Boduberu ( Dhivehi: ބޮޑުބެރު) is similar to some of the songs and dances found in east and south west

Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia in both cases. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of Earth's total surface area ...

. It is likely that the music was introduced to The

Maldives Maldives (, ; dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖެ, translit=Dhivehi Raajje, ), officially the Republic of Maldives ( dv, ދިވެހިރާއްޖޭގެ ޖުމްހޫރިއްޔާ, translit=Dhivehi Raajjeyge Jumhooriyyaa, label=none, ), is an archipelag ...

by sailors from the

Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or ~19.8% of the water on Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia to the east. To the south it is bounded by t ...

region. It may be said that ''Boduberu'' first made an appearance in The Maldives in the 11th Century AD, or possibly before that.

Performance

Boduberu is performed by about 20 people, including three drummers and a lead singer. They are accompanied by a small bell, a set of drums also known as a '' bodu beru'', and an '' onugandu'' - a small piece of bamboo with horizontal grooves, from which raspy sounds are produced by scraping. The songs may be of heroism, romance or satire. The prelude to the song is a slow beat with emphasis on drumming, and dancing. As the song reaches a crescendo, one or two dancers maintain the wild beat with their frantic movements ending in some cases in a trance. The costume of the performers is a sarong and a white short sleeved shirt.

Evolution

Boduberu evolved among the common citizens as an alternative to court music. In the early days, the people gathered together to perform Boduberu, and it became widely accepted as the music of the common people. The performing of the music is often referred as "vibrating the island". A notable point about Boduberu is its noise and sometimes meaningless

lyrics Lyrics are words that make up a song, usually consisting of verses and choruses. The writer of lyrics is a lyricist. The words to an extended musical composition such as an opera are, however, usually known as a " libretto" and their writer, ...

sung. The lyrics do not have a meaning, because it consists of a mixture of local, neighbouring and some African words. Today, meaningful songs written in the local language Dhivehi are sung to the rhythm of Boduberu. Boduberu is usually sung after a hard day's work. The location is up to the performers. Today, Boduberu is an important item of

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at stage shows, special occasions, celebrations and festivals.

Bodu beru

The ''bodu beru'' is a Maldivian drum, made of wood from coconut tree trunk, and often grouped in trios. The instrument is used to accompany a dance of the same name, the Boduberu.Sarah Piccioli, Dominique Auzias, Jean-Paul Labourdette. ''Le Petit Futé Maldives''. Petit Futé, 2008. ,
Pg 80
Bodu beru drum

References

{{reflist Maldivian music Maldivian musical instruments Drums