Have you heard of the traditional drum music that is native to the islands of the Maldives? It is called BoduBera and is considered to be the very soul of moonlit nights on a beach in one of the paradise islands. Let’s learn more about BoduBera.
What is BoduBera
In the local language, Dhivehi, BoduBera means “big drums.” It is part of the ethnic culture of the Maldivians that harkens back to their East Asian roots.
The Various Forms and Set-Up
Something that you can actually as your hotel such as Adaaran Club Rannalhi to set up for you, BoduBera usually encompasses 5 to 7 men who will sit on the sand in a particular position with half the drummers facing the others. There will be about 3 dancers standing in between them.
The drum masters will take the centre position and beat the big drum to control the tempo.
The Origins
In the case of Maldives luxury hotels, these teams will be made up of musicians, dancers and the resort’s staff. While the origins of the BoduBeru aren’t concrete, it is believed to have been brought to the island circa the 11th or 12th century by Africans who were brought there by Arab seafarers on their way to Asia.
The Berus
The Berus make a deep base sound. The barrel of the drum is often made of coconut wood with the drumheads being made of dried manta ray skins. But today, they’re more likely to be made of goatskin.
