Editing History of the Maldives (section)

=== The first settlers to the northern Maldives ===
Folklore indicates that northern atolls of the Maldives were populated by other tribes from southern India with darker skin colors. According to legends, the islands they populated were named Nolhivaram, Kuruhinnavaram, and Giravaram (Shihabuddine, c. 1650–1687). These islands are now known as Nolhivaramu, Hinnavaru, and Giravaru. (The names likely evolved over many centuries to their current form.<ref name=":5" />)

Comparative studies of Maldivian oral, linguistic, and cultural traditions and customs indicate that some of the earliest settlers to the northern Maldives were descendants of fishermen from the [[Malabar coast|southwest coasts]] of present day [[India]] and the northwestern shores of [[Sri Lanka]]. One such community is the [[Giraavaru people]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Ellis |first=Royston |author-link=Royston Ellis |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zSjhruMm748C&pg=PA36 |title=Maldives |date=1 January 2008 |publisher=Bradt Travel Guides |isbn=9781841622668 |language=en |access-date=2 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210503032143/https://books.google.com/books?id=zSjhruMm748C&pg=PA36 |archive-date=3 May 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> They are mentioned in ancient legends and local folklore, specifically in regards to the establishment and kingly rule of the capital, [[Malé]].

Some argue, from the presence of [[Jat]] Gujjar titles and [[Gotra]] names, that the [[Sindhis]] also accounted for an early influx of migration. Seafaring from [[Debal]] began during the [[Indus Valley civilization]], and the [[Jataka]]s and [[Puranas]] show abundant evidence of their maritime trade; the use of similar traditional boatbuilding techniques in Northwestern South Asia and the Maldives, as well as the presence of silver punch mark coins from both regions, lends additional weight to this view. Additionally, there are hints that Southeast Asian settlers ended up in [[Madagascar]]<ref name="Maloney, Clarence">{{cite web |last=Maloney |first=Clarence |title=Maldives People |url=http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn5/insouasi/maloney.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020129221500/http://www.iias.nl/iiasn/iiasn5/insouasi/maloney.html |archive-date=29 January 2002 |access-date=22 June 2008 |work=[[International Institute for Asian Studies]]}}</ref> after getting separated from a main group of [[Austronesian peoples|Austronesian]] reed boat seafarers.