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5 October 2005
People of the Maldive Islands
People of the
Maldive Islands by Clarence Maloney (Mumbai/Chennai,
Orient Longman, 1980) is a comprehensive book (441
pages) focusing on the culture history and sociology
of the Divehi people. It is the only comprehensive
book written by a scholar dealing with this subject.
The book is described by the publisher as follows:
"In his study, Dr Clarence Maloney reconstructs
the cultural histroy of the people, with a basis in
his long experience not only in the Maldives, but
also in South India and Sri Lanka. The Maldivian peole's
myths, origins, language, religion, political and
economic systems, and customs make up this fascinating
look at an old culture now being stirred by the inevitable
forces of modernity."
The book is mentioned in the Lonely Planet Guide to
Maldives as "the best general reference on the
history of the country," and is one of the few
books listed on Maldives recommended by the US Department
of State.
The chapters are:
-
The Land
and its Resources
-
Origins
-
Myths,
and Legends
-
The Earliest
Maldivians
-
The Buddhist
Period and the Divehi Language
-
Computation,
Skills, and Arts
-
The Political
System
-
Islam
and Social Control
-
The Old
Religion
-
The Texture
of Society
-
Kinship
and Family
-
Behavior;
and
-
New Stresses
in an Old Nation
There is also a useful Appendix containing all the
known mentions of Maldives in ancient and medieval literature
of other countries.
Dr Maloney has spent much of his life in South Asia,
has a PhD in South Asian Studies from the University
of Pennsylvania, and has written 9 books on the peoples
and cultures of this world area. He can be contacted
at ct_maloney@hotmail.com
This book is hardly available in the Maldives, but the
publisher, Orient Longman in Mumbai and Chennai, still
has a few copies available. It is also available via
internet on eBay, iWon, and Amazon.
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