it comes to ribbon stage added in the fried ulhaali and coated with sugar. Removed from heat, allowed cooling and kept in an air tight container. 

Han’dulu Fusshu Kubus 

Made of Patna Rice (soaked overnight, washed and blended to a smooth paste), coconut – semi-firm (grated), coconut palm syrup, caster sugar, banana leaf by cooking over a moderate heat the grated coconut, palm sugar and caster sugar until the mixture has thickened. Removed from heat and allowed cooling and added in the blended rice and kneaded thoroughly and combined all the ingredients well. Divided the mixture into eight portions and placed each portion on a banana leaf and wrapped entirely to seal and wrapped a second banana leaf around it and secured well. 

Dug a suitable hole in the ground in which all the wrapped dough pieces could be placed neatly. Placed coconut fibers and coconut shells and burned them in the dug hole and removed the charcoals. 

Placed banana leaves within the hole and placed the wrapped dough in the heated hole and placed neatly one against another. 

Covered the dough parcels placed in the hole with another large piece of banana leaf and covered the leaf with two inch white sand. Placed the charcoals and coconut fibers and coconut shells over it and burned the coconut fibers and shells for half an hour.  

Left the cooked kubus parcels overnight in the hole. In the morning scraped off the burnt ashes and charcoals aside and the sand covering the banana leaf and slowly lifted the wrapped kubus parcels. 

Huh’kara 

Made of coconut palm syrup by boiling the syrup over a moderate heat and cooked by stirring continuously until it starts to thicken. Removed from heat and whisked until frothy and cooled. 

Huni Folhi 

Made of Patna Rice flour, coconut – semi-hard (grated), coconut palm syrup by cooking all the ingredients over a moderate heat in a thick-bottomed pan stirring continuously. 

When the mixture starts to come loose from the side of the pan removed from heat and taken a tablespoonful of the cooked mixture, spread on a cork wood leaf. Smoked and dried the leaves spread with the sweet over the fire place. 

Karukuri Banbukeyo 

Made of fried bread fruit (crushed coarsely), coconut palm syrup, jasmine water by bringing the syrup and the jasmine water to boil and cooked it over a moderate heat until it comes to ribbon stage. Added in the crushed breadfruit into the sugar and coated well. Removed from heat, allowed cooling and kept in an airtight container. 

Karukuri Ala 

Made of fried taro (crushed coarsely), coconut palm syrup and jasmine water by boiling the syrup and the jasmine water and cooked it over a moderate heat until it comes to ribbon stage. Added in the crushed taro in to the sugar and coated well. Removed from heat, allowed cooling and kept in an airtight container. 

Kulhi Bis Fathafolhi 

Made of Patna Rice flour, coconut (grated), Rihaakuru, Rihaakuru Bondi (blended), eggs, onion (sliced thinly), curry leaves (chopped), cherry pepper, juice of two limes, ginger, salt to season and oil by crushing the onion, curry leaves, cherry pepper, ginger with salt. Added and mixed the rice flour and coconut to make sandy texture. Formed a bay in the center of the rice mixture and add in the eggs and Rihaakuru and Rihaakuru Bondi. Mixed/kneaded the dough and divided the dough into 15 gram balls. Spread each ball to about ¼ inch thickness. Cut using a round cutter of 3 – inch diameter and pre-heated oil. 

Meeraa 

Made of coconut sap (collected at noon) by boiling the sap over a moderate heat and cooked by stirring continuously until it comes to ribbon stage. Removed from heat, greased a large tray and taken a spoonful of the cooked thickened syrup and placed it over the greased sheet in strings. 

Thela Kubus 

Made of Patna Rice flour, coconut palm syrup, eggs and coconut oil by whisking the egg and the syrup and added in the rice flour and beaten further. Poured a table spoonful of the mixture into the oil and deep-fried until golden. 

Theluli Keyo 

Made of plantain (peeled and cut length-wise) and oil by frying the bananas until crisped. Drained on absorbent kitchen paper and kept airtight container. 

Veli Hakuru 

Made of coconut palm syrup by boiling the syrup over a moderate heat and cooked by stirring continuously until it starts to crystallize. Removed from heat, allowed cooling and put into jars and seal well. 

Other Cuisines Regularly Cooked in Meedhoo: 

Falhoa Aurus 

Faludha 

Fuppi Baiy 

Geshi Banbukeyo 

Geshi Kattala 

Kaliyaa Kuri Kattala 

Varukuri Baiy

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