Myths of the Maldives

Spanish writer and scholar

The Rannamaari was a sea monster from Maldivian folklore that was believed to have sexually abused and murdered countless young women. According to popular versions of the story, a Maghrebi merchant called Al-Barbari performed a ritual after convincing the authorities at the time to let him take the place of girls meant to be sacrificed to the monster in an effort to save them and the islanders. He recited the Qur'an in the presence of the Rannamaari. With this ritual, the Rannamaari fled and never returned and the incident led to the islanders converting to Islam. The story is one of the most

Indigenous people of Giraavaru Island, Maldives