The Story of Koadi Kendun

Jul, 29 2019

Celebrated in its own unique way, Eid al-Adha in the Maldives is not only a festival of prayer and feasting but also a carnival of colours, music, dancing and joy. Koadi kendun is one such artistic performance celebrated on the eve of Eid.

On the dawn of Eid, men from the island community join together to decorate the koadi, a wooden stick crafted from a palm tree, decorated with palm leaves. In the evening, the koadi is brought out to the streets and a dance is performed around it. As the evening passes, the men from the island take the koadi and and tie it to the top of a coconut tree. The women from the island then protect the koadi from the men as they try to sneak past and bring the koadi down. The successful man is ‘rewarded’ by the women as he is bathed in the sea, followed by providing him with a feast fit for a king. On the following day, the man who cut the Koadi would appear on a traditional public parade of Alhi Dheli Maali.

At the tropical islands of Coco Collection, you can join us to celebrate this ancient practice to get a feel of Maldivian life.

Categories: Experiences