When it comes to local handicrafts in the Maldives, there’s nothing quite as exquisite as the traditional lacquer crafts. Here are some interesting facts about this conventional craft school.
Liyelaa Jehun
Lacquer work of every shape and form is uniformly referred to as Liyelaa Jehun in the Maldives. The craft has a long history, and creating these masterpieces in lacquer is a time-consuming and arduous process. There are two stages in creating a beautiful lacquer handicraft.
Preparing the Lacquer
Laa or lacquer is prepared first (this requires lacquer that’s imported into the Maldives from neighbouring nations). While most of us see lacquerware as being similar in colour and shade, each piece of lacquer work contains a variety of colours that have been created by mixing different pigments. As a liquid material, lacquer melts within seconds, and in the Maldives, lacquer usually comes in stick form and must be melted slowly over a fire. The melting lacquer paint is then slowly scraped off the stick onto a flat dish where it is mixed with various colour pigments. The pigment is called “uguli” in Dhivehi (the Maldivian native language) and must be added while it is still hot.
Folding Lacquer
After adding colour, the lacquer is folded and flipped to bring forth the ideal hue or shade. Local artisans will often beat it with a hammer. Those who are based at Adaaran Select Hudhuranfushi and similar rests can attend a lacquer workshop as part of their itinerary of Maldives excursions and witness a demonstration of this process.
Final Step
After the lacquered area cools down, it is rolled out and stretched. Cut into thin strips, these lacquer pieces are then pasted onto different objects including vases and pots.
