Story: Fangi Factory

This was a satisfying story to put together as it combines information and pictures gathered from almost every island we’ve visited in Laamu so far.

Starting with our usual nosey ‘wonder what she is doing’, and ‘what is in that wheelbarrow?’, to ‘there’s another person doing it!’…’everyone is doing it!’ – this was a story we couldn’t ignore. Gathering information about something that almost every person on you come across is involved in in one way or another is pretty straight-forward.

We always love writing about island crafts – and occasionally having a go – but it turns out this is more than a story about heritage – this one takes in culture, economics, and a little bit of history too.

It also turned into a lesson in Dhivehi bas too as, after having originally titled the story ‘Viyun Viyaafaari’, we found that as many people use the word vinun as use the word viyun for the thatching process. Scared of such controversy, we backed slowly away and changed it.

We’re guessing a lot of people in other atolls are responding to the, apparently rampant, demand for palm thatch, and we hope it will still working out for all parties when we get further north next year.

For those that didn’t know this was such a thriving business, read on, and then you will…

Learn about the fangiviyun/vinun frenzy: https://twothousandisles.com/story/viyun-viyafaari/