DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49708#0035
SESSIONAL PAPERS; 1881.
21
IV.—HISTORICAL SKETCH.
1.—EARLY PERIOD.
“ The story of a people who have no history can only be gleaned from the records of
strangers, who have settled among them, or by an examination of their own language.
Tire early history of these Islands is buried in obscurity—the natural result of
their complete isolation and comparative insignificance. Indeed, except for scant
glimpses afforded by the accounts of a few casual travellers, whom accident has taken
thither from time to time, the world, in this the latter half of the 19th century, knows
little or nothing of the whole past history of the Maldives. The Maldivians themselves
possess no known historical records of any antiquity,! and would seem to be utterly
ignorant of their antecedents, beyond such vague and unreliable shreds of information as
may have been handed down by tradition.
It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to state with certainty the exact origin of the
Maldivian race. There can, however, be little doubt that the whole group—including
Malika (Minakai—was occupied either directly from Ceylon, or about the same time as
this Island, by a people of A'ryan stock and language. This supposition is greatly
supported by the known kinship between the Maidive and Sinhalese languages.
Gradually, from contact and intercourse with strangers of the coasts of India—chiefly
Malabar Mapillas—the influx of pure Arabs, and the occasional importation of African
slaves, many characteristics of the original type have been modified. More particularly is
this the case in the Northern Atols, which have necessarily been more exposed to foreign
influence than those lying further South.
“‘They’ [the natives], says Pyrard (p. 78), ‘hold that the Maldives were formerly
peopled by the Clngala, for so the inhabitants of Ceylon are named; but I find that the
Maldivans do not at all resemble the Cingala, who are black and ill-shapen.§ The former
are well-shaped and proportioned, and differ but little from ourselves, except in their colour,
which is olive. Yet it may be believed that the climate and lapse of time have rendered
them more fair than were those who first colonised the islands.’ ”|| “ Added to the fact,”
he continues, “that there is incorporated a large number of strangers from all parts,
who have settled there, besides many of the natives of India (Indiens), who have been
wrecked from time to time, as we were, and who are constantly being cast away there and
remain. On this account the inhabitants [of the islands stretching] from Male and its
vicinity up to the Northern limit prove to be more polished, courteous, and civilised.”
“ Again (p. 185) : ‘ They say that the Maldives began to be inhabited only about 400 years
ago [circa A. D. 1200], and that the first who came and peopled them were (as I have
already said in passing) .the Cingalles of the Island of Ceylon, which is not far distant,
and were idolaters, but have since changed their religion.’ ”||
Mr. Gray seems right in conjecturing that “if the Sinhalese were the first
colonists, they were probably there as far back as the beginning of the Christian era,
when Ceylon was a powerful monarchy.” It can hardly have been much later than this
period that (the pure Sinhalese) was the vernacular of Ceylon, unadulterated by
Sanskrit and Pali infusions. And it is to this form of Sinhalese that the Maidive
language approaches nearest. Indeed it may be preferable to assign to the original
colonisation of the group a date synchronic with that of Ceylon itself (viz., several
centuries before the Christian era) by a distinct isolated party of the same A'ryan
adventurers, and to presume a subsequent direct immigration from this Island.51
* Crawfurd, Dictionary of the E. Indian Islands, 1856, p. 17. f Note (1). J Note (2).
§ Gray fancies that Pyrard could only have seen the Tamils of Ceylon.—J. R. A. S. Vol. X. n. s.,pp. 178,183.
|| Gray, J. R. A. S., Vol. X. n. s., p. 177.
51 According to the Dipawansa, Raja Ratndkara, 8pc., Ceylon bore the name ‘O'jadipa' during the time
of Kakusanda, the first Buddha of the present kalpa or period, the commencement of which cannot be fixed
for want of historical data. At the present day this Island is called by Maldivians Oludu-kara" (cf. S.
mudu kara, and T. karai, ‘sea-shore’.)
THE
MALDIVES.
Historical
Sketch.
Origin of race.
When colonised.
21
IV.—HISTORICAL SKETCH.
1.—EARLY PERIOD.
“ The story of a people who have no history can only be gleaned from the records of
strangers, who have settled among them, or by an examination of their own language.
Tire early history of these Islands is buried in obscurity—the natural result of
their complete isolation and comparative insignificance. Indeed, except for scant
glimpses afforded by the accounts of a few casual travellers, whom accident has taken
thither from time to time, the world, in this the latter half of the 19th century, knows
little or nothing of the whole past history of the Maldives. The Maldivians themselves
possess no known historical records of any antiquity,! and would seem to be utterly
ignorant of their antecedents, beyond such vague and unreliable shreds of information as
may have been handed down by tradition.
It is difficult, perhaps impossible, to state with certainty the exact origin of the
Maldivian race. There can, however, be little doubt that the whole group—including
Malika (Minakai—was occupied either directly from Ceylon, or about the same time as
this Island, by a people of A'ryan stock and language. This supposition is greatly
supported by the known kinship between the Maidive and Sinhalese languages.
Gradually, from contact and intercourse with strangers of the coasts of India—chiefly
Malabar Mapillas—the influx of pure Arabs, and the occasional importation of African
slaves, many characteristics of the original type have been modified. More particularly is
this the case in the Northern Atols, which have necessarily been more exposed to foreign
influence than those lying further South.
“‘They’ [the natives], says Pyrard (p. 78), ‘hold that the Maldives were formerly
peopled by the Clngala, for so the inhabitants of Ceylon are named; but I find that the
Maldivans do not at all resemble the Cingala, who are black and ill-shapen.§ The former
are well-shaped and proportioned, and differ but little from ourselves, except in their colour,
which is olive. Yet it may be believed that the climate and lapse of time have rendered
them more fair than were those who first colonised the islands.’ ”|| “ Added to the fact,”
he continues, “that there is incorporated a large number of strangers from all parts,
who have settled there, besides many of the natives of India (Indiens), who have been
wrecked from time to time, as we were, and who are constantly being cast away there and
remain. On this account the inhabitants [of the islands stretching] from Male and its
vicinity up to the Northern limit prove to be more polished, courteous, and civilised.”
“ Again (p. 185) : ‘ They say that the Maldives began to be inhabited only about 400 years
ago [circa A. D. 1200], and that the first who came and peopled them were (as I have
already said in passing) .the Cingalles of the Island of Ceylon, which is not far distant,
and were idolaters, but have since changed their religion.’ ”||
Mr. Gray seems right in conjecturing that “if the Sinhalese were the first
colonists, they were probably there as far back as the beginning of the Christian era,
when Ceylon was a powerful monarchy.” It can hardly have been much later than this
period that (the pure Sinhalese) was the vernacular of Ceylon, unadulterated by
Sanskrit and Pali infusions. And it is to this form of Sinhalese that the Maidive
language approaches nearest. Indeed it may be preferable to assign to the original
colonisation of the group a date synchronic with that of Ceylon itself (viz., several
centuries before the Christian era) by a distinct isolated party of the same A'ryan
adventurers, and to presume a subsequent direct immigration from this Island.51
* Crawfurd, Dictionary of the E. Indian Islands, 1856, p. 17. f Note (1). J Note (2).
§ Gray fancies that Pyrard could only have seen the Tamils of Ceylon.—J. R. A. S. Vol. X. n. s.,pp. 178,183.
|| Gray, J. R. A. S., Vol. X. n. s., p. 177.
51 According to the Dipawansa, Raja Ratndkara, 8pc., Ceylon bore the name ‘O'jadipa' during the time
of Kakusanda, the first Buddha of the present kalpa or period, the commencement of which cannot be fixed
for want of historical data. At the present day this Island is called by Maldivians Oludu-kara" (cf. S.
mudu kara, and T. karai, ‘sea-shore’.)
THE
MALDIVES.
Historical
Sketch.
Origin of race.
When colonised.