New Year With My Veddah Friends
2016-04-17
By Jeewana PahanThilina
A Pandol has been constructed by the Veddah tribe under the massive canopy of the blooming Heen Boviti and Bolidda trees in their jungle enclave.
Nature had conspired to add a touch of glory with a carpet of Mee Mora petals, three inches deep, welcoming any passers-by.Erabadu buds peep out of their luscious leafy stems awaiting the arrival of the Prince of New Year. They waft invitingly in the breeze. Mango and cashew branches are laden with tender fruits, jostling merrily against their flowered friends.
It's the New Year in the jungles too
It's the New Year in the jungles too
In other years, bee hives dripped with honey in these jungles, the aroma wafting everywhere. They were filled with an excess of honey. But this year, the scorching heat waves killed the flowers depriving the bees of their pollen. But the villages celebrated the New Year as they did in years gone by.
We thought of looking for a different New Year. It is not wrong to say it is the New Year of the indigenous people. They call it 'Konang Mangalle' in their language.
The venue for celebrating the New Year is decided upon after a village leaders' discussion. The Veddahs of every Veddah community take part in the preparations and eagerly await the dawn of the New Year.
Early morning, grandparents, parents and kids get together in the New Year festival venue.
The Veddah tribes celebrate New Year with observances which differ from the norms of the Sinhala and Tamil people.. Birds sing perched on the branches of flowering trees. Butterflies and bees draw pollen honey from the flowers. Wild animals, large and small, amble among the shrubs. Flower laden branches swing to and from in the now cool breezes which bring the promise of rain. This has a soothing effect on mind and body.
The Veddah tribes celebrate New Year with observances which differ from the norms of the Sinhala and Tamil people.. Birds sing perched on the branches of flowering trees. Butterflies and bees draw pollen honey from the flowers. Wild animals, large and small, amble among the shrubs. Flower laden branches swing to and from in the now cool breezes which bring the promise of rain. This has a soothing effect on mind and body.
The loudspeaker is an old shell of a Labu nut. The leader of the community welcomed all saying 'Mamakachchak Kondamai.'
The competitions in the Veddah New Year festival are strange. One is Pariya Pore or the bear fight. The denizens of any jungle always come into direct confrontation with bears, especially when they go in search of bee hives to find that the bears have got there first. That's when trouble begins. Bears are also fond of bee honey and challenge men when they approach the trees within which the Bees build their hives.
The competitions in the Veddah New Year festival are strange. One is Pariya Pore or the bear fight. The denizens of any jungle always come into direct confrontation with bears, especially when they go in search of bee hives to find that the bears have got there first. That's when trouble begins. Bears are also fond of bee honey and challenge men when they approach the trees within which the Bees build their hives.
In this competition, one is man and the other is the bear. They fight for the precious honey comb. Man must know how to tame the bees and trick the bear. That is essential knowledge for the Veddah. Ones who cannot do it is considered a weakling.
'Bambara Kepilla' or cutting the big bee hives hanging from tall tree branches or in rock crevices is another competition. It is a very dangerous experience. The competitor has to sing the Bambara Kavi, climb the tall trees, follow the customs, smoke the hive, sprinkle water and cut the combs. This is reserved for those considered clever.
'Bambara Kepilla' or cutting the big bee hives hanging from tall tree branches or in rock crevices is another competition. It is a very dangerous experience. The competitor has to sing the Bambara Kavi, climb the tall trees, follow the customs, smoke the hive, sprinkle water and cut the combs. This is reserved for those considered clever.
Hunting is another competition highlight in the Veddah's New Year festival. There are traditions, customs and laws to follow. Archery skills are highly important. The winner is actually declared to be the best hunter.
The Veddah community New Year festival has a competition similar to the Grease Tree. But the tree here is not an areca tree but a really big and tall tree. The competitor who reaches the top of the tree first is declared the winner.
There is a real archery competition in which Veddah people of both sexes and all ages compete. It is a basic skill for survival in the jungle...and may the best man win !
The Veddah community New Year festival has a competition similar to the Grease Tree. But the tree here is not an areca tree but a really big and tall tree. The competitor who reaches the top of the tree first is declared the winner.
There is a real archery competition in which Veddah people of both sexes and all ages compete. It is a basic skill for survival in the jungle...and may the best man win !
The best beard is also picked by the Veddah leader. It's the custom among Veddah's that the men grow their beards. One competition decides on who the fastest eater in the tribe is. Gingili porridge is the main staple food of the Veddah people and the winner must finish a good portion of it.
Lighting a fire by striking stones together is another essential art that features as one of their New Year competitions too.The one who lights a fire first by this traditional art is the winner.
A Tug-of-war is another competition. While the "Beauty Pageant' chooses the Prince and Princess.
It was a marvelous New Year festival. I was accompanied to view this New Year festival by Heen Banda, Sanduna, Guna Banda and Ajith.
A Tug-of-war is another competition. While the "Beauty Pageant' chooses the Prince and Princess.
It was a marvelous New Year festival. I was accompanied to view this New Year festival by Heen Banda, Sanduna, Guna Banda and Ajith.
