In the southern reaches of the Maldives, on the island of Gadhdhoo in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll, women harvest a grass called haa from mangrove swamps, dry it for ten days under the tropical sun, and transform it into mats so finely woven that 17th-century French travelers mistook them for silk. These mats — thundu kunaa — were once sent as royal tribute to Maldivian kings and gifted to English governors in Ceylon. Today they appear on Etsy as laptop sleeves and in Malé galleries as framed art. How did a swamp reed become one of the Indian Ocean’s most distinctive textile traditions, and what does its evolution reveal about Maldivian identity?
Sir Hilary Blood, English colonial administrator, recalled in a 1957 article that he owned three thundu kunaas hanging in Kent, England — light yellow and maroon with natural white, accented by dark maroon and black script-like shapes — and described the material as resembling “fashivaaru” or silk.
That description comes from an official Maldivian government heritage overview that traces the craft’s earliest known mention to Ibn Battuta, who recorded kunaa weaving during his visits to the Maldives in 1343 and 1346. The craft is old, but it is not frozen. The question this guide explores is how thundu kunaa has shifted from practical household item to diplomatic gift to contemporary art object — and what that shift means for the women who weave it, the patterns they preserve, and the knowledge that is still debated among historians.
Thundu kunaa is a uniquely Maldivian reed-mat weaving tradition centered on Gadhdhoo Island in Huvadhoo Atoll. Its designs use names that survive only in the Huvadhoo dialect of Dhivehi, and its origins are contested — some scholars argue for pre-Islamic Buddhist roots, others for Arabic or Persian influence. The craft is women-dominated, passed down mother to daughter, and currently undergoing a revival that blends traditional patterns with modern products like handbags and framed art.
| Kunaa Type | Traditional Use | Distinctive Feature | Status Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Namaadhu Kunaa | Seating or sleeping mat | Entirely white with yellow border at both ends | Documented in British Museum collections |
| Mussala Kunaa | Prayer mat | Center portion indicates direction of Mihrab | Still produced, fewer artisans |
| Salawat Kunaa | Holding incense sticks during salawat recitation | Small size, roughly 1.5 feet by 3 feet | Rarely made today |
| Gondi Kunaa | Placed on traditional long chair (Dhigu gondi) or swing (undhoali) | Most common type; name derives from the furniture | Widely recognized, still woven |
| Karudhaas Kunaa | Sleeping or sitting | Highly polished surface finish | Specialized knowledge, few practitioners |
| Kalhujehi Kunaa | Decorative / modern use | Uses synthetic violet dye instead of natural colors | More affordable; photographed in 1977 by Andrew Forbes |
| Kunaa Kolhu | Royal tribute / gift | Historically most significant; only two individuals in Gadhdhoo know the design | Critically endangered |
| Boafaijehi Kunaa | Ceremonial or display | Features “boafai” design prominently in center; exceptional beauty | Rare, highly sought after |
The table above covers the best-documented varieties, but Gadhdhoo elders speak of over 70 original designs. Researcher Mariyam Rasheeda estimates about 45 distinct patterns survive; historian Ahmed Saeed puts the number at 27. That discrepancy itself is a form of knowledge — designs carry different meanings depending on who you ask.
The Grass That Becomes Art
The raw material for thundu kunaa is haa, a local grass that grows in mangrove wetlands. In the southern dialect of Huvadhoo Atoll it is also called hau. After cutting, the stalks are cleaned and spread in the sun for roughly ten days. Nothing is imported — the entire production chain stays on the island.
The dyeing process transforms the pale dried grass into the deep maroons, blacks, yellows, and whites that define traditional kunaa. Each color comes from a specific plant source:
Bark of the Unigas tree (beach gardenia) is ground in a pestle and mortar, mixed with water, and boiled with the haa for 7 to 17 days until the grass reaches a rich maroon shade.
Maroon-dyed haa is soaked in ash water, then immersed in a mixture of coconut water containing a piece of metal. The solution is boiled until all water evaporates, yielding a deep black.
Roots of the Ahigas tree (noni) are cut, boiled with haa and water, producing a vibrant yellow.
Natural white is achieved simply by drying the haa without any coloring ingredients.
The bark of the hibiscus tree, which grows widely across the islands, is processed into thread used to bind and structure the mat.
Each reed is placed on a handloom and woven one at a time. The colored strands are arranged to form intricate, symmetrical patterns — a technique that produces sharp pointed edges but perfectly straight borders.
The entire process is women’s work, passed down through families. Zainab Ali, a 59-year-old embroidery artisan from Malé who learned kasabu work eleven years ago, represents a newer generation entering a craft that historically stayed within bloodlines. But in the Maldivian Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society, women like her are now teaching the skill to anyone willing to learn.
If you visit Gadhdhoo Island in Gaaf Dhaal Atoll, ask to see a weaving demonstration at the local women’s cooperative. The best time to visit is during the dry northeast monsoon (January to March), when haa harvesting is at its peak and mats are being dyed outdoors.
A Language of Patterns
What makes thundu kunaa distinct from other reed-mat traditions in South Asia is its pattern vocabulary. The names of the designs exist only in the Huvadhoo dialect of Dhivehi — they do not appear in standard Dhivehi dictionaries. Patterns like Kudhe Thalhe Fathaanaa, Bodu Thalhe Fathaanaa, Rathaandaa, Kalhe Hiraa, Hudhe Hiraa, Rathe Hiraa, and Niyefathaalee Malaa carry specific geometric meanings that older weavers can read but younger generations often cannot.
The origin of these patterns is one of the craft’s most debated questions. French traveler Monsieur Francis Pirard, who visited the Maldives between 1602 and 1607, believed the motifs showed Arabic or Persian influence. H. C. P. Bell, the British colonial civil servant who studied Maldivian archaeology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, argued they were uniquely Maldivian. Gadhdhoo elders today point to pre-Islamic Buddhist roots — the first settlers were Sinhalese from Ceylon, and some weaving traditions may have traveled with them. When the Maldives converted to Islam in the 12th century, many Buddhist-era designs were adapted or replaced with Islamic motifs. The debate is unresolved, and the lack of written records before Ibn Battuta means it may stay that way.
Royal Gifts and Global Trade
Thundu kunaa was never merely a household item. By the 17th century, Maldivian sultans regularly included the mats in annual tribute shipments to Dutch colonial rulers in Ceylon. H. C. P. Bell noted that thundu kunaas were always part of these contributions, and that the mats from Huvadhoo Atoll — then called Suvaadeev Kunaa or Huvadhoo Kunaa — were the most prized. In 1883, Bell observed that thundu kunaas were made exclusively in Huvadhoo Atoll.
Sir Hilary Blood’s 1957 account in Contemporary Review provides a rare firsthand description of three mats that had traveled from the Maldives to England. He noted that the characters woven into the mat appeared to derive from Persian or Arabic, and that the craftsmanship was exceptional. Blood’s mats were a gift from the Maldivian king to the Governor of Ceylon — part of a diplomatic tradition that positioned kunaa as a marker of sovereign prestige.
A common outsider misconception is that thundu kunaa is a single type of mat made the same way across the Maldives. In reality, the craft is concentrated in one atoll (Huvadhoo), uses dialect-specific design names, and includes at least eight distinct documented types with very different functions — from prayer mats to royal tribute pieces. The Kalhujehi Kunaa, which uses synthetic violet dye, is a modern innovation that some traditionalists consider inauthentic, but it makes the craft more accessible.
Context and Comparison: Kunaa Among Maldivian Crafts
Thundu kunaa is one of several women-dominated craft traditions in the Maldives, but it stands apart in materials, technique, and historical reach. The table below compares it with two other major Maldivian handcrafts.
| Craft | Primary Material | Region | Gender Dominance | Historical Role | Status Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thundu kunaa (mat weaving) | Haa grass, hibiscus thread, natural dyes | Huvadhoo Atoll (especially Gadhdhoo) | Women (historically passed mother to daughter) | Royal tribute, diplomatic gifts, household use | Revival via cooperative; modern products (bags, sleeves, framed art) |
| Liyelaa jehun (lacquer work) | Wood, lacquer, natural pigments (traditionally reds, yellows, blacks) | Baa Atoll (especially Thulhaadhoo) | Men (Mohamed Ali Manik is a noted 25-year artisan) | Decorative vases, jewelry boxes, ceremonial objects | Expanding into non-traditional colors and designs |
| Kasabu viyun (embroidery) | Cotton, silk, metallic threads; weighted bobbins (foalibai) | Malé, Gaaf Dhaal Thinadhoo, and across atolls | Women (Zainab Ali, Saffiyya Hussein, Nasheedha Ahmed are known practitioners) | Adorned necklines (kasabu) and sleeves (kinaaree) of the Dhivehi libaas | Diversifying into bracelets, cushion covers, framed art; regional diversity from north to south |
All three crafts are undergoing a similar shift from functional to decorative and commercial. The Maldivian Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society now exhibits thundu kunaa in forms — backpacks, tote bags, laptop sleeves — that would have been unrecognizable to the women who wove tribute mats for sultans. This is not dilution; it is adaptation.
The earliest written record of Maldivian mat weaving comes from Ibn Battuta’s Rihla, composed after his visits in 1343 and 1346. He does not describe the patterns in detail, but his mention confirms that kunaa was already established enough to merit notice from a traveler who had seen textile traditions across Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
- Thundu kunaa is not a single product — it is a family of at least eight documented mat types with distinct functions, colors, and cultural status.
- The craft’s design vocabulary exists only in the Huvadhoo dialect, making language preservation part of cultural preservation.
- Historical records show thundu kunaa was used as diplomatic currency between Maldivian sultans and colonial powers in Ceylon for centuries.
- The current revival, led by women’s cooperatives, blends traditional techniques with contemporary products — a strategy that keeps the craft economically viable without abandoning its roots.
Questions Readers Ask
Is thundu kunaa still made by hand today?
Yes. Every step — harvesting haa, drying, dyeing with natural ingredients, weaving on a handloom — is done by hand. The only synthetic element in some modern mats is violet dye used in the Kalhujehi Kunaa variety.
Artisans on Gadhdhoo and in Malé continue to produce kunaa using the same techniques documented by Ibn Battuta in the 14th century. The Cultural Tours in the Maldives sometimes include stops at women’s cooperatives where weaving is demonstrated.
Can I buy an authentic thundu kunaa mat?
Yes, but authentic mats are expensive — a single mat can take weeks to weave, and natural dyes are labor-intensive. The Maldivian Authentic Crafts Cooperative Society in Malé sells certified pieces. Be cautious of machine-made imitations sold at resorts.
Prices vary widely. A small Gondi Kunaa might cost between 50 and 100 US dollars; a Kunaa Kolhu or Boafaijehi Kunaa can run several hundred dollars if an artisan is willing to take the commission.
Are the designs really uniquely Maldivian?
That is the central unresolved question in the scholarship. Some 17th-century European observers saw Arabic or Persian influence. H. C. P. Bell and most contemporary Maldivian researchers argue the patterns are indigenous. The fact that neighboring mat traditions in Sri Lanka and South India use different structural techniques lends weight to the latter view.
Gadhdhoo elders themselves link certain designs to the pre-Islamic Buddhist period, suggesting the tradition predates the 12th-century conversion to Islam.
How long does it take to learn mat weaving?
Basic competency takes several months of daily practice. Mastering the complex patterns — especially the Kunaa Kolhu — can take years. Only two women on Gadhdhoo currently possess the knowledge to weave that design.
The Historical and Heritage Tours in the Maldives occasionally include workshops where visitors can try the basic weave under supervision, though you will not produce a finished mat in a single session.
Is the craft dying out?
Not exactly — but it is changing. The number of women who know the full repertoire of traditional designs has declined sharply. At the same time, the cooperative movement has brought younger women into the craft, and demand for kunaa products (bags, art, accessories) is growing among tourists and collectors.
The risk is not that the craft disappears, but that the deep knowledge encoded in the Huvadhoo dialect names and the pre-Islamic patterns continues to erode. Preservation efforts now focus on documenting those names and meanings before the last elders who carry them pass away.
The Future of a Thread
The story of thundu kunaa is not a lament for a lost art. It is a portrait of a tradition that has always been in motion — from mangrove swamp to royal court to Etsy storefront. The women who weave it are not preserving a relic; they are deciding, pattern by pattern, what deserves to survive and what can be let go. That decision is happening in real time on Gadhdhoo Island, in the cooperative showroom in Malé, and in the hands of every visitor who chooses to buy a mat woven from haa grass rather than nylon. For a deeper look at how Maldivian craftsmanship has adapted across centuries, read the companion guide on the art of lacquer work in Baa Thulhaadhoo, where a similar revival is underway.
Sources and further reading
Maldives Independent. “Heritage meets high tech inside the Maldives Expo.” 2023. 🔗
Maldives Monetary Authority / MDV Mission. “Thun’du Kunaa — Traditional Mat Weaving.” 2024. 🔗
Blood, Sir Hilary. “Memories of the Maldives Islands.” Contemporary Review, 1957. Referenced in MDV Mission article.
Related reading on IslandHopperGuides
Maldivian Mat Weaving: History, Symbolism, and Sustainable Art — A deeper dive into the symbolism of specific patterns and the environmental ethics of haa harvesting.
Maldivian Folklore: Unraveling Myths and Legends Passed Down Through Generations — Oral traditions that shaped the cultural context in which kunaa designs were created.
Community Islands: Experiencing the Heart of Maldivian Village Life — Practical guidance for visiting islands like Gadhdhoo where crafts remain part of daily life.
Explore Places to Stay in Maldives
Feel free to zoom in and out of the map to explore the area and find the best place to stay for your trip.