Meet Sambe and Rilwan, the father-son duo sharing Maldivian culture at Anantara
For a country with such a tiny land footprint, the Maldives holds an impressively rich and diverse culture. Tourists may see flashes of it, but its true depth has always lived with the locals. Sambe and Rilwan, a father-and-son duo working at Anantara Dhigu Maldives Resort and Anantara Veli Maldives Resort as Cultural Insiders, have made it their mission to help visitors see beyond the polished surface.
Located on neighbouring islands, both resorts sit within the same lagoon in South Malé Atoll, a place Sambe has called home for nearly 20 years. He first joined as a gardener, gradually spending more time with guests and sharing his love for the traditional performances and crafts of the archipelago.
Although he now lives in the south, Sambe comes from the far north, a journey of several hours from the resorts. That distance gives him a unique perspective on the many cultural nuances of his country and how best to present them to visitors. It’s an art of storytelling he has been teaching his eldest son, Rilwan, ever since the boy watched him perform at festivals like Koadi, where palm-leaf structures are paraded to the beat of Boduberu drums with their deep, booming bass born from skilled hands striking manta ray skin stretched over hollowed-out coconut wood.
While Rilwan, who is now passing the knowledge to his own son, inherited his father’s passion, Sambe discovered his musical gift by accident at the age of four, hearing a neighbour play the drum and practicing on a tin can, mimicking the elderly man who performed every evening. Over time, the boy’s hands found the same level of mastery, eventually leading him to form a Boduberu ensemble and mentor the first all-female group on his home island.
“Seeing the way he connected with people made me feel a deep sense of responsibility to carry forward his work and continue the legacy he built,” Rilwan explains. “I am truly grateful to have had the opportunity to turn this tradition into my profession.”
Their favourite song to perform together, Narubo Hassanbey, tells a story of quarrels, forgiveness and connection. These shared human experiences resonate whether you’re from Malé, Malaysia or Moscow, grounding us in a world that often feels swept up in digital noise and relentless change.
Sambe’s greatest hope is that the history of the islands will never be eclipsed by the tide of modernity, but instead finds a way to coexist with it. For him, these traditions are not relics but living threads connecting generations, and each performance is a way of keeping them from slipping beneath the tide.
Alongside their animated Boduberu performances, the duo practise and teach the tactile art of palm weaving. Requiring patience, focus and careful hand movements, the workshop becomes a kind of meditation, allowing participants to be fully present in the moment. As guests learn to shape turtles, fish, crabs, grasshoppers and tiny dhoni boats from fresh green fronds, Sambe and Rilwan, working side by side, slip in stories from their lives, turning a simple activity into a cultural exchange. They draw on their own family bond, and the easy, affectionate banter between father and son makes each visitor feel like an extension of the island community.
The reason their immersion feels so powerful is that guests find themselves in the presence of the Sagaafee, as Maldivian custodians of tradition, community and cultural continuity are known.
“Being Sagaafee means we carry our culture with pride and passion. We do not simply present it to guests; we live it, respect it, and share it from the heart.”
This passion for culture and tradition, as well as their desire to preserve it, celebrate it and pass it forward, is something Sambe and Rilwan share with Anantara. As the brand marks 25 years of experiences-led travel, its mission to protect the world’s most precious and often vulnerable destinations is carried out by inspiring individuals whose everyday work keeps the spirit of the place alive.
Follow the journey at anantara.com/25th-anniversary.
