When is Maahifun or Maahefun celebrated in Maldives?
Maahifun or Maahefun is a celebration marked right before Ramadan, people of the Maldives celebrate Maahefun or Maahifun before the beginning of the month-long fasting. This is the part we know and found on the internet when we google searched. Little is found on the internet about Maahefun. Then we realized this topic is something we need to write about and we went asking people about this event. Following are some of the most common facts made by our story tellers about Maahifun or Maahefun as our team researched through the magnificent Laamu Atoll.
What actually happens during the event Maahifun or Maahefun?
Little is found on the internet about Maahefun. Let me tell you a bit of how they have celebrated Maahefun or Maahifun when people were people and horses were horses back then. This event is more than just a maahefun. Maahefun event is just legendary. Originally and traditionally this is also known as the spring cleaning of the Maldives households from the Southern Atolls of The Maldives. A week before the start of Ramadan, it is time to do deep cleaning of the house. Everyone in the family is involved. Men, women, kids and teens will be basically involved with cleaning of the house. Women and girls on the other hand will be more focused on cleaning the kitchen equipment. Any equipment such as utensils that can be carried and removed will be taken to the beach and washed with salt water and sand from the beach. Those days people never had the luxury of using Mama Lime from Malaysia or Pril from United Arab Emirates for washing purposes. People are hardly able to afford to get a soap for washing clothes.
What about Maahefun or Maahifun?
Sorry I got carried away with our good old stories. Wait for it. After cleaning the household and kitchen equipment, the neighbouring folks exchange and enjoy sharing specially made food for this event as a reward for the job well done and to celebrate before the holy month of Ramadan they have Maahefun or Maahifun (meaning the big bite in local language Dhivehi). The specially made food may include Ambu Majaa (hot savoury made out of Mango, chilli and Rihaakuru), Valhomas & Kaashi (Smoked tuna and Coconut), Aveli (something sweet). Usually, they are food items that are produced and grown organically in the island and fish. The youth of the community or teens would have already built special over water spaces or Maahefungé (in Dhivehi language) by then using coconut leaves and wooden stilts for sharing the feast before Ramadan with full enjoyment together as a community. Some kids from the neighbourhood would be surfing if there are good waves in the reef, not standing but lying down on their hand made wooden body boards while others enjoy chit chatting, swimming and beating up the afternoon sun. It is actually a fun filled community or family event that lifts the sprit of belonging and community sprit and getting ready for the fasting month of Ramadan. It is also another way of taking a clean bath before Ramadan as people do not go swimming during Ramadan those days, added our story teller. Some part or the whole event may vary from Atoll to Atoll, this particular content was how Maahifun or Maahefun was celebrated in Laamu Fonadhoo, the Maldives.
We wish you all a happy Maahefun or Maahifun, may you bring back those fond memories and the sprit of community belonging alive over and over again!
