In many travel journals by voyagers across the Maldives, they have not failed to state the loved hospitality by beautiful women. It is indeed no doubt, Maldivian women possessed a rather unique complexion, but why were these voyagers always referring to women?

Women in the Maldives possess a rather unique and tropical complexion. Usually brown skinned, long dark haired and figuratively skinny; Maldive women possessed an ethnic cover-girl look. The dark skinned and long dark hair is derived from the South Indian and Sri Lankan traits in the Maldives, presenting a diverse and unique phenotype. Maldivians were rather underweight, as their diet mainly consisted of coconut and tuna. Were these voyagers too distracted to notice the men in the community?

The gender ratio back in the days were rather fluctuating equally, so why were there less or no man visible to the outsider? Likewise mentioned before, Maldivians are fully dependent on coconut and tuna. With no GPS or motored engines, fishing takes an awfully long time from 4am at dawn until 6pm at dusk. Therefore, since most men go out fishing, women are more involved in community responsibilities.

There was a misinterpretation of how the name ‘Maldives’ was derived. While Sanskrit, Tamil and Sinhala translated to “Garland of Islands” or “Necklace of Islands”, in an old Sri Lankan chronicle ‘Mahawamsa’, they refer to an island called Mahiladiva in Pali, which translates to “Island of Women”. However, it is believed to be mistranslated and to have another meaning in Sanskrit as “Garland”.