The Indolent Nation
This is the truth: we are quite insignificant in the global scale of things. And this is not necessarily because we are a tiny island nation. If that were a hindrance, Singapore would be invisible too. But it is not. It is one of the most advanced and developed countries in the world and the thought that we too are an Island nation, one that is strategically situated albeit quite invisible save for our niche-oriented tourism, should be alarming.
It is only when we are privileged enough to have the opportunity to visit more advanced nations - those that are deemed "developed" or are nearly developed in terms of their economy, infrastructure, society as a whole and general intelligence of people - that we find ourselves belittled and struggling to come to terms with our meager and unremarkable existence as a sovereign country. This is, of course, all a self-imposed doubt and a kind of uneasy treachery that surfaces when encountered with this unique situation. But, only if we exercise our mental faculties to actually think beyond the bottle of “Johnny Walker Red Label” beckoning us at the duty-free zone.
Perhaps this is why we find that as aliens in a foreign country like Singapore, say, we are constantly in awe of their achievements and try as we might we find that it is harder to really, honestly, blend ourselves into the masses - almost as if we've just crawled out of some hole somewhere and found ourselves completely taken back at what was revealed. One might argue that there maybe people of a more industrialized and advanced nation that may find themselves in the same situation of self-imposed paranoia depending on where they are visiting. True, but not in the same way as we Maldivians do, I believe.
When I was younger if someone from a foreign nation were to ask me about my country of origin I would specify the unimportant details of its location, population and the fact that we have our very own and unique vernacular - a remarkable achievement for a tiny island nation, I would proudly convey. What about major industries? That would be tourism and fishery and some garment factories that had become a foggy memory at best. So what has the size of our population - apart from it being some kind of an amusing fact (“waah? Only 300 thousand?”) - contributed to our wellbeing as a nation? None. What has having our very own language - in which we find no published works of intellectual substance or works of original fiction - really done for us in the grand scope of things? Absolutely nothing!
Then of course we boast about the natural beauty of our nation. We boast about the tourist arrivals. It reached half a million this year, MTPB would proudly announce while putting a garland around some dumbfounded tourist, forgetting that the more turbulent and civil war torn Sri Lanka sometimes enjoy comparable or more arrivals than that. This is even when they’ve had suicide bombs exploding in their backyard every year or so over the last two decades. We’ve had tourism for over 25 years and yet we call the miniscule 500 thousand visitors a milestone. Compare this to Singapore which enjoys 9 million visitors while Malaysia does 15 million. Staggering, is it not? Obviously we are doing something wrong in spite of having such natural beauty, peace and calm. Among other things we lack proper infrastructure and as we shall see, from our president to the guy at the gaadiyaa near Lonuziyaarai Kolhu, we are disgustingly lazy.
One very outstanding example of impotent infrastructure is the ugly heap of a metal hangar that is our airport which is not only a shame to look at but is absolutely incapable of handing a fair amount of incoming visitors. In fact, on a particularly busy day at the airport (handling about 2 measly flights), while waiting at the carousel which was moving at a speed that put stalactite growth to shame, I heard a sarcastic Maldivian exclaim, “This thing is moving as slowly as the nation!”. The reality is that whatever’s native to the nation, the people and the carousel included will inherently move at the speed of the whole.
And while we are only bestowed with tropical island style tourism and nothing much in other natural resources, shouldn’t we make up for this monotony by developing complimentary entertainment services and facilities? And no, I’m not talking about diving and banana boat riding. That’s old, that’s so 80’s – this is the new millennium – we need more than that, desperately. Why not an Ocean world, perhaps? And while we’re selling liquor, why not open a casino or two? But as we shall see later this will never be possible given our unique backward mentality.
Standing at the carousel that day, along with the hundreds of German tourists who pay top dollar for our expensive resorts, I felt stupid and shameful. What on earth are we really doing here? The pitiful state of our nation is such that while we have some of the most expensive hotels in the world much of the people of this nation still live very lowly and deplorable lives. But we have only ourselves to blame for all that. We lack ambition and foresight. We lack the power of forward thinking. This is the case today and this was the case 400 years ago when Pyrard wrote in his journal:
“In my opinion, it is the easy means of living which renders [Maldivians] indolent and negligent, and this prevents them getting rich; for most of them care only for the wherewithal to live, without ambition, desire, or trouble for aught beside.”
There exist no other words more accurate. The art of doing nothing is in our very genes. The will to live beyond the present has been on holiday since time immemorial.
End of part 1
Frozen Solid | September 20, 2007 6:53 PM | Reply
Its a problem with the system. everybody knows it, and those who can change it are not willing to do it.
Suraj | September 20, 2007 7:24 PM | Reply
Perhaps we need to import some Chinese people. With them enterprise will come and flourish. And soon we, good for nothing brown bastards, will all die to extinction.
dommu | September 20, 2007 8:40 PM | Reply
nicely put. But I do doubt whether we have nothing to be proud of. For instance when talking of literary achievements for instance, we do have the rare diamond here and there especially in early mid-twentieth century; there is Dhonthukkala's Gellunu Furavaaru, supposedly the first fictional story in the style of the novel. There was Hussein Salahuddin, who was as prolific a translator as he was a writer of fiction. And more recent times, we have Madulu Waheed, whose handling of language is remarkable - and I would go as far as to say comparable to modern masters of the medium ...
But yes, there is something awkward about Maldivians. Not only Pyrard, even several Maldivians have commented on this. The first president Moohamed Amin wrote about an 'apathetic-ness' in the Maldivian people.
What has surprised me however is how we have managed to hold on to the notion of Maldivians while embracing all kinds of contradictions. We abhor alcohol yet we would happily serve them to visitors. We do not like nudity and we would invite tourists to come frolic in their bikinis, while we, the Maldivian waiter, would be there to put the sun tan lotion on your back, if you only cared.
Zero | September 20, 2007 8:43 PM | Reply
When you talk of this nation (your very own nation - I assume), why don't you the intelligent guy stands up for it, rather than criticizing? Or have you changed the nationality?
Well, maybe you are right - The art of doing nothing is in our genes... so be it - you are included ! lol
bulhaa | September 20, 2007 10:04 PM | Reply
i can always count on you to make me stop and think. kudos.
nass | September 20, 2007 11:12 PM | Reply
I kinda agree with Frozen Solid. If we had a good government with more responsible people, it won't be like that.
And yeah, the baggage carousel - the darn thing reallly moves slowly.
Ameer | September 21, 2007 12:44 AM | Reply
I agree with Frozen Solid too. The country is being sunk by the selfish bastards. We need ppl who love and work for the nation rather than themselves.
suraj | September 21, 2007 4:43 AM | Reply
The Nation? That's a liberal paper in the US. See it at http://www.thenation.com
I've been to many airports (I own a apartment house in a prime area in Male' which funds my international trips to Srilanka and other exotic locations in my search for shopping malls, cinemas, tandoori chicken and naan, tom yum , alcohol, dogs and foreign beauties) around the world and I'm able to get to my economy class baggage in around the same time. Sure it might look slow. But the trusty heroin dogs in air cargo make sure it gets to us in the standard international waiting time for manhandled baggage. If you want it to move faster you can round around it and it will move really fast.
az | September 21, 2007 6:30 AM | Reply
Lol at suraj. cool life mate.
in the meantime, some unfortunate islander is working his ass off to pay rent... for your apartment... where his wife, kids and relatives squeeze their miserable lives into, in the hopes of the 'education', 'health care' and 'civilization' maumoon promises them.
hehe
dhiyey | September 21, 2007 8:50 AM | Reply
i remember somebody saying people living on islands have a different mentality, i sort of agree- imagine living on a small island with nothing to do, subsistence living, you become laid back and placid, life is slow, so maybe its our way of living hundreds of years ago that has made us who we are...
i also think lack of access to opportunities prevent us from thinking far ahead. so u study all ur life, done with CHSE, then what? What more is there? Very few are able to leave...
M | September 21, 2007 5:26 PM | Reply
This is what defines us and makes us what we are. If you don't like it, piss off somewhere else dude. :)
a | September 22, 2007 3:14 PM | Reply
Pyrard's opinion seems to hold in our political life too: there is an utter lack of the Hegel-Kojevian 'struggle for recognition'. Just one example: 3 years gone into the constitutional process, millions of Rufiyaa wasted, but no single clause passed. Where is the public outcry? Where is the pressure group?
If | September 22, 2007 8:00 PM | Reply
You are right about many things that are wrong with the system. But i kind of like the fact there are many people here who live just for 'today'. As long we have adequate amounds to eat, breathe fresh air (of cos only is some islands, never Male')and as long as our children are happy to wonder around anywhere in their quest to discover the world, then who really wud want to give a shit? I wudn't. I like the island tradition of subsistent living. No point worrying about the future and the bigger picture and/or welcoming a million tourists every year!
Dr.freex | September 22, 2007 9:41 PM | Reply
For once I would have to agree with you; at least the gist of it..
"The art of doing nothing is in our very genes. The will to live beyond the present has been on holiday since time immemorial"
But to compare Maldives with Singapore or Malaysia or any of the other Tiger Nations demonstrates an inequity bordering on ignorance.
A complete lack of perspective, an oxymoron of sorts, when you say on the one hand we are indolent, minuscule and worthless more or less(resource wise)and then ask us why we are not in par with Asia's Little Dragons!..or even with Sri Lanka!
If you want to compare any two nations, Maldives & Singapore for example, you don't just walk up to a super mall in Singapore and say- " huh!..Why cant we be like this?..after all we are also a small country"...Any similarity we may have with Singapore ends there(It would do well to read up on the History of Singapore and how it was able to arrive at where it has now)..For one thing is Singapore an archipelago of 2000 isles?
I mean surely you jest?...If you want to compare us with emerging nations then you will not find any against which you will be able to do justice to us! Compare us with the Solomon islands or Seychelles if you must....
But, yes, we are a lazy bunch..we've grown fat on what little wealth has trickled down to us from Tourism(Last year alone the government revenue from Tourism was a measly USD700 Million!!; You want us to become a Singapore from that?..If it wasn't for that puny 700Milwe would still be living in thatched huts for crying out loud!) and it has fed into our ego's and made us even more apathetic, if that is possible...now all we do is nag and nag, and not lift even a finger to better ourselves or for the greater good of the(dare I say)country...Yes, we are pathetic
Simon | September 23, 2007 1:41 AM | Reply
Frozen solid, those who can change it are the people.
Dhommu, thanks for the info on our very own literary masters. Obviously we're not doing enough to support and popularize the arts. Not in the way it should be be. Not yet, anyway.
Zero, when I write I speak for myself and few others who may agree with me. That is to say that I accept the very genes I talk about is also in me.
Nass, I think if we really wanted we could change things around. And I'm not talking about revolution.
Ameer, I agree. But the point of my article is that we need a deeper, more personal change perhaps.
Suraj, were you the guy at the carousel that day? :)
Dhiyey, are general sense of hopelessness IS settling in our society and that is a dangerous thing. You are right.
M, I _am_ somewhere else. hehe.
a, yeah. i think that's what everyone is asking.
If, my goodness you are a fine example of what I talk about.
Dr. Freex, for a minute I thought you had something concrete to add. A quote from Donald Trump (who I don't really like at all) comes to mind: "If you are going to think at all, you might as well think big."
solomon islands and seychelles?? Pfft!
Dr.freex | September 23, 2007 2:36 AM | Reply
Yea.."Pfft!" is a very concrete response indeed!Most insightful.
Your inadequacy in justifying your arguments beyond a "pfft" tells me I'm right..
If you wanna think big then start comparing us to the States or Europe!..now that's BIG!!
You don't have to like me to take my comments in good faith Simon...hehe..Ask Jaa ;
I only have our motherlands interests at heart..sometimes giving an impression of thinking and reflecting isn't enough if we are not able to swallow our egos.
Cheers
Mohamed Hilmy | September 23, 2007 4:22 PM | Reply
Simon
Pyrard's observation of Maldivians being indolent and negligent in 1602 when he was held captive in Male', does not add up for me.
That was probably the worst period in our feudal history, when our rulers- the sultans were involved in brutal and messy successions. We were also captured and occupied by the Portugese. Our people were helpless then as they appear to be now, although there is more outrage expressed now.
If Pyrard had said our rulers were greedy and self-serving and failed to empower our people and improve their lives, that I can accept.
I agree with the problems in our country that you have outlined here and the contradictions imposed on our society. As you said we can sell and serve alcohol to foreigners but we can't have a casino. Both alcohol and gambling are prohibited for Muslims. We have allowed alcohol but cannot allow gambling to foreingners citing religion. These kinds of contradictions are all around us.
As noted by Dr.freex here, it is futile to comapare Maldives to Singapore or Malaysia. Few can match our hypocrisies, double standards and injustice when we are a 100 per cent Muslim country.
It is true that our present situation is pathetic, but I don't believe it is because we are born lazy. Take the special majlis amending a constitution that took seventeen years to make. Three years and millions of rupees have spent but still the job is not done. Half the time meetings are cancelled becoz our handsomely paid members don't show up and there is no quorum for the meeting. Does this happen becoz the people are lazy?
Simon | September 24, 2007 3:56 PM | Reply
Ooh Come now, Freex.
When I compared us to Singapore I wasn't implying that we should build supermalls and highways and mega ports. We needn't aim for that and I agree it will be futile but we can aim higher, couldn't we? And we can change our attitude towards hard work and look forward and plan realistically within our own capacity.
You are taking my comparison too objectively. I think the Solomon islands makas a pathetic comparison. Don't you think so?
Freex, I think my reply to your comment was all in good faith. I'm sorry you got the impression I was brushing off your arguments. But the truth is you were in agreement with the "gist" of what what I said anyway. So I saw no point in adequately justifying any further.
And further more, you asked if we should become a Singapore from our puny tourism income of USD700mil. Freex, honestly, are you just picking an argument for the sake of doing so?
"sometimes giving an impression of thinking and reflecting isn't enough if we are not able to swallow our egos"
Too right! You should listen to your own advice.
Simon | September 24, 2007 4:10 PM | Reply
Hi Hilmy,
Yes, I think this happens because we are lazy among other things like being selfish - a sort of apathy. But the point I'm making is not about politics at all - even though that is more than affected by that same sense of apathy.
For instance, if you ask any resort owners why they employ foreigners they normally have the same answer: Because Maldivians are lazy and unreliable. Don't forget these are Maldivians who are housed and fed on the island with the same expats so there is no argument not of providing accommodation and food at all. Surely, something is wrong with our mentality and I think Pyrard was spot on just as Mohamed Ameen (as mentioned by Dommu in his comment) has also commented on this attitude of Maldivians.
And Pyrard does comment on the greedy and self-serving nature of the then king.
All part and parcel of Maldives - from centuries ago.
Dr.Freex | September 27, 2007 3:52 AM | Reply
No iwasn't arguing just for the sake of it...
I raised this point because it's something that the opposition and Maldivians in general unfairly throw at the Government; Why is it that when we make 'billions' from tourism we are still not in par with Singapore yada yada?..I've had more than my share of debates with people who live in this imaginary world where they believe we are a rung above the rest of Asia becoz of that measly 700mil!!..they think it's enough to super-develop each and every inhabited island in the 'country'...lol
hehe my ego huh...noted...I only wished to bring out what this site aspires to achieve- after all this is a site for Random "Reflections"; not for random ramblings...
cheers
ACT! not criticise | October 3, 2007 5:37 AM | Reply
Hmmmmm! interesting piece of literature. Do we want to be like Singapore, where people are suppressed. Ppl do not have the voice that we Maldivians have. They do not have freedom of expression that we so readily want. SO what are we saying now. We want to be suppressed like that???? or do we want to have the rights that we are fighting for??? Do make up your mind. So that we can at least understand and KNOW what we want to move towards. Guess what Pyrard must have left out and omitted is that Maldivians have very vascilating nature as well :)
Simon | October 3, 2007 6:00 AM | Reply
ACT!,
We Maldivians have a unique voice? Which voice is that? Voice of Maldives? Question is do Singaporians need freedom of expression like "we so readily want"?
Singapore might have strict laws but that is no my point. We are not even close to what they are and probably never will be. But, like I said, it doesn't hurt to aspire to achieve a little higher.