Заметки о следах кастовой системы на Мальдивах

Этнография. 2019. Т. 4 (6). С. 75–89.

Kulikov L.

This paper explores the social stratification of Maldivian society, with particular focus on its history and traces of earlier alleged caste systems and slavery as well as their impact on Maldivian society, and the implications this fact had for their social structure. I will argue that some anthropologically remarkable traces of earlier social stratification, such as slavery and the caste system, can still be found on the islands. The same holds true for the social structure of the island Minicoy, part of the Sultanate Maldives until the beginning of the 16th century, which now belongs to India. I will demonstrate that while the middle castes have largely disappeared, the upper level of the caste hierarchy (which
has survived in the local elite), the lower castes and certain groups of former slaves have been much more resistant to social developments and structural changes in the society.

Keywords: миграция, социальная стратификация, migration, nobility, caste. caste system, quasi-castes, social elite, социальная элита, каста, social stratification, мальдивский язык, Maldivian language, Maldives, Dhivehi, Minicoy, caste, low caste, honorific forms, каури, Мальдивы, дивехи, Миникой, статусная группа, формы вежливости, гоноратив, эрозия социальной структуры, низкая каста, cowrie trade