Coral traditions, island crafts, and climate storytelling in the Indian Ocean
The Maldives, a nation of over 1,000 coral islands, is renowned for its turquoise waters, fishing culture, and Islamic architecture. Its artistic heritage — from boat building and lacquerware to weaving and dance — reflects close ties to the ocean and island ecology. Today, as one of the world’s most climate-vulnerable nations, the Maldives faces urgent threats: rising sea levels, coral bleaching, waste management issues, and coastal erosion. In this context, Maldivian artists, designers, and cultural leaders are turning to sustainability in the arts — preserving traditions while exploring recycled art, eco-fashion, and climate storytelling to advocate for resilience and survival.
Maldivian culture embodies eco-conscious traditions:
Boat building (dhoni): Wooden sailing vessels crafted from coconut timber, adapted to fishing and seafaring.
Lacquerware (liye laajehun): Decorative wooden crafts using local timber and natural pigments.
Weaving & mat-making (kunaa): Mats woven from dried grass and palm leaves, traditionally used in homes and mosques.
Coral stone carving: Historic mosques built with carved coral blocks (now restricted for conservation).
Music & dance: Bodu beru drumming and folk dance often celebrate fishing, sea voyages, and community life.
Oral traditions: Legends and poetry connecting islanders to reefs, winds, and stars.
These traditions, rooted in island ecosystems, form the foundation of Maldivian eco-arts today.
Artists use plastic bottles, ghost nets, and marine debris to create installations, sculptures, and murals, raising awareness of pollution and rising seas.
Designers reinterpret weaving, embroidery, and lacquer motifs with organic fabrics, natural dyes, and upcycled materials, linking the Maldives to global slow fashion movements.
Musicians and poets integrate themes of rising seas, coral loss, and migration, giving voice to island struggles in both traditional and contemporary styles.
Independent filmmakers and youth theatre groups spotlight coastal erosion, reef conservation, and waste challenges, bringing ecological issues into storytelling.
Events like the Maldives Contemporary Art Exhibition and international climate forums increasingly feature eco-art, recycled installations, and ocean-inspired creativity.
Recycled art collectives – transforming marine debris into sculpture.
Kunaa weaving cooperatives – sustaining palm craft for eco-fashion and design.
Musicians & poets – linking climate advocacy with cultural pride.
Independent filmmakers – documenting coral loss and coastal resilience.
Youth-led projects – murals and performances about rising seas and migration.
Rising sea levels, threatening land and cultural sites.
Coral bleaching & biodiversity loss.
Plastic pollution & limited waste management on small islands.
Economic dependence on tourism, overshadowing traditional crafts.
Migration pressures, risking intergenerational loss of heritage.
Eco-tourism & cultural exchange: Linking eco-arts with diving, heritage islands, and reef conservation.
Global climate advocacy: Positioning Maldivian artists as cultural ambassadors at climate summits.
Diaspora networks: Preserving Maldivian arts among overseas communities.
Indian Ocean collaboration: Building an eco-arts alliance with Sri Lanka, Seychelles, and Mauritius.
In the Maldives, sustainability in the arts is both a continuation of island traditions and a response to climate crisis. From boat building and mat weaving to recycled ocean art, eco-fashion, and climate-focused films, Maldivian artists are transforming creativity into resilience. As rising seas reshape their future, the arts serve as both a guardian of heritage and a global voice for climate justice, ensuring that the Maldives’ culture continues to thrive even as its shores are at risk.