An excerpt from the story “Loabinfaru”
It has been two years since Sanfa had been brought to Male’. When she did not agree to marry the Atoll Chief who was from Male, she was brought to Male’. Now she was staying with the Atoll Chief’s mother, Hawwa Fulhu. Sanfa’s father hoped that by staying with the Atoll Chief’s mother, she could be persuaded to marry him.
This was the first time that Sanfa had come to Male’. It took five days to sail from her island to Male’. Both the wind and the current were unfavourable. During the journey, they mostly ate readymade food such as hard baked ala fathafolhi1 and valho mas. Sanfa was the only woman on board.
The most difficult thing for her was to attend to calls of nature, on the boat. There was no toilet facility on board. Lack of privacy did not bother the men but she waited until after sunset when the boat dropped anchor off islands for the night, to attend to calls of nature. Her uncle who accompanied her on the trip helped her by holding and preventing her from falling into the sea while she squatted on the aft plank of the boat in the dark, with her back to the sea. He also assisted her to draw water from the sea for washing.
The other thing that really bothered her was that she had to wear the same clothes for the duration of the entire journey. Again for the men, it was not a problem. Whenever the boat anchored off an island, they would jump into the sea and bathe. Afterwards they would wash off the salt with a little fresh water from the large barrel of water on board. Because she had not had been able to freshen up, she found it even difficult to sleep. But as she lay on the deck, ultimately sleep would come. One night while she was sleeping like this, she had a most memorable dream. In her dream she saw Moosa flying like a fairy. As Moosa came down towards her, she woke up. She opened her eyes but only saw the stars twinkling above.
When she finally arrived in Male’, she remembered various stories that she had heard about Male’. That there was a highly esteemed Sultan in Male’. That he sat on a splendid throne made of gold. That he wore a crown with sparkling precious stones on it. That the Sultan went to places inside a four wheeled moving cabin. That he would sometimes walk to places. And when he did, he would be accompanied by trumpeters and drummers whose sound would be heard throughout Male’. That somebody would keep an open white umbrella above his head. That the umbrella was as big as a cloud. That some men in Male’ would ride balanced on a two wheeled contraption. That the houses in Male’ would be much bigger and that the lamps in the houses would be lit without any oil. That the lamps would be so bright that you could even see small ants on the floor.
Sanfa was sad to leave her mother behind. She would be so lonely, thought Sanfa. But in a way it was good that she was brought to Male’. Now she would not be constantly bothered by the young men of her island. The Atoll Chief also did not visit the house where Sanfa was staying.
It was a spacious house. The house and the detached kitchen were built with coral stone and the walls were plastered white. The roof was tiled. Unlike in her island, more meals were served in Male’. Everyone had breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. There were fewer people staying in the house. But there were lots of household items. Some of the things which caught Sanfa’s attention included a pressurized kerosene burner, a big wall clock which chimed every hour and a sewing machine. But the thing which she really liked was the big mirror on the wardrobe. She also had a mirror at her house in Ihuvanfushi. But that was a rather small misted mirror. When you stand in front of this mirror you could see full length. This was the first time Sanfa saw herself clearly.
The first time Hawwa Fulhu saw her, Sanfa looked grubby and unkempt. The man who accompanied her brought a bundle containing her clothes and her silver jewellery. Even in that state Hawwa Fulhu appreciated Sanfa’s beauty. Hawwa Fulhu said to herself, “When Mohamed Ameen was president, he brought beautiful girls to Male’ from all over the country. All those girls married beyfulhu2 men. If the young men of Male’ discover this girl, everyone would be after her.”
1 Hard baked cake made of taro (ala)
2 Nobles. People who had family connections to the royalty and others who were descendants of the Prophet.
If you enjoyed this excerpt and would like to read more, the book, ‘Loabinfaru’ is available from Asrafee Bookshop and Novelty Bookshop