Weaving the Nakaiy

Sounding the Monsoon

Project Notes

Project Type:
Design Research and Arts Project

Collaborators:
Ifham Niyaz (Artist / Translators)
Dr. Jonathan Cane (Researcher) - Leverhulme Centre for Anthropocene Biodiversity
Mohamed Ishan Saeed (Architect) - Atollscape
Ben Pollock (Designer/Researcher) - Climate Cartographics

Date:
March 2020 - May2023

Links:
This project has been funded by the Prince Claus Fund and Geoth-Institut, Cultural and Artistic responses to environmental change funding 2021

https://nakaiy.io/ <<< Full Project Site

Project Tags:
2021, Research, Maldives, Climate Change, Art

Indigenous Understanding Woven with Weather Data

Sounding the Monsoon’ is a collaborative project in the Maldives that entwines local knowledge of Huvadhu atoll Gadhdhoo’s women’s weaving with scientific representations of monsoonal climate change. These two forms of climate knowledge are linked by the Maldivian Nakaiy calendar, an indigenous monsoonal calendar; which responds to the rhythms of daily, monsoonal life in the islands. The project’s approach is ‘sounding’, a method of critical listening, collection and archiving of environmentally-linked sound and music, and the performance and remediation of these soundscapes in the Maldives.


މޯސަމީ މޫސުން އިއްވާ އަޑު: ނަކަތްބުރުގެ ތެރެއިން ވިޔުން

މިއީ އިންޑިއާ ކަނޑުގައި ހިނގާ މޯސަމީ ވަޔާއިއޮޔާ އެކުގައި ހުވަދު އަތޮޅު ގައްދޫގައި ޒަމާނުއްސުރެ ހިންގަމުން އަންނަ ތުނޑުކުނާ ވިޔުމުގެ މުއްސަދި އާދަކާދަ އާމެދު މައުލޫމާތު އެއްކުރުމަށް ހިންގާ ރިސާޗެއް. މިކަމުގެ ތެރެއިން ދިވެހި ނަކަތްތެރިކަމާއި، ހުވަދޫ އަތޮޅާއި އިންޑިއާ ކަނޑުގެ އައްސޭރިތަކާމެދު އުފެދިފައިވާ ދަތުރުފަތުރާއި، ވިޔަފާރި، އަދި ސަގާފީ އުނގެނުމުގެ ގުޅުންތަކާ ބެހޭ ވާހަކަ، ލަވަ، އިލްމު، މިއުޒިކު، ބަހުރުވަ އަދި އާދަކާދައާ ބެހޭ މައުލޫމާތާއި އަޑުތަކުގެ ރެކޯޑިންގ އެއްކުރީން. ވަކިން ހާއްސަކޮށް، ގައްދޫއަށް ހާއްސަ ތުނޑުކުނާ ވިޔުމުގެ ކަންކަމާބެހޭގޮތުން އެމަސައްކަތް ކުރާ ފަރާތްތަކާ ބައްދަލުކޮށް، މަސައްކަތްކުރާ ގޮތުގެ މައުލޫމާތާއި، މަސައްކަތާ ގުޅުންހުރި މާހައުލުތަކުގެ އަޑުތައް ރެކޯޑު ކުރެވުނު. މި މައުލޫމާތުތައް އެއްކުރުމަށްފަހު މިތަނުގައި ޝާއިއު މިކުރަނީ ގައްދޫއާއި އަދި ވަށައިގެންވާ މާހައުލާބެހޭ މައުލޫމާތު އެއްތަނަކުން ފެންނާނެ ގޮތަށް މެޕުކޮށް، މިކަމާ ޝައުގުވެރިވާ ފަރާތްތަކާ ހިއްސާކުރާ އާއްމު އާކައިވެއްގެ ގޮތުގަ.

For the full project experience please visit https://nakaiy.io/   for imagery and accompany audio tracks

About

The Nakaiy Almanac merges indigenous knowledge and weather data, showcasing the intricate connection between historical weather patterns and the indigenous culture of the Maldives. In regions with traditionally stable climates, the Indian Monsoon has served as a consistent and globally significant atmospheric and oceanic event, shaping local weather conditions through wind patterns, atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature, rainfall, and the movements and behaviours of non-human entities.


The Maldives, situated within the monsoon's domain, developed the Nakaiy Calendar to govern life and livelihoods in the Atolls. Through keen environmental observation, the transfer of knowledge through oral traditions, day counting and the synchronisation of this wisdom with annual astrological cycles, a generalised understanding of weather and the environment was established. Taking place within 13-14 day periods known as Nakaiys. This indigenous knowledge was retained and employed to predict local weather and environmental occurrences for the same periods in the following year, given the monsoon's previously consistent and predictable behaviour.


At a macro-scale, communities utilised the Iruvaa (north-east wet monsoon) to plan safer sea trade with neighbouring atolls as well as navigating the Bay of Bengal to reach other South Asian countries. Similarly, they identified specific periods within the Hulhangu (southwest dry monsoon) to focus on local crop cultivation and enhanced fishing strategies during the presence of migrating species. At a micro-scale, this indigenous environmental understanding intertwined rich cultural practices, leading to the development of island-specific livelihoods that centre round the Nakaiy. Oral history, folklore, religious rituals, music, and magic all evolved symbiotically with the Nakaiy. Such practices and knowledge both created and supported stable livelihoods and unique cultural expressions, such as the weaving of Thundu Kunna Mats. This historical integration has allowed islanders to seamlessly navigate between different scales of daily life and empowered who held Nakaiy knowledge with the ability to know the weather.



However, in recent years, the effects of climate change have disrupted the once reliable predictions derived from Nakaiy. Fluctuations, deviations, and breakdowns in the previously stable structure of the monsoon have subsequently impacted locally formed weather. Consequently, these changes disrupt the micro-to-macro understandings of the Nakaiy, and the ability to interpret environmental cues, such as the formation of westerly clouds at sunrise, the presence of bait fish on the island's northern reef during morning fishing, or the afternoon breeze and increased sea surface chop. The meanings associated with these cues have become increasingly challenged and uncertain due to the unpredictable nature of recent changing weather patterns and out-of-sync cycles of fauna, flora and marine activity.

The Nakaiy Almanac endeavours to visually and quantitively interweave the embodied indigenous knowledge across Nakaiy periods, engaging in a dialogue with typically inaccessible quantitative daily data sourced from meteorological archives starting from 1994.



The value and knowledge of the Nakaiy extends beyond the available weather data, enabling knowledge holders and the calendar to reach further back in time. The data presented includes windspeed, rainfall, atmospheric pressure, cloud cover, temperature, and humidity, all directly or indirectly connected to core observations within the Nakaiy. By mapping these variables, the visualisation exposes both macro and micro patterns, as well as yearly anomalies and extremes. For instance, it showcases differences between the Iruvaa and Hulhangu monsoons, as well as sub-periods within these seasons characterized by higher temperatures, winds, or rainfall. To enhance the comprehension of these patterns over time, varying line weights and colour gradients are employed, signifying changes in patterns through the thickness of lines or the intensity of colour.


As a technical tool, the Nakaiy Almanac aspires to function as an almanac that not only values traditional understandings and knowledge of weather but also provides viewers with insights to interpret current weather data and patterns through their own embodied understanding and experience of weather.

While the ability to predict the weather as per past methods may no longer be feasible (given the current trajectory of climate change), the Nakaiy Almanac aims to foster a deeper cultural and locally tangible appreciation of the threats and challenges posed by climate change, without relying on projected Western understandings or framings.

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