DYMag September 2013 by Dhi Youth Movement

Dhi Youth Movement Youth for Youth, to empower and to lead

DHI YOUTH MOVEMENT MAGAZINE

September 2013 Issue #05

Dhi Youth Movement Youth for Youth, to empower and to lead

DYM core group at t

he 0th Anniversary p

hoto shoot

Dhi Youth Movement began in early 2012 as a small initiative by a few young inspired individuals in Male', with the vision to bring a positive change to society by empowering young people to actively contribute to society. Our group, with a strong following on Facebook, was used to mobilize volunteers for a flash freeze on 29th March 2012 and since then there has been no turning back. We officially got registered as an NGO on 12th of December 2012 as Dhivehi Youth Movement under the Associations and Societies Act of the Maldives (Act No. 1/2003). Any and all Maldivians between the age of 16 and 27 are welcome to join DYM. And everyone's ideas and thoughts are welcome and appreciated.

Dear Reader, I am overwhelmed by the positive response we have received so far for this magazine and that inspires me to carry on . Every issue requires so much work organizing everything, carrying out photo-shoots and such, but once we start to see it all come together, the feeling is amazing. It’s that warm fuzzy feeling that just makes me very happy. I am sad to see our design director Nawaf leave (but don’t worry, he will al ways be a part of our team! We don’t let people go that easy, ha) but I am also extremely excited to introduce our new design director Imy who is one of the nicest people I know and he is extremely talented and I hope that this magazine will become a lot more fun and happening with him on the team . This issue, we feature one of our favourite bunch of people, the ladies and gents from Space Parade! We have been huge fans of them since forever and meeting and interviewing them was definitely a great experience. I hope that you have as much fun reading about them and their adventures as we did talking to them . I can honestly say it has been the most fun cover photoshoot yet. Apart from it, we also have a lot of fun new segments, especially Sharky’s new column Literalyrics which will make you laugh and our Wonder Woman segment where we highlight one woman who is just wonderful in what she does. A lot more articles about life, health, movies, poetry and music follows making this issue rich in content and a fun read. Don’t forget to click share and download as a PDF so you can read it anytime you want! September is one of my favourite months. Hogwarts starting its school year, so many people we know having birthdays and this year, elections and the SAFF championship bringing a lot of excitement our way. We have tried to include a lot of fun things for you to read this month, in the hopes that it will inspire you, and make you think inside the box (because it’s bigger on the inside!). So get a cup of tea, curl up with your phone/laptop and have a great time reading! Cheers,

THE

DYMag TEAM

fb.com/imy.117

Imy Design Director

Imy is just a dreaming, believing, photographing, graphic designing, video gaming, good food consuming, tv series watching, constantly ranting everyday teenager. Loves his friends and making new ones. Often dreams of traveling the world someday due to suffering from a terminal case of wanderlust.

@shahaaa

Shaha Content Director

Shaha is a free spirit who enjoys classic literature, tea with lots of milk, good books and lots of sunshine. She dreams of huge closets and making a mark in the world. She believes in mismatching socks, breaking stereotypes and handwritten letters.

@sifrsabr

Sifr Editor-in-Chief

Sifr is simultaneously rude, charming and arrogant. His only redeeming quality is that he is proficient. Relentless in his pursuit of knowledge and impartial truth. Self professedly classy and stylish. He enjoys the company of bright and attractive young ladies. He is a basketball player, a stargazer, a gym rack, a philosopher but most of all a mind of science.

THE

CONTRIBUTORS

Shifraz Poet

Ixmael Blood Nael Poet

Fazu Poet

@ashifraaz

Jin Writer

@jinexilir

@IxmaelNaail

Ish Writer

@ishtasy

Moony Writer

Thihnan Writer

Sharky Comic Artist

Abo Writer

@shaaaarkie

Shaam Writer

@scubeshaam

@mrabo04

Toby Photographer

fb.com/monkeygraphy

Editor’s Intriguing and thought provoking articles from around the web handpicked for you,

One Lesson To Teach The Young

Maldives Your Human Rights

Ever wonder what’s inside a spacesuit? Now you can see for yourself.

Where mind-mindedness comes from

A.I: Articial Intelligence

Choice The people never give up their liberties but under some delusion.

-Edmund Burke

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.

-Magaret Mead I am not concerned that you have fallen - I am concerned that you arise.

Electoral Violence

-Abraham Lincoln Difficult things take a long time, impossible things a little longer.

-Harriet Stowe Amat Victoria Curam 'Victory loves preparation'

-Unknown Our greatest glory is not in never falling but in rising every time we fall.

-Confucius

Courage doesn’t always roar, sometimes it’s the quiet voice at the end of the day whispering ‘I will try again tomorrow.

-Maeve Greyson If you torture data sufficiently, it will confess to almost anything.

-Fred Menger Commitment is what transforms a promise into reality.

-Abraham Lincoln Ever tried. Ever failed. No matter. Try Again. Fail again. Fail better.

-Babe Ruth 1913: When Hitler, Trotsky, Tito, Freud and Stalin all lived in the same place

Happy Reading!

Cogito, ergo sum ‘I think, therefore I exist’

-Rene Descartes Ipsa scientia potestas est ‘Knowledge itself is power’

-Sir Francis Bacon 77

CONTENTS Regulars 03 04 05 06 09

Letter from the Content Director The DYMag Team The Contributors Editor’s Choice Calendar

Specials

30 Wonder Woman: Shamma Muhammad 34 Interview with Space Parade

Spots 20 22 24 28

This one is for you Noblesse Oblige 300000 People, 11 Men, 1 Ball ‘Faahaga’ Campaign

Entertainment

11 Music Review 12 DYM Recommends 26 Literallyric - Demons

Living

42 Random Acts of Kindness 46 Arthritis 48 Cholestrol

Misc

44 Bloodwritings - The Terrorist 50 As they pass by... 52 Till the end, and then no more.

04th

September

Eat an Extra Dessert Day

08th International Literacy Day 15th International Day of Democracy 16th International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer 19th Talk Like a Pirate Day 21st International Day of Peace World Gratitude Day 24th National Punctuation Day 27th World Tourism Day Hug a Vegetarian Day 28th World Heart Day

MUSIC Do you like Ellie Goulding’s voice? If not, don’t read this review; you’ll not like this album. If you do (or you’re not sure), read this and listen to the album to get obsessed with it. Because this stellar sophomore effort by the British folkie-turned-pop-star is headlined by her voice, which shines on songs that could have otherwise passed as electro-pop trash, and glitters on the best tracks on the album.

The best word to describe her vocals throughout the album might be Ethereal. It’s so soft and vulnerable, yet so powerful and emotion-inducing. If nothing else, you’ll at least be moved by her vocals. Or creeped out, if you hate her voice. Either way, that voice is really quite something and you’d know it when you listen to this album. On songs like Atlantis and Anything Could Happen, she’s cooing more than singing. But she does it with such vulnerability that it’s almost otherworldly. At times, she’s just an unbelievably beautiful voice accompanying a simple piano melody (Joy, I Know You Care), but in most tracks, she’s a fragile, multi-layered onewoman-choir that brings out harmonies that upstage the songs’ productions. As one critic from a review of this album I read pointed out, she takes the phrase “Singing like a Bird” to new heights here. Her voice is mostly in a marriage with heavy electro-pop productions on this album. And it’s a marriage that works on so many levels. Goulding chose this artistic direction because she knows the stuff. It’s evident when you listen to her. But the best part is she doesn’t let the synths and beats take away the spotlight: her vocals shine through them all. It’s a welcome change when compared to other electro-pop giants like Skrillex and David Guetta. I mean, you don’t always listen to their tracks ‘cause their featured artists deliver center-stage vocal performances, right? You listen to them because their beats are sick club-bangers that you can dance yourself away to. But Goulding knows her voice is her greatest strength and do not let it be just a “featured” element in the songs. That said, the productions are light and beautiful when needed, chaotic and flashy where it’s best suited. Props to Jim Eliot who produced most of the tracks on the album, with Goulding herself.

brilliant cover of the original song by Active Child.) And she paints a troubled love affair here as two people playing it wild and dangerous on the thinning ice of a frozen lake in winter, and she does it pretty well. It’d be easier for someone who has been through a damaging relationship to know the phases of relationship deterioration portrayed here: the broken promises, the ignorance, the agony of waiting, the realization of the inevitable, the calm before the storm, the storm itself and finally, knowing when to let go. And the bitter pain in between.

As for the lyrical content, this is a break-up album through and through. Goulding herself co-wrote all the songs on the record except Hanging On (a But with the varied production styles, some really good love songs take on the disguise 10

Ellie Goulding - Halcyon - by Abo

of being club music with lyrics that don’t make sense. For anyone looking to parody it, the lyrical content could come off as about skinny dipping or having monthly period! Moreover, songs like Only You and I Need Your Love have jovial, banging beats that makes it seem like happy songs, whilst closer examination of the lyrics would suggest otherwise. Furthermore, heavy repetitions of the same line occur in many songs in the album. But with her beautiful voice singing them, I didn’t have any problem with the exquisite harmonies she created with the repetitions. In fact, these tracks I just mentioned are some of my favorites on the album. On listening to songs like Joy and I Know You Care, some might say that her talent is better showcased with the simple piano-driven ballads and that more upbeat tracks and digital tweaks feel a bit too weird and over-the-top, but frankly, I think that’s what makes this album unique and artistic.

01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13

Don’t Say a Word My Blood Anything Could Happen Only You Halcyon Figure 8 JOY Hanging On Explosions I Know You Care Atlantis Dead in the Water I Need Your Love ft. Calvin Harris (Bonus Track)

TRACKLIST

REVIEW Rating:

Goulding said that she named the album Halcyon (which is an African kingfisher bird that brings calm to rough waters in winter to lay eggs on) because a lot of the songs here are about the ocean and water, but I don’t get the “calm” part, ‘cause there’s nothing calm about the situations laid out in the songs. Maybe making this album, the artistic process was what brought calm to her. So maybe she means to say that the music here could also help you let go of a chaotic, encaging relationship. Even if it doesn’t, this is great music here: you can dance to it, break your heart to it, heal your heart to it, and might even be inspired because of it. It’s ambitious, it’s devastating, it’s refreshing, but most of all, it takes you on a quiet unforgettable ride (at least it did for me! :P).

⅘

DYM RECOMMENDS

And the Mountains Echoed

by Khaled Hosseini

rating:

5 STARS

From the author of The Kite Runner an d A Th ou sa nd Sp le nd id Su ns comes another great tale about love and the choices that make us. A tale of families and how they nurture values and care for each other that takes us from Kabul to Paris to San Francisco to the Green islands of Tinos. Every chapter more powerful than the last, this is a tale that will be remembered for generations. 12

BOOKS

e i L t ' n o D irls lf

Dead G

r Shaw Wo

rating:

3 STARS

Skyler over e s o h c e e c y a J friends before t s e b re e w l e h at Rachel c th s e lu c e th w o ll Jaycee and Ra aycee must fo J d n a d a e d is l e ndship, h ie c fr a , R e c w n o a N m l. e ro h f c o a R illed her. A tale k o h w d n fi to th a with a growing n w to ll a m s sent before her de a f o p st the backdro in a g a t e s r e rd u ll of secrets. m fu d n a g n ri e tt betrayal and a h s e turning, heart g a p is k o o b is th , gang problem

The Wo

s r i a t s p U n a m d Claire Messu

by Jennife

rating:

3 STARS

a story of lls te is th , n o ti o m e g macy and piercin ti in h it w n e tt ri w is t a ar old elementary e A book th y 7 3 a is e g d ri ld A fulfillment. Nora c ti is rt a d n a n io s s eighbor but her e n s ly ob d n ie fr a ”, s ir ta s p e “the woman u m o c e b s a h o h w r and called a e d h e k c a teac tt a ts e g a z e R of her students, e n o n e h w rn tu a s some truths e g in rn a life tak le , ily m fa is h about Reza and re o m s rn a le ra o N . t” “terroris but hers as well. , d rl o w ’s a z e R e th ly r not on that might just shatte by

Hzuumrta

by Tabitha Su

rating:

4 STARS

ising diving om pr t os m s n’ ai rit B s e’ ything. H Mathéo Walsh has ever wealthy life in London a es liv ho w t en ud st A ht ig ra champion, a heartthrob, st . But one weekend la Lo nd rie rlf gi ct rfe pe e th and and he has the perfect life rrible, violent and te ng hi et m So . nt re ffe di ething changes Mathéo into som one and on no g in st tru o hé at M es av le kend that twisted happened that wee himself at ds fin w no o hé at M e, lif d n. A change the brink of self-destructio in danger or to confess la Lo t pu d an et cr se s hi crossroads, whether to keep and lose Lola. 13

DYM RECOMMENDS

Season 02 , th ir B t a d e h c Swit Bay and Daphne are sisters who were switched at birth and after a lot of hardships of getting to know each other and their families, the girls now find themselves entangled in a lot of drama in new surroundings. School trouble, romances gone wrong and family politics keeps the girls busy day and night and often in so much trouble.

Castle, Season 0

Castle and Beckett tries keeping their relationship a secret while battling some of the toughest cases yet. Murder at their vacation house, kidnapping of someone close to Castle and Castle himself arrested for murder, season five is filled with cases that will shock you. The season finale leaves un hanging yet again with a question that could make or break Caskett.

Stephen, normal boy up until one day finds himself teleporting into places in his sleep and hearing voices in his head. When he is on the brink of insanity, he follows the voice in his head that leads him to find out more about himself and find people like him â&#x20AC;&#x201C; The Tomorrow People who are a genetically advanced race of superhumans. Stephen also learns that they are being hunted down and he must run to escape from his reality.

The Tomorrow People, Season 01

n 12 o s a e S , y a w n u R t

Projec

son of a e s w e n a in r e th ce off each o fa rs e n ig s e d n io h , and guest tic fas d s n ia la s u Is y th e n n e o n C e te to ix S at takes them th s e g n e ll a h c h it est in the b W . e y a th w t n u u o R t s c g n je ri Pro this season b , o c o u C y le a K judges including in fashions. t s e b e th o ls a d n participants a

DYM RECOMMENDS

Touchy Feely

rating:

3 STARS

Nominated for Gran d Jury Prize at the 20 13 Sundance Film Festival, Touch y Feely is the story o f a brother and sister who discovers new things about the mselves that transforms their live s. Abby, a sought a fter massage th e ra p is t s u d d e n ly d is c o v e rs a n u n c o n tr o ll a b le aversion to bodily co ntact and her brothe r Paul who is a dentist finds himself with a “healing touc h”. A film about living in one’s own skin starring Rosem ary DeWitt and Josh Pais, this is a s elf-improved comed y that will touch many hearts. rating:

Short Term 12

4 STARS

Grace is a twen ty something sup ervisor who work foster-care facility s at a for at-risk teenag ers. She lives a fu life, passionate lfilling about her work and in love with boyfriend Mason her but when Grace ’s past comes b haunting her, Gra ack ce must do every thing in her powe help herself and r to the kids under he r care. A movie a finding truth in un bout expected places , this has been g highly positive rev iven iews calling it “a ro ller coaster of eve emotion, manag ry ing to be both heartwarming a heartrending at on nd ce”.

MOVIES

rating:

Chennai Express

4 STARS

Rahul, a forty yea r old Bachelor is a sked by his granny to drop his granddadâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ashes in a river in south but he and his friends made p lans to go to Goa. When Rahulâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s granny decides to see him off at the train station it forces Rahul to take a ticket on the Chennai E xpress. His life ta kes a turn for th e c ra z y , w h e n h e m e e ts a g ir l n a m e s Meenamma who was running to c atch the train. With forced marria ges, duels and m ore in his way Rahul is mixed u p in a whole lot of crazy in this commercial suc cess that has b roken several records including the record previo usly held by 3 Idiots, doing am azingly well both in India and overseas.

Cloudy wit h a chance of Meatba l l s 2 Following the foo d storm in th e preceding Clou dy with a Chance of Meatb alls, Flint and his friends are forced of Swallow Falls b out ut an invitation fro m Chester V brin him back to the gs town. He discove rs his machine n creates somethin ow g even more evil and once again it up to him to save th â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s e town and the wo rld! A movie that is amusing and fun fo r the whole family!

Release da

te: Septem

ber 27th.

DYM RECOMMENDS

rating:

4 STARS ly u r T s Your nde

by Ariana Gra

s her Nickelodeon star Ariana Grande make ch as music debut in this album with singles su filed The Way, and Popular Song. An album p that with songs inspired from 90â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s urban po ent, it showcases Arianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s amazing vocal tal such as has generated positive reviews. Songs yfriend Almost Never Enough featuring her bo e an d Na tha n Sy ke s tal ks the me s of lov s are hardships. Thirteen super fun song g while featured in this album that we love playin working.

Stiches b

The experimental y Califone rock band from C hicago comes with a new album that stays tr ue to their rock genre w ith songs that talk about death, destruction a nd mending. With s ongs such as Stitches an d Frosted Tips that see great use of instrum ental music and the old rock vocal feel wit h lyrics that make the song come to life, this album is sure to generate critical ac claim. Ten songs ea ch with a title more inte resting than the oth rating: e r, th is a lb u m c o u ld v e ry w e ll b e o u 3 STARS r sanctuary away from reality! 18

PLAYLIST

rating:

4 STARS

With Love by Christina Grimmie

The YouTub e sensation Christina Grimmie brings out her first studio Album, With Love which boasts of 11 brand new songs that talk about life, love and loss. With songs such as Get Yourself Together and Absolutely Final Goodbye, the theme of heartbreak is seen. Dance-pop beats, catchy lyrics and great vocal talent make this an album that is a must have for every pop fan. Even if you aren’t a pop fan, songs such as My Anthem and With Love will bring a smile to your face.

The Third Eye Centre

by Belle and Sebastian Th e Th ird Ey e Ce ntr e is Be lle an d Sebastian’s second compilation album that includes some of their songs released between 2006 till now. In true B&S fashion, all the songs have their signature style, their old time classic beats mixed with great timeless vocals that make this compilation a must have for every indie fan. Our particular favourites are Love on the March, Long rating: Black Scarf and Your Cover’s Blown all of 4 STARS which just touches our hearts!

People make mistakes. Every action in your life can’t be the perfect one to a fairy tale life. You’re never the same person throughout your life, giving up old personality traits as you age. What doesn’t change throughout your lifetime is the essence of who you are.

Now, sometimes, the person you become might dislike the person you were, to the point where you berate yourself because you hate yourself. Even if people are looking at you with admiring eyes, you’ll keep wondering when your flaws will drive even your closest friends away, because you’re acquainted with your faults better than anybody else. You strip yourself down to nothing but your bare, ugly truths and convince yourself that it’s your sum of a whole. It becomes easy to convince

yourself that you’re not going to matter to someone, that people would be better off without you, because you see yourself as the lowest of the low in your eyes. Because of what you’ve seen and because of what you’ve been through. They don’t know, but even if they did could they understand you? Would they sympathize, or would your heavy past bring them down with you?

Eventually you can’t even meet your reflection in the eyes because of the shame. When that happens, forgive yourself. Make compassion a strength rather than a weakness. Draw from yourself and show yourself the kindness you deserve above all else. Everybody is fighting their own battles and everyone has been wounded in some way or another. Your wounds don’t make you ugly, or a lesser human being. Even if yours run deeper than the rest, it doesn’t make you tainted, it just makes you a human struggling to find a better place in life. Maybe you’ve been places you didn’t want to be – never mind that, you live and you learn. Never again, now that you know better. Show yourself a little kindness. Allow yourself to be treated with the

same courtesy you would to a friend. Leave behind your past and come to terms with your present so that you can have a better future. The road ahead is long, but you can only go there if you learn to love and accept yourself. Fight everyday till you finish your journey. But start with the little steps. So forgive yourself, today.

Nobless b

Have you ever heard of the French phrase, “noblesse oblige”? Literally, it means “nobility obliges”. A more elaborate definition would be, “whoever claims to be noble must conduct himself nobly [i.e.: act with honor, kindliness, generosity, etc].

To put it in simple and general terms, it can mean something like “act in ways that fit who you are.” This is an idea that can be applied to every part of life for any person, ever. The idea that we should do what we are able to do. That we should not hold back from our true potential for reasons such as fear, doubts or insecurities. Some people are good at art, some are good with numbers, some are good with writing words, some are good at speaking them, some people make the best food and some people have funny personalities that are begging for a YouTube show. But more often than not, these people hold back and not show off their talents. Sometimes they are shy, sometimes they fear judgment from others and some even have insecurities about whether they have these talents or not. Whatever the reason, it eventually results in them living half-lives, not being all they could be. This is seen at the most basic level, where people with talents for practical things like cooking or accounting or

art don’t express it, and on more advanced levels where people with the potential to be leaders and politicians and CEOs choose to sit on the sidelines and express their discontent instead.

How many times have you seen the most amazingly talented person just flat out deny their talent or refuse to even try? How many times have YOU been told you were great at something, only to disagree and refuse to give it a go? Maybe it’s fear or doubt or insecurities. But you must realize one very important thing: when you are choosing not to be all you could be, you are failing yourself in the worst way. You are failing every shred of potential you have. You are failing all the amazing things you could do and be. You are living only half your life. [And the less interesting half at that.] There’s this John F. Kennedy quote that people like to throw around when they want you to do something, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” Let’s take that saying and chop it up a little to make it more relevant to the ideas being expressed here and to life in general: “What can you do?” Sounds simple right? “What can you do?” Ask yourself that. What are your skills? What abilities do you have? 22

seOblige What are you good at? What do people say you’re good at?

Perhaps one reason why our society has so many issues and so many discontented people is because everyone is holding back without expressing their true potential. Everyone has things they could be doing really well but for whatever reason, live their lives doing other things instead. We all have things we COULD do and some of us say that we SHOULD do it and some say we WOULD do it if certain conditions are met. But the truth is that these fantastical conditions are almost never met. And we never end up doing these things. Which is where the phrase ‘noblesse oblige’ comes in again. As we now know, this phrase means that those who are a certain way must act accordingly. So we can take it one step further and say that those who have certain skills must use them. We can say that it is their obligation, not only to the people who stand to benefit from their skills but also to themselves. We all live just the one life, except for the cats among us [reportedly]. So we must do everything we can

do in that limited time because there’s not going to be a do-over. We must also be the best we can be. We must take on the responsibilities we know we can bear, simply because if we don’t do it, no one else would.

If everyone out there stopped holding back and started doing everything they could do and living up to their true potential, the world might be a better place. It would certainly be a happier place. So next time you’re holding back, take a deep breath and think to yourself, “noblesse oblige.”

{ }

Now ask yourself this. “ARE you doing it?” Are you doing what you’re best at? Are you living up to your highest potential? Are you the best version of yourself?

I can, therefore I must.

300,000

11 MEN,1 B From the next period forward, I will assume that you have Cyrus, Elections and to whom I am voting for. After a long already seen the very colorful banners that shade the roads exhausting exchange of unrelated news we decided that of Male city’ and know that the ball for the SAFF heading home would be the best for the rest of the evening. championship 2013 has seen the back of the net. On the way back home, we heard more than occasional But it took me a crowd of not less than 75 people screaming chanting, screaming and cheering around the corners of on top of their lungs to realize that SAFF championship has every street. And these screams of cheers stole our attention from the dubstep music booming from our shared already begun. headphones. We headed towards the noise and found With all the posters, the banners, the debates and the music ourselves in a base set up by one of the political parties, with booming out of the base on every street, the very event of an oversized screen and projector showing Ali Ashfaag Football where Maldivians go all red was not very much running with the ball. I would’ve missed it if I blinked, as the flowing in the atmosphere. (Not for me anyway). But there ball flew past the goalie and hit the net like a snitch. And then were people who always marked their calendars with big red again, a jump, a cry and scream, all mixed together took markers, and waited desperately to see the Maldivian squad over the whole quiet atmosphere again. The guy standing next to me was jumping with his hands raised as high as the do wonders on a foreign green pitch. national flag, screaming like a girl. The veins on his neck It was one very boring evening for me and I decided to take a were pretty visible too. walk around the city when I ran into a friend of mine who was an activist of one these political parties. (Seemed that we After the ball went to the middle for kick-off I nudged him and both were in the dark about the SAFF championship) We asked a question, to which I got an answer that actually walked around, talking about the random stuff; Syria, Miley made me go speechless. “Dude, aren’t you sitting in the 2424

0 PEOPLE,

! L L A B

b J

y i

: n

or smart, who you support in the presidential race, when it comes to football, you are just a red-blooded Maldivian same as the one who is cheering next to you. The same redblooded Maldivian, who took the nation from the Portuguese, the same Maldivian who are caring and sharing, well dressed and creative. Just a ball and 11 players on a pitch running around can bring 300,000 people This guy I am writing about is a way more stubborn person into a synchronized heartbeat. Just like Turtle Theory sang: than the average activists you see around the city. He is 5 or 6 years older than me and he never changed his political Though the political views differ view ever since democracy was introduced to Maldives. (Siyaasee, Fikuru thafaathakas) whatever the color they maybe And now, that same person is sitting there in an opposition (Komme kulayakas) base, as if he forgot his views, his principles and his beliefs. though they dislike each other (Kithammey nuruhunas) He screamed and chanted and patted on my back as if Say, nothing happened. He was like a freeman, with no reason to (Bunaashey) we are one stare at another fellow Maldivian with a red face and yell why (Mee ebbayekay) the nation is still in debt and why people are being killed like this is one force mosquitoes. (Mee Ebbaarekay) opposition party’s base? Don’t you hate this place and the people to guts?” He replied with rage in his eyes “Its football idiot! Who cares which party it is!!! I won’t move an inch from here until the match ends, and no one is going to come and make me either!” And the crowd rose with another cheer and scream. It was another goal.

I understood a fundamental law that applies to all Maldivians that day; No matter who you are, where you come from, whether you are dark or fair, educated or uneducated, dumb

we are Maldivian children (Dhivehi Dharinney)

[ Maakanayoa / Turtle Theory ] 25 25

Follow me @shaaaarkie for more!

FAA CAMPAIG

The elections are upon us and we, at Dhi Youth Movement (DYM) believe in the power of youth engagement during this crucial time. What better time is there to let our leaders know that we hold a huge stake in the future of this country?

We recognized and understood the need for advocating for informed decision making by the general public, especially the youth population, in the current polarized situation in the Maldives. Hence, DYM has been heavily involved in the elections this year, by partnering with UNDP to distribute voter education material throughout

the country. We managed to cover all 20 atolls, and all 192 inhabited islands in the country – which is a huge feat.

The purpose of this huge effort was to emphasize on the importance of everyone’s right to vote, and to ensure that everyone makes an informed decision, based on the candidates’ manifestos and their insights on various policies that affect citizens. We also strive to create awareness within public on the procedures that would take place prior, during and after Election Day. We are also picking up an online social media campaign named ‘Faahaga’, in partnership with UNDP and the Elections Commission of the Maldives, where pictures of mainly new eligible voters are uploaded with what they want out of this election ie; youth development, social security, job opportunities, etc. With heavy integration of multiple social media platforms such as Facebook, Twitter and Instagram, 28

AHAGA GN BY SHAAM

been going out on the streets with professional photographers, who would be snapping pictures for the campaign â&#x20AC;&#x201C; so keep an eye out for our team!

While we are happy to see that young people are actively involved in independent observation efforts and working alongside the Elections Commission, we cannot stress further on how important it is for youth to be engaged in this election. As the youth population accounts for roughly 60% of our country, we have the largest say in this election. We, Dhi Youth Movement, are doing our part in this electionâ&#x20AC;Ś will you join us?

we aim to reach a large audience through this Click here to go to our facebook page. campaign. The campaign aims to raise awareness on political tolerance, provide latest news on the elections and provide a platform for youth to express what they want out of the election in a nonpartisan and youth-friendly online platform. Our teams will be actively approaching newly eligible voters and would request them to upload their pictures to the campaign. We have also been going out on the streets with professional 29

W O N D E R

S h a m m a M Shamma Muhammad, the founder of Shumsie’s Bridal Hijabs and Rings and Things is one woman who inspires us. She is an entrepreneur, and an innovator and a mind of modest fashion. She grew up in Colombo, Sri Lanka attending an all-girls Muslim international school which she believed was a great influence on her. Having a strict uniform code that involved the hijab encouraged her to experiment with new hijab styles while being modest. She started wearing the hijab at a young age along with her many friends. As kids wearing hijab, there wasn’t much inspiration to look for, no tutorials and such and so they had a lot of time experimenting creative styles with the little resources they had. The experience was something that interested her in creating hijab styles and becoming a Hijab stylist.

She never regretted her decision to wear the hijab, it defines who she is. Like every young girl she wanted to feel special, and confident, the hijab was her way of showing the world that she was a special, confident young woman who was not only defined by her outer appearance but also appreciated for her intellect. Shumsie’s Bridal Hijabs started as an album in Facebook where she often uploaded hijab styles that she tries out. Family and friends gave her a lot of good responses to the pictures that she eventually started a Hijabi fashion blog at hijabiii.blogspot.com. A year of blogging at this address got her many followers and fans all around the globe and a year later she got a domain at hijabiii.com and has been blogging since. 30

W O M A N :

u h a m m a d

During mid to late 2011’s, she started experimenting with different Turkish hijab styles especially with brides’ in mind and practicing the styles every day and after a few months, Shumshie’s Bridal Hijabs was born. She started doing bridal hijabs on clients and also making accessories to style with the hijabs which interested her in crafting and designing headpieces which eventually led into creating accessories such as rings and bracelets leading to her second online endeavor Rings and Things. Shamma is inspired by many things. She is an avid reader of historical fiction, especially the regency romances, their ball gowns full of tulle, lace, silk and pearls which was what made her interested in fashion. A lot of her signature pieces are inspired from that era. Magazines and TV shows also play a big part in inspiring her. Some of her favourite TV

shows for fashion inspiration include Ugly Betty, Downtown Abbey and Pretty Little Liars.

Shumsie’s Bridal Hijabs provides live styling and consultation of bridal hijabs and hijabs for dress occasions. She works alongside her business partner Niuma taking live styling clients’ separately. In addition, they also make ready to wear hijabs for brides living outside Male’ or Maldives. They have clients in all corners of Maldives, in UK, US, New Zealand, Malaysia and parts of Europe. Rings and Things consists of all hand-picked and some handmade jewelry and other accessories which can be summarized as a collection of cute, whimsical and personalized jewelry to suit the customer’s tastes. When choosing accessories, she tried to choose pieces that a person could easily 31

32 32

She tries to make the services she provides as unique as possible by keeping up to date with fashion blogs and magazines about the latest hijab styles. She believes that hijab is not just a garment but a whole lifestyle and an expression of an individual. And that no two people express themselves in the same way, the same going for how they'd like to wear their hijabs. A challenge is something that Shamma looks forward to, and when a client requires something different or a customized accessory, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that she puts her heart into to give the client just what she needs. Shamma mentions her fans as the biggest supporters who include her former clients, and those who have been following her blogs and pages. Without the encouragement and support of her beloved family and sweet friends, she would not be where she is today. Looking upon the future, she wishes to expand all her ventures, to create new ideas, involve more people and to develop more styles and accessories. Shamma and Niuma have already created a hundred ready to wear hijab orders from all around the country and have successfully completed a style shoot just a few months back. Their line of ready to wear, pre-styled hijab caps are the first in the country and their signature design. Shamma also plans to expand the line of business to include more items that make a hijabiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s outfit complete.

Related Links

Space Parade is a Maldivian group that makes short movies and videos for YouTube. The founders of Space Parade are Ahmed Iyash and Ahmed Karam. Mohamed Hursheed (AzMyst) joined them sometime later and the three of them now form the core of a larger group of close friends who work and help out in the making of all Space Parade videos. Space Parade is strictly a non-profit group and all their videos are created on very low budgets and uploaded to YouTube for everyone to freely enjoy. In the last few years their popularity has increased rapidly among Maldivians and they currently have over 800 Subscribers on their YouTube channel and the dozen or so videos they have uploaded have been viewed over 90,000 times. This year Space Parade participated in a short film contest called “Focus” held by TVM and won first place for their short video called “Dhuveli”. We at DYM have been fans of Space Parade since we saw their “Mirus Lee” video on YouTube a year or so back. They are absolutely fantastic and a fun group to hang out with. The interview with AzMyst, Karam and Iya was great, talking about all the things that made Space Parade what it is now. Later, during the photoshoot, we got to see just how fun the entire team was as fifteen people went about doing their own thing and being all Space Parade-y, making the whole experience of working with them really fun and entertaining. After that we knew exactly what they meant by their “Entertainment Upgraded” slogan. Here’s what they had to say. 34

youtube.com/user/spaceparadepro fb.com/spaceparade

Interview by Shaha & Areen Photography: Toby Assistance: Shanan & Ahusam 35

How did you guys get started in making short movies? Iya: Videography is actually my profession, and I have always been interested in making movies so going into short movies was a very small step for me. Karam and I always believed that we could make something better if we actually tried, because we love movies and were always interested in the techniques and direction styles of great filmmakers. Space Parade was formed out of boredom, that’s the simple truth. We were bored and one day we decided to do something about it. The opportunity presented itself while we were at Karam’s grandma’s place one night during the “circumcision season”. We made a short video to entertain everyone who visited the house every night and called it “Dhen Vaany Kihineiy?” (meaning “What will happen next?”). The idea was, as the title implies, for the audience to guess what will happen at the end of the short film. We got a great response for the video from everyone, so we decided to upload it on YouTube so that our friends who were abroad could also enjoy it. And that’s how Space Parade took off. Where and how did the team meet? Iya: Karam and I were classmates and friends since childhood. AzMyst: I met Iya and Karam through blogs. It was some years back, before Twitter and Facebook became popular. Back then almost everyone had a blog and we used to comment on each other’s blogs and that’s how we became friends. And then I found out that they were making fun short videos and I had always been interested in that. So I hung out with them and since I had started dabbling in VFX at the time, I offered to help them out and they were more than happy to have me in the team. Iya: We actually met AzMyst for the first time during a blogger meetup and found that he was also interested in short movies. He is “insanely talented”. AzMyst: I’d just like to make sure that you got the part where Iya said that I am “insanely talented” on record. You got that part on the recorder, right? Why the name Space Parade? AzMyst: Iya once explained to me how he came up with the name… but it didn’t make any sense to me. Maybe he should try explaining it again. Iya: Let’s just say that Space is infinite and Parade is very flamboyant. AzMyst : That’s not what you said before. There was this huge

elaborate story involving clouds and space that made no sense, I remember. Karam: Why didn’t you say that before? That one actually kind of makes sense. AzMyst: All these years, you could have just said that! Iya: Hey, I just made it up, ok! Greatest Compliment: A guy once said that our videos will be talked about in the future like how we talk about “Bakhabaru” and “Floak the International”. That was great! Also, Tedry once said that Space Parade is a very familiar name which is a great compliment for us because he’s among the few directors here in Maldives that we actually look up to. Greatest criticism: There was once a comment on Speed Walker video on YouTube that said: “What is this gay bullshit?”. We found it hilarious. But seriously, there hasn’t been much real criticism. Maybe some misunderstandings, where people took offence at some of the scenes in some of our videos, but nothing really critical. Actually, we’re our harshest critics. I don’t think anyone else can criticize our work as much as we criticize it ourselves. Most of the feedback we’ve received so far have been overwhelmingly positive. Inspiration behind: SPTV Episode 1 : Bakhabaru, Floak The International and Robot Chicken. It’s a mixture of a lot of things. We believe that “Bakhabaru” sets the bar in Dhivehi comedy and we wanted to emulate and give tribute to the great work they had done. Speed Walker: Atheek was clearly the inspiration. When we planned out the video, we decided that it would be Karam who would be chasing Ammadey but on the day of the shoot Karam got delayed and Atheek was already there with us on location. So we decided to use him instead and then when we asked him to do a “slow to medium jog” he said he’ll try speed walking instead. I don’t know if you’ve seen actual speed walkers in a race or not but their walk looks pretty ridiculous to begin with. But what Atheek did that day was so hilarious we just had to use it. Nothing else would have sufficed. Dhuveli: This was a tough one. When we heard about the contest we all got together and brainstormed but couldn’t come up with 36 36

anything that we could shoot, edit and finish within the short timeframe we had been given. Since we’re all very busy with our jobs and only work on Space Parade stuff during our free time, we didn’t think it would be possible to make something that had any chance of winning in that short a time. However, we did go to TVM to meet with the producers of the show and found out that we had only seven days to submit a finished video. There was no way we could finish a video in seven days so we decided to give up before we had even begun. Then, three days before the deadline, Karam comes up with an idea that we figured could be shot and edited together in two days.

youtube.com/user/spaceparadepro fb.com/spaceparade

AzMyst was against it because we really didn’t have the time to do a good job on it but agreed since the others wanted to go ahead. We managed to shoot it in one day and despite several delays and accidents we managed to put together something decent. Even though none of us were happy with the final result, we decided to submit it anyway since we had worked on it and didn’t want all the hard work to go to waste. We really had no expectations of winning. How was the reaction when you won Focus competition? At first we thought it was a prank. When TVM called and asked us to drop by for a final interview the next morning we actually forgot and overslept. By the time we managed to go to TVM, it was almost an

37 37

hour late! When we were told that we had won it took a while before we even realized what was happening. In fact, when we watched the final interview on TV we realized that we actually looked half asleep during the entire interview… and mumbled our way through the whole thing. Are there any particular recurring themes in your videos? There are a few things. Karam appearing from behind a pole or something obviously too small and narrow for him to hide behind is a running gag that we started in Project Montage. That scene got the most laughs from everyone and so we did something similar, but with VFX, in Express Delivery. We did that again in SPTV: Episode 1. Another recurring theme… that only we know about (since the audience will never see this part) has to do with stabilizing the shots when shooting VFX scenes. When doing VFX, it is important to keep the camera on a tripod to stabilize the shot. Otherwise you’d have to do motion tracking before adding any VFX to the footage. And since we’re lazy and try to do everything in the fastest and laziest way possible, AzMyst always insists on using a tripod for all the shots that require VFX. However, Iya, who usually handles the camera, will always say that we can stabilize the shot in post or that his handheld shots will be steadier than using a tripod. We’ve had to throw away a lot of VFX shots because of the shaky handheld video footage. Another thing we do is put references to movies and other things we love in our short movies, sort of like a tribute. In SPTV: Episode 1, we threw in a TARDIS for no other reason than because we are all fans of Doctor Who. We’ve also put references to “Die Hard” and our favourite Hindi movie “Andaz Apna Apna” in some of our short movies. Do you have plans to go commercial? We actually do commercial projects too, like ads. But we always try to add the Space Parade humor into it. We only do commercial stuff if we find it fun and think the concept is different from the usual stuff you see on local channels. If you could collaborate with anyone in the world, who would it be? All together: Seezan! And Amjay!

How do you see Space Parade in 5 years’ time? We hope to become an evil conglomerate in the future. Our agenda would be to dominate the world, although we’re not sure how we’d do that but that’s our goal. Actually, we already have our supervillain names all figured out. We even use them in our business cards. No, seriously! We have business cards! Iya is the Supreme Overlord, Karam’s title is Villainous Sky Captain and AzMyst is the Nefarious Battlemage. We did that because we thought Assistant Manager and Managing Director were too boring and mundane. We spiced up our business cards! What is your message to young people? One of the main goals of Space Parade is to inspire the enormously talented younger generation of Maldives to stop saying “We’re bored!” and actually go out and do something fun and creative. Go crazy! Find your limits and then break free of it! Don’t whine about how boring your life is and that there’s nothing here in Male’ to do; there’s so much to do if you just put your mind to it. Find something you are passionate about and do it. Practice and experience makes everything better. It’s extremely rewarding when fans come up to us and say that we inspired them or when we get messages on our Facebook page dedicating some awesome and creative project to us. Seeing other people do awesome stuff because we inspired them, that’s just an unbeatable feeling. What would you say to your fans? Ah, our fans. What would we do without them… well, actually we’d still be making videos even if we had no fans but seeing them get all excited about our videos is unbelievably fantastic! One of the Space Parade crew, Bugs, once referred to Space Parade’s fan as “our batteries”. That’s actually perfect! Our fans keep us charged! They really are our batteries now. We owe a lot to their love and support. When we began Space Parade, we never even imagined we’d ever get more than a thousand fans on our Facebook page. We were expecting to get about a hundred Likes and we’d have been more than happy with that. We are rather lazy and our fans motivate us to finish our work. And even other popular local pages on Facebook, like MVTrolls, have been promoting us so I guess it’s safe to assume we have a huge fan there too.

38 38

Do your fans contribute ideas and things? Yes, they do. Some of them send really weird ideas too. Things we’d never be able to do on the low budgets that we usually work on. We’re continually surprised by how much faith they have in us. Some fans even seem to think that we can match big budget Hollywood movies! We do most of our projects on a minimal budget; almost zero budget. Most of the money goes on props and snacks! It’s amazing that they have more faith in us than we actually have in ourselves. But as we say, we’re amateurs and we’re still learning. The Internet is our teacher Do you plan to make videos about social issues? We think all of our videos are about social issues… sort of. We mostly wanted to make fun videos that would make people laugh

youtube.com/user/spaceparadepro fb.com/spaceparade

and have a good time. When we began, we mostly wanted to make cool fight sequences, because we love Kung Fu and action movies. Later on, we decided to branch out and try out new things so that we could learn more varied stuff. What is the biggest challenge you face in Maldives? The biggest challenge for us is finding locations to shoot. And then there’s the problem of finding equipment. We usually borrow all our gear from friends. Without their help we would not have been able to make even one video. As far as locations are concerned, we are very geographically challenged so we make do with what we have. We use the same locations over and over because it’s easier and it’s very hard to find places with low traffic where pedestrians and other people don’t walk into the shot while we’re shooting. When we were

39 39

shooting Mirus Lee, there were two kids watching and they just kept looking and didn’t budge even though we asked them repeatedly that they’ll end up being in the shot. Not surprisingly, they ended up being in the shots. One other challenge we face is finding girls to act in our videos. Perhaps it’s because the idea of being in a movie or short movie is still generally frowned upon. Maybe… we don’t know for sure. There might be other reasons. What we know is that anyone who watches our videos will realize that we are having good, clean fun in our movies. We’re not going to exploit anyone who offers to help us out. And unlike the movies released by the so-called Dhivehi Film Industry, we actually have some really cool, fun and different things going on in our videos. We really hope that more girls will come forward to help us out. We have several cool projects that we’ve had to put on hold due to lack of female actors. We don’t care if you can’t act. Most of us at Space Parade can’t act either but we still have a fun time trying. It’s a skill that can be developed through practice and experience. And since we’re also learning and making mistakes as we go along, that’s fine. We’ll all learn together and have an awesome time too!

How was life before Space Parade? Karam: Kind of boring. Very monotonous. That’s why we started Space Parade. Our first project was going to be “Industry trailer”, a fake movie trailer, but it wasn’t the first video we uploaded. We managed to finish two others while “Industry trailer” was being shot. However, that was also the first of our videos to get a huge response from viewers. It’s still our most viewed video on YouTube. Any nal comments? We’d like to thank all our friends who has helped us every step of the way. They volunteered to help us with everything, from costumes to acting to post production. They didn’t have to do any of it, but they did help us out when we needed them and they still continue to do so. They are awesome! Shamin from Madhoship should get a special mention because… Space Parade would not exist without all the help he has given us. From lending equipment to providing constructive criticism and even voluntarily taking on post-production work, he’s been helping us from the very beginning.

40 40

elicit that kind of reaction in other people, over and over again… that would be extremely cool.

Karam Three things to do before you die Master the art of eternal life Touristy Travel Make a really awesome film Most hilarious memory I once went to Dolphin Café and ordered a Spaghetti Carbonara and when I was about to eat it I realized that it smelled really strongly of rotten onions. So I called the waiter over and complained. Instead of apologizing he got really angry for some reason and told me that since I had not specifically requested Spaghetti Carbonara WITHOUT rotten onions, it was apparently all my fault! He got really loud and then the manager came over and explained that the onions weren’t rotten and that it was exactly how the dish was supposed to smell! And then the waiter got even more furious and told me to just say that the food wasn’t good. “Don’t blame it on the onions!” he barked at me. Biggest Aspiration: To become thin. Fav Space Parade Video: SPTV Episode 1 If you could have any superpower, what would it be? To be able to run very fast… run without stopping! AzMyst Three things you want to do before you die Make a feature length movie Travel the world Have a Hollywood premier for a Space Parade movie Most embarrassing memory The umbrella incident! There are actually three such incidents but the last one was the most embarrassing. It’s too complicated and long to summarize here so just ask me about it if we ever meet in real life. Even now, friends run away if they see me holding an umbrella. Also, I’ve come to accept the fact that an umbrella in my hands in a dangerous weapon. So I never carry an umbrella now, no matter how hard it is raining. Biggest Aspiration I’ve always wanted to create something really funny. Not necessarily a movie, it could even be a story. I want to see a lot of people enjoy my work and have a good time. There are only a few movies and stories that I can watch or read over and over and still laugh out loud to myself. If I can create something that will

Fav Space Parade Video: My favorite is “Express Delivery” but I really love the work I did on “Ice Cream with a Vengeance”. Mostly because it was the first Space Parade video I edited and also because it was really difficult. It was a fight scene and I wanted to ensure that it looked better and more realistic than any other fight scene seen in a local movie. I learned a lot about editing from that project and I’m still, even now, very happy with the way it turned out. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Wolverine’s healing factor! Iya Three things you want to do before you die Make a feature length movie Have a bionic eye that can record images and videos in HD Have a conversation with Christopher Nolan. Most embarrassing memory Actually, we made a short movie about that incident. Space Parade’s “Serial” is basically a replay of the most embarrassing incident I’ve had, but with some facts changed. Specifically, the locations and the names of the people involved. It was actually a case of mistaken identity. I saw an old friend paying the bill near the counter at Seagull and since I hadn’t seen in him years I thought I’d surprise him by tickling him from behind. Don’t ask me why. He was surrounded by his friends and family when I sneaked up behind him and tickled him so hard he lost control and nearly fell to the ground. It was only when he turned around that I realized that I had tickled a total stranger! I’m pretty sure the guy is still wondering what happened that day. Biggest Aspiration For Space Parade to make something that is timeless, that will be talked about all over the world. Fav Space Parade Video It’s a tie between “Industry Trailer” and “Ice Cream with a Vengeance”. We actually started Space Parade with Industry Trailer and it took a lot of preplanning. I’m really proud of how it turned out. If you could have any super power, what would it be? Deadpool’s healing power.

youtube.com/user/spaceparadepro fb.com/spaceparade

41 41

random acts of

Kindness I discovered this concept a few years back when I expecting anything in return, I think we proved her was writing my life list and it was something so wrong that day. amusing and fantastic I had to tell everyone I knew. It was a great learning experience for us. I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know What is a random act of kindness? Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s doing if our act of kindness was passed on or not, but I sure something for someone for no reason at all, and felt like the day was just so great. Being kind is without any expectation of anything in return. This is a extremely satisfying and one of the easiest ways to concept that is derived from kindness. A concept be happy. We were just so filled with happiness that that was once so common but now viewed through day. skeptical eyes. saying thank you to shopkeepers/service providers Just this year to celebrate DYM being registered, we after getting a service. I often say thanks and wish carried out 15 acts of random kindness which taxi drivers a good day and some of them are included donating blood, buying ferry and bus genuinely surprised and others are just happy. One tickets for strangers, leaving a big tip for our favourite very nice taxi driver said that it was so nice meeting a waiter, giving food and drinks to construction young person who appreciated the work they do, workers and leaving happy notes all around the city. and that made me happy too! See, being kind is a The day was filled with joy from the start. Some win-win. people were super skeptical and kept asking what Sure, some people would never appreciate it, and was in it for us. Someone even said to our faces that will be like, arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t you doing this for your own sake no one would ever do anything for someone without too? Well, maybe a little part of it is but once we start 42 42

by: Shaha

So, how can you incorporate more random acts of kindness in your everyday life? For starters, there is this thing going on where on your birthday you carry out acts of kindness equivalent to the age you turned (20 Acts of kindness on my 20th birthday). Instead of and that made me happy too! See, being kind is a receiving presents and well wishes on your birthday, win-win. you can give. Giving is so much more rewarding. Sure, some people would never appreciate it, and will be like, aren’t you doing this for your own sake too? Well, maybe a little part of it is but once we start - Ellen DeGeneres being kind it just comes automatically and becomes You can also do small things, things that you might a part of who you are.

“Be kind to each other”

think wouldn’t even count but might end up making someone’s day. Smiling to someone you see on the street, opening the door for someone behind you, saying thank you to shopkeepers/service providers after getting a service. I often say thanks and wish taxi drivers a good day and some of them are genuinely surprised and others are just happy. One very nice taxi driver said that it was so nice meeting a young person who appreciated the work they do,

So from today on, start to treat people a bit better. Write a list of things you can do to be more kind. Some of the things on my list are made with this concept in mind such as paying for a strangers groceries, praying for someone for a month straight and complimenting someone for a week. As one of my favourite talk show hosts, Ellen says “Be kind to each other” 43

44 44

f b. c o m / f a a h a g a

ARTH B

Arthritis is not unheard of but a common misconception is thinking that it is a disease. Arthritis is collective term used to address many diseases. For an example heart disease is not a disease but it covers all the types of heart diseases like heart attacks. Arthritis occurs in joints.

A joint is a place which joins two bones together. Elbows, wrists and knees are all joints. No matter how much you move, your bones are held in place by elastic bands in the joint known as ligaments. The end of each bone is covered by a smooth tissue which is like an oil lubricant on hinges to allow two bones to rub against each other smoothly.

sandpaper. Arthritis can also cause the muscles around your joints to puff up and it becomes difficult and painful to move your joints. In worse cases, the bones slip out of shape and the joints stick out or look deformed. The more you age, the more likely you are to develop arthritis. However, this is alarmingly common among the youth as well so think ahead and work your way into preventing arthritis.

Arthritis attacks the cartilage, the smooth tissue, meaning the bones scrape against each other like 46

HRITIS I

Stick to the basics. Exercise. Exercise. Exercise. It You are what you eat. Calcium keeps your bones keeps your muscles stronger and improves your strong so never be too lenient when it comes to your calcium intake. Cod liver oil has vitamin D which also overall health. contributes to bone strength. Latest research also shows that broccoli can reduce the incidence of arthritis.

Be quick on your feet. The moment you feel pain in any of your joints treat it with an ice pack for about 20 minutes with reasonable intervals of time. Drink plenty of water. The cartilage is about 70% of Slim down. The heavier you are the more you water. Need I say more? pressure your joints with your weight. Yoga and Stretching! This has a more permanent effect on the strengthening of your muscles than any other exercise. The more you stretch, the stronger the muscles around your joints. It can really take the load off your bones. 47

Cholestrol by: Thinaan In celebration of cholesterol awareness month this September This is a topic I am proud to say that majority of the Maldivians have a keen insight on. Too much cholesterol is bad because it makes you overweight, gives you heart diseases and cause other complications. But is this all? What else do you know?

1. Rather than giving cholesterol the old boot, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hear it out. Cholesterol can be a high density lipoprotein (HDL) or a low density lipoprotein (LDL). HDLs are good cholesterol. Yes, there is actually such a thing. Good cholesterol is your secret admirer. They help you keep your body temperature stable, produce necessary hormones and keep you up and running. It also helps you hunt down the bad cholesterol (LDL) and get it out of your system before you know it! 2. A small change in your Friday Lunch By Friday lunch I mean chicken. Chicken is very popular among Maldivians which is good news because chicken is a low cholesterol choice for a food. However, if you leave the skin of the chicken on, you might as well be eating a lump of bad cholesterol. 3. Good things do not ALWAYS come in small packages People always think that the less you eat the better. Not in the case of ice cream. A small cup of ice cream can cause more damage than gulping down 10 donuts in one go! 4. Girl Power! Men tend to have a harder time dealing with cholesterol than women thanks to the female hormone oestrogen. Oestrogen has been found to help in reduction of cholesterol levels 5. Vegan Advantage Bad cholesterol generally comes from any products obtained from animals. Milk, eggs and animal meat are all necessary for your diet but need to be eaten with great care in limited potions. Products obtained from plants however are full of good cholesterol.

As he passes by… she tries to assault him and get hold of his curves, Which has nurtured her as a child And between which she entered this world, As he passes by…

As they pass by...

he see the lust in her eyes that tear apart his clothes he feel the intensity in her gaze that pierces his body with million sharp needles in a moment, As he passes by… she thinks it is virility to pass lewd remarks, to talk about he as a product, and to fondle with his arcs and bends in her lecherous talks and laughs with a bunch of crooks, As he passes by…

50 50

he is much more than just fragrant flesh walking in smart clothes he is not a commodity or, a menu at a restaurant that she scans him in a moment to choose something for herself, As he passes byâ&#x20AC;Ś Today he smirks at the thought And he feels pity, for her brothers and sons, who tie her weak threads And who sit in her lap innocently, ignorant of the vulture insideâ&#x20AC;Ś

b y :

A l i

S h i f r a a z

Why this attempt to cut his wings and silence his every thought by confining he to four walls like a tied animal, to be used over and over at will, As they pass byâ&#x20AC;Ś

51 51

Till the end, and then no more. by: Fazu Singa

art by annaarmona.deviantart.com

52 52

I loved you when you were boring and dull; When your lifestyle was mundane and dreary Stuck close to you when you were broke and down; Held onto you when you were weak and unwell Finally, you’re slim and pretty, Rolling in money all rich and Thrifty; I loved you through thick and thin; And now you walk away, saying My love is not from within Maybe one day, when I’m long gone You’ll surely yearn for someone to hold on Practically nothing to bargain with except Those few not-so-subtle tricks up your sleeve; I wonder with whom you’ll replace me Or if you wake up one day from your dream And realize reality; when you find the lost faith somewhere in the bouts of uncertainty; Perhaps, you’ll reach out someday ahead, When you can see the world with better clarity And will come a day when you and I are stripped bare Nothing to hold on to, no money, fame or identity; So you shall see, what we are meant to be None but beings who depend on one another For survival and security And when the day is gone You’re left all alone Through the emptiness You realize that even when you had nothing I had loved you anyway.

53 53

F o ll o w t h is

t io n f o a c li p p a e n li n o e li n k f o r t h

rm:

Y W A b P a 1 y / l . t i b / / h t t p :

Thank you for reading. See you in October! In the meantime, find us at: fb.com/dhiyouthmovement @ dhiyouth dhiyouthmovement.blogspot.com dhiyouthmovement dhiyouthmovement@gmail.com 54