Former UWTSD Anthropology student invited to deliver TEDx talk

Former UWTSD Anthropology student, Malsa Maaz, was recently invited to give a TEDx talk under the title ‘The human story behind the glass cabinet’.

Malsa is a cultural anthropologist who is passionate about Maldivian culture. Being the daughter of a sailor, she grew up listening to stories from around the world and was inspired by it.

Following the completion of her Bachelor of Arts in Archaeology & Anthropology and Master of Research in Engaged Anthropology at UWTSD’s Lampeter campus, she conducted fieldwork exploring the coconut culture of the Maldives. Her latest research examines how the human body holds and transmits cultural knowledge.

A TEDx Talk is a showcase for speakers presenting great, well-formed ideas in under 18 minutes.  During her talk Malsa argued that one has to be present, pay attention and take part with the people to understand the world from their perspective.  Following her talk, she commented:

“I was honoured to be invited to give this TEDx talk and to have such a fantastic opportunity to present my work. 

During the talk I looked at how we can use the methods in anthropology such as participant observation to truly appreciate culture beyond the glass cabinet, and how to appreciate a finished object with everything that is entangled in it - such as the surrounding environment, the materials and the conversations that take place.

I argued that we have to be present, pay attention and take part with the people to understand the world from their perspective. I drew examples from my undergraduate fieldwork and dissertation, 'Coconuts for Life! Exploring the Change and the Continuity of the Coconut Culture in the Maldives'. The Maldives has been influenced by different regions of the world, but we have taken these influences and somehow made everything uniquely Maldivian.

I also talked about how we lived in perfect harmony with our natural environment, and as coconuts were abundant here, we found a way to utilise every single part of the tree and every stage of the fruit. I also talked about how important language is to understand culture, that it molds how we think. For example, in our language Dhivehi, we have a word for all the parts and all the stages but when they are translated to English, it simply translates to 'coconut' which ultimately shows how significant coconuts were in our culture.”

Dr Luci Attala, Senior Lecturer in Anthropology, was Malsa’s tutor during her time at UWTSD.  She added:

“I was delighted to see Malsa have this wonderful opportunity to present her work. She was an excellent student and has a fantastic story to tell. 

Her research work is extremely interesting which made for a truly fascinating talk.  It was clear that the audience were very engaged with what she had to say and were keen to explore her ideas further. She has a wonderful future ahead of her and I’d like to wish her all the best.”

Find out more about UWTSD’s Anthropology provision on the University’s website.  

Further Information

For more information please contact Arwel Lloyd, Principal PR and Communications Officer, on 07384 467076 / arwel.lloyd@uwtsd.ac.uk