The Maldives is regarded as one of the most desirable

tourist destinations in the world, with visitors into the

country far surpassing its own population of only 300,
000. Tourism forms the backbone of the Maldivian
economy, and the last 35 years have seen a rapid move
towards the luxury market, bringing in much needed
revenue for the country. Despite this, the income gap
has widened with the tourist dollar flowing into the
hands of a rich few, as well as into the hands of a large
expatriate workforce.

Apart from fisheries, the majority of trade goods are

imported, including handicrafts. 95% of all cultural
artefacts bought by tourists are brought in from
Indonesia, China, and other neighbouring countries.
This has been detrimental to the creation of an
alternative avenue for income generation, and has
suppressed the growth of an indigenous artisan class.
The rich cultural heritage and identity of the Maldives is
now an endangered facet of daily life in the islands, as
the forces of globalisation have combined to create new
jobs, and demand new skills that appeal to the modern
industries.

Establishing CACTC

In 2000, CACTC was established in the hope of reviving these invaluable traditions. The aim was to
motivate innovative, yet disenchanted youth, to embrace the artistic skills of our forefathers, and steer
their creative energies into a sustainable livelihood. The island of Thulhaadhoo was significant in the
movement, as this is where the art of Maldivian handicraft making has been most preserved, such as
lacquer work and lathing. Since its inception, CACTC has built itself a reputation in encouraging
independent requests, and promoting the development of new centres across the atolls, the latest of
which is now in construction at Hanimaadhoo.

Barriers to growth

Despite the progresses made in supporting such creative ventures, the new artists that are surfacing
today face many challenges ahead. One is the difficulty in penetrating a highly rigid and controlled
market, wherein which retailers, hotel owners, and tour guides work together to ensure that tourists
visit stores only within their monopoly. Imported handicrafts therefore are in easy reach for tourists,
while locally produced goods are marginalised and neglected. Such strategies of control are not just
confined to the commercial realm, but are also a governmental issue. The lack of policy regarding the
matter exacerbates the positioning of Maldivian handicrafts, and their creators- a problem that could be
overcome by providing subsidies and support to artisans, and allowing them to compete with cheaper
imports.

Nevertheless, a strong home market has been found within the national population for locally sourced,
and locally produced handicrafts. This is manifest in the success of CACTC’s flagship store in Male’,
Heritage, which provides the students at the centres a steady income through the sales of their artworks.
This also ensures that such ancient cultural skills remain circulating and in production in Maldivian
society, rather than being swept away with the tides of globalisation.
Courses
CACTC provides students following courses:

Wood turning
Traditional lacquer works
Wood working
Pyrography
Jewelry making
Making of objects of art using traditional elements

Products

Carpentry
Throughout the history Maldives is known for its in habitants’ skills in building boats out of coconut
wood as their main livelihood until tourism was introduced is fishing.

The scientific methods used by the carpenters in the Maldives surprise even the most learned marine
architects.

In the past Maldivians built their houses either with Coconut timber or out of wood.

The carpentry skills have been passed from generation to generation and even today with the use of
modern machinery, they are proud that they never use foreign carpenters to build bigger and bigger
boats.

Untill recent times Maldivian carpenters mostly used coconut wood as it is abundant in the islands and
its curved trunks are ideal for shaping the hull of the boats without stressing it. The other woods used
are also native such as ‘Kaani, ‘hirudhu’, ‘dhigga’and ‘funa’

The term ‘Kissaru ui vadan’ is used for carpentry involving curved forms mostly for boat building.
Carpentry in house construction and furniture making is called ‘Thedhu ui vadaan’.
Coconut Shell

The coconut tree is regarded as one of the most useful natural resources available to the Maldives. It
not only provides food and revitalises the body, it provides shelter in the form of shade and wood, and
it can also be used for medicinal and artistic purposes too. The use of coconut shells for jewellery and
ornament making has become a popular hobby across the local population, and coconut shell products
have also become popular in the tourist market. Today, coconut shell products come in various forms-
from pendants, photo frames, and stationary holders to decorative tea sets.

The coconut tree is regarded as one of the most useful natural resources available to the Maldives. It
not only provides food and revitalises the body, it provides shelter in the form of shade and wood, and
it can also be used for medicinal and artistic purposes too. The use of coconut shells for jewellery and
ornament making has become a popular hobby across the local population, and coconut shell products
have also become popular in the tourist market. Today, coconut shell products come in various forms-
from pendants, photo frames, and stationary holders to decorative tea sets.

Lacquer Works
Records show that the Chinese were the first to manufacture, and the first to trade lacquer, and in doing
so, helped establish one of the most important cultural traditions of artistry in the Maldives. Lacquer
work, or laajehun in local tongue, may have been brought to the Maldives in a period of time when
trade between China, and the rest of South Asia flourished. The 17th century saw lacquer worked
objects play a central role in the Maldivian economy, as an article of export. Before lacquer became
considered as something with aesthetic value, it was really its protective properties against atmospheric
change that made it so popular among Maldivian folk.

Small wooden crafted containers and vases, and also buildings meant to stand the test of time were
decorated with lacquer painted intricate floral designs, in bold colours of red, blue, green and gold.
However, recent times have brought into question the survival of this rich cultural heritage, as this skill
is preserved only in the island of Thulhaadhoo in Baa Atoll.

Pyrography
Pyrography is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks resulting from the
controlled application of a heated object such as a poker. It is also known as pokerwork or wood
burning.

Pyrography means "writing with fire" and is the traditional art of using a heated tip or wire to burn or
scorch designs onto natural materials such as wood or leather. Burning can be done by means of a
modern solid-point tool (similar to a soldering iron) or hot wire tool, or a more basic method using a
metal implement heated in a fire, or even sunlight concentrated with a magnifying lens.

This allows a great range of natural tones and shades to be achieved - beautiful subtle effects can create
a picture in sepia tones, or strong dark strokes can make a bold, dramatic design. Varying the type of
tip used, the temperature, or the way the iron is applied to the material all create different effects.
Solid-point machines offer a variety of tip shapes, and can also be used for "branding" the wood or
leather. Wire-point machines allow the artist to shape the wire into a variety of configurations, to
achieve broad marks or fine lines. This work is time-consuming, done entirely by hand, with each line
of a complex design drawn individually. After the design is burned in, wooden objects are often
coloured, sometimes boldly or more delicately tinted.

Light-coloured hardwoods such as sycamore, beech and birch are most commonly used, as their fine
grain is not obtrusive, and they produce the most pleasing contrast. However, other woods, such as pine
or oak, are also used when required. Pyrography is also applied to leather items, using the same hot-
iron technique. Leather lends itself to bold designs, and also allows very subtle shading to be achieved.
Specialist vegetable-tanned leather must be used for pyrography, (as modern tanning methods leave
chemicals in the leather which are toxic when burned) typically in light colours for good contrast.

Pyrography is also popular among gourd crafters and artists, where designs are burned onto the exterior
of a dried hard-shell gourd, usually with dramatic results.
Pyrograpy as an art is new in the Maldives and was introduced to Maldives by Adam Maniku, Founder
of CACTC in 2000.

Wood Turning
Wood turning can be considered one of the oldest of crafts practiced in the Maldives. There are two
varieties of wood turning practiced by Maldivians but both involve shaping a piece of wood to carve
out various shapes and forms. The same techniques are also sometime used to turn pieced of metal and
stone.

Historically, the turning of wood and metals were one of the most important crafts practiced by men in
the country since several of the tools utilised in fishing and other economic activities as well as utensils
for everyday use and decorative objects were produced using this technique. Hence, Maldivians could
not have done without the regular practitioners of this craft. And even if few in number, at all times
wood and other material turners were found throughout the country. It was only in the latter part of the
20th century that craftsmen began utilising various electric tools to replace these old craft practices.

Exhibitions

Founder

“These images made by Maizan Adam Maniku are some of the very rare of its kind that can be found
in the Maldives by an individual of Adam Maniku’s generation. Of course there are others of his
generation who have produced abstract imagery using western techniques and vocabularies. But I find
his work containing an intensely personal quality, which I have come across in very few other works
except for in artists of a much later time. In this sense he was quite ahead of his time in his vision. And
with hindsight, this is very clearly manifest in the thinking behind his pioneering cultural projects to
counter the negative consequences of globalisation on the indigenous ways of life in the Maldives,
especially on Maldivian crafts traditions. As far as I know, Adam Maniku is the only individual, and
the organisation he found the only of its kind in the country that is making attempts to address issues of
identity that has come about in the wake of globalisation.Adam Maniku has sustained a strong interest
in the arts throughout his life. Although formally graduated as an economist in France, and given the
fact that he spent nearly 3 decades working in the not particularly creative environment of the Maldives
Finance Ministry (including several years as the GM of Maldives Monetary Authority and as Deputy
Minister of Finance and Treasury), Adam Maniku is perhaps equally well-known, if not more, for his
creative work. In 2000 he has established Creative Arts and Crafts Training Centre (CACTC) in the
Maldives. The centre trains Maldivian youth in the fast disappearing traditions of Maldivian craft
practices. CACTC also has a showroom HERITAGE in Male’ where products made by CACTC
students are on display/sale.” By Mamduh Waheed
© 2008 Creative Arts & Crafts Training Center, Maldives. All rights reserved.