Aminath Faiza (more popularly known as Daisymaa; 29 September 1924 – 25 February 2011) was a Maldivian

Dhivehi language Dhivehi, also spelled Divehi, is the main language, used in the Maldive Islands. This may refer to: * Dhivehi people, an ethnic group native to the historic region of the Maldive Islands * Dhivehi language, an Indo-Aryan language predominantly sp ...

poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...

and

author In legal discourse, an author is the creator of an original work that has been published, whether that work exists in written, graphic, visual, or recorded form. The act of creating such a work is referred to as authorship. Therefore, a sculpt ...

Biography

Aminath Faiza began to write poetry at the age of 16. She was inspired by the late

Bodufenvalhuge Sidi Bodufenvalhugey Sidi (; born Hussain el-Hussaini; 19 May 1888 – 2 June 1970), or Assayyidhu Bodufenvalhugey Seedhee, was a Maldivian intellectual and writer. Biography Bodufenvalhugey Sidi, born on 19 May 1888 as Hussain el-Hussaini, was the so ...

, a famous poet and Faiza's maternal uncle. "Thiththibe" as Faiza called him, made her recite his poems when they were completed. During the 1950s, Faiza started showcasing her work, during which time, late

Mohamed Amin Didi Sumuvvul Ameer Mohamed Amin Dhoshimeynaa Kilegefaanu (; 20 July 1910 – 19 January 1954), popularly known as Mohamed Amin Didi, was a Maldives, Maldivian politician who served as the first president of the Maldives and as the head of governmen ...

, the first

President of the Maldives The president of the Republic of Maldives () is the head of state and head of government of the Republic of Maldives and the commander-in-chief of the Maldives National Defence Force. The current president is Mohamed Muizzu, who was elect ...

, created the "Lhen Veringe Gulzaar" (Garden of Dhivehi Poets). Aminath Faiza was the "Daisy Maa"; the Daisy flower of Maldivian poetry. Since then, she has published her poems and other works in magazines and newspapers, and has had compilations published in books throughout her career. She wrote poetry on many different topics including romance, social issues, religion, national unity, and national occasions. Faiza served on the advisory body of the

Rayyithunge Muthagaddim Party Rayyithunge Muthagaddim Party (, or Peoples' Progress Party) was the first ever political party formed in the Maldives. Despite Mohamed Amin Didi's government theoretically operating within a democratic system of governance, the party had no opp ...

, the first

political party A political party is an organization that coordinates candidates to compete in a particular area's elections. It is common for the members of a party to hold similar ideas about politics, and parties may promote specific political ideology, ...

founded in the Maldives by late president

. She worked as the deputy headmistress of the former Madrasat–ul Saniyya School, now called

Aminiya School Aminiya School is a primary and secondary school in Malé, the capital of the Maldives. It was the first girls' secondary school in the country and remained the only all-girls school until 14 June 2011. History It was founded in 1944 by M ...

. Faiza also worked for Maldives Center for Historical and Linguistic Research, during which she helped to compile the Maldivian Dictionary. She penned her last poem on the Golden Jubilee of Iskandhar School on 5 February 2011.

Death

On February 25, 2011, after suffering a stroke, she died at the age of 86 while being treated at

Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital The Indira Gandhi Memorial Hospital (IGMH, ) is a state-owned Multi-Speciality hospital, and one of four hospitals in Malé, Republic of Maldives. The hospital is located at the west end of Malé. The hospital is a gift from the Indian Governme ...

Malé Malé is the capital and most populous city of the Maldives. With a population of 211,908 in 2022 within its administrative area and coterminous geographical area of , Malé is one of the most densely populated cities in the world. The city i ...

Republic of Maldives The Maldives, officially the Republic of Maldives, and historically known as the Maldive Islands, is an archipelagic country in South Asia located in the Indian Ocean. The Maldives is southwest of Sri Lanka and India, about from the Asian c ...

. A funeral prayer was held at Masjid Al Sultan Mohamed Thankurufaanu Al Auzam following Friday prayers. She was buried at the Aa Sahara cemetery in Male in a ceremony attended by political and cultural dignitaries. She had 3 children Ahmed Abbas, Aminath Abbas and Mohamed Hilmy.

Awards

Faiza received 2 awards: * National Award of Recognition (1980) * National Award of Honour (1996)

References

External links

Website with archives of Faiza's works

A national figure who provided inspiration for thousands of young women and men - Maldives National University
{{DEFAULTSORT:Faiza, Aminath 2011 deaths Maldivian poets Maldivian women poets Maldivian women writers 1920s births 20th-century poets 20th-century women writers 21st-century women writers 20th-century Maldivian writers 20th-century Maldivian women 21st-century Maldivian writers