Many well loved figures had passed away over the years. I have written obituaries for many of them. Apart from reflecting on their legacies I had not shed a tear over their loss.
But the death of the famed singer and one of the actors of "Dheriyaa" Hawwa Riyaza shook me to the core. She had died seeking treatment for cancer from Sri Lanka's Asiri Hospital. I actually took out time from work to mourn her death. For some she was Hawwa miss. For me she was a sister.
Before she was famous, she was a star for me. When I was studying in Male' English School (MES) I was more focused on publishing a daily paper in class rather than studying. The paper was highly critical of school and Education Ministry.
It was not long before I ended up in hot water over the paper, with a team from Education Ministry visiting the school. Two answer for my crimes my two page paper and I ended in front of a stern panel of the school administration and Ministry officials.
I was at the receiving end of the harsh criticism from the Principal, earning three or four raps on the back of my head. All the while the team from Education Ministry had not said a word. -- Had this happened today, HRCM would have completely destroyed the Principal, Alibe.
Investigation into the paper continued; I remained silent. School administration wanted to suspend me. Education Ministry wanted me to stop the publication. I did not say a word. I was young, what could I have possibly said?
Two hours of questioning had passed. Three senior students of the school entered. One of them was Hawwa Riyaza, the others were Ameen Ibrahim and Ahmed Niyaz (Niyazbe). The moment the three ended was the moment the panel had decided to expel me from school. The three were the most influential students in the school, though they were just one year older than I was.
"Instead of expelling him, hand him over to us, Principal. I see his talent, it can become an asset in the future," Hawwa Riyaza said that day. The rest followed suit, but Hawwa was the first one to rise to my defense. Next was Ameen. Niyazbe was indifferent, but we maintained a close relationship over the years.
"Listen to Hawwa dhahtha, go home today! Learn to respect your elders from now on. But keep on carrying out what you're doing now," she said. This was the moment she became a sister to me. Even after this my resolve remained the same; my behavior did not change one bit. But whenever I saw her, I became silent, respectful.
I used to go to school without cutting my hair and in jeans. Even the Principal failed to put a halt to this. Hawwa was able to stop this with a simple admonition. "Do not remember me when you are expelled from school!" After that I did not fail to follow the uniform code.
Even after she had graduated school, Hawwa Riyaza wielded significant way within MES, especially over student affairs. She was the first in line of defense over anything I wrote for the paper. But I never dared to look straight a her; never called her sister. The most I could do was nod my head in response to her.
After I graduated from school, I added a shade of rebellion by piercing my earlobes. Neither my mother or my father could persuade me to remove the piercing; it had become a divisive factor for my whole family. At that time I had not begun working in Bandos Island Resort. I was in a fabric shop one day, when someone gripped my earlobe. It was Hawwa Riyaza. Embarrassment, mortification flooded me. I immediately removed the piercing. At the same time she was questioning whether this was the only thing left remained to be done. From that day onward I did not put on any piercings or earrings.
Whenever I would see her on the road my immediate reaction is to duck my head. Later on I would see her near Kalaafaanu School; I would change my route. In truth, I felt self conscious around her. But she was the guiding hand that shaped my future. My first job was as a chef at Bandos staff kitchens. It was an especially dark time in my past. But what catapulted me from that to the Mundoo Adam Haleem of today was the small newspaper published in that time, to enrich that very talent Hawwa Riyaza saw in me.
I met her days prior to her passing away. She was in Artificial Beach with a group. She simply smiled at me. This is one of the many memories that sticks to me. This is the reason why her death affected me so much. The memories will remain forever entrenched; she is the sister who changed my life.
