Beeratehin : Are they still around?

Beeratehin, were a culturally and intellectually inferior class of people who thrived in Maldives. There were seen as unintelligent. They were hard-working and they were exploited. Most importantly they were outsiders to Male', the Capital of Maldives where the superior people resided. Traditionally, a significant gap has existed between the elite living on Male and the remainder of the population inhabiting the outer islands, those atolls distant from Male where the Beeratehin harvested the seas to eke out a living.

These days we don't hear the word beeratehin, the word probably has been substituted by 'raajethere meehun' as the term is more politically correct.

So, have Beeratehin gone extinct?



Click here to read the meaning of 'beeratehi' as given on Radheef, the Maldivian dictionary.

Male, the traditional seat of the sultans and of the nobility, remains an elite society wielding political and economic power. Members of the several traditionally privileged ruling families; government, business, and religious leaders; professionals; and scholars are found here.

Since the monarchy was abolished, the facts about the aristocracy and ancient titles, offices and ranks have been forgotten. However Maldives still has the emotional trappings of a caste society. People are still very much class conscious and subservient to deep rooted nobility. Those who despised the old "beyfulhu" ways are the ones who are now interested in re-imposing the class system since they now see themselves as the "upper classe". They now use the upper-level of speech and address which they once condemned in the past.



Islam has been used to up hold the different caste-based traditions such as nobility and the clerics who portray them as holding a monopoly over morality, have cleverly used religious rhetoric to follow blind faith. Thus even though the term beeratehin is no longer used, they still serve at the pleasure of the elites.


A fundamental change in thinking is required in the interest of national unity. Ultimately, it is important that our leaders and people recognise that it is respect for basic democratic rights and human rights that will save us from the brink of barbarism.