Giraavaru people

The Giraavaru people are indigenous people of the Giravaaru islands that is part of Maldives. They are considered to be the earliest island community of the Maldives, predating Buddhism and the arrival of Indo-Aryan speakers in the archipelago. They are ancient Tamil speakers from Malabar coast, who they referred themselves as 'Tamila'. Other mainstream Maldivians considered them to be of lower social status. They lived on the island of Giravaaru until 1972, but were later relocated to Malé, the nation's capital, where they were assimilated in with the local social groups.