Vashafaru, Haa Alifu Atoll has unveiled the new monument as a symbol of its identity and hospitality.
The monument was inaugurated by the Minister of Health Abdulla Nazim at a ceremony held on the island on Friday.
Speaking during the ceremony, Minister Nazim Nazim said such initiatives symbolise the vision of the residents and the council for the development of the island, adding that it was also a symbol of the camaraderie and the unity of the island community.
The Minister said that such initiatives spearheaded by the civil society organisations in the island are an important step for the island and community development.
"Such initiatives symbolise the friendship and unity of the island. The idea of working together to bring development and prosperity. That is the most important thing an island needs," he said.
The village symbol or monument in Vashafaru is a bold one, based on a folklore of its ancestors. According to legend, the residents of Vashafaru had drunk coconut water during a sea voyage before throwing the coconut shells into the sea. However after drinking the last coconut, the travellers had realised that the coconut meat was equally more delectable and had then proceeded to fish the shells out of the sea. The legend is still used to this day as a pun to describe a sudden u-turn or a flip-flop.
The monument has been shaped to boldly own this legend, with a sail boat placed on top of a coconut shell with smaller shells, a dolphin and a manta ray near the boat. The large coconut shell has been designed as a water fountain which gives the whole monument life.