Peasants unearth 2000 year old sluice

The peasants of Passarayaya, Kataragama who are reconstructing Kimbulkema Wewa under Swarna Hansa Dahasak Wew programme, have unearthed the ancient sluice of the wewa. According to the Director General of Archaeology Dr. Senarth Disanayaka as well as professor Mendis Rohanadeera, the sluice goes back to Anuradhapura period.

This is the third occasion the Swarna Hansa Foundation which mainly depends on traditional technology in its ancient Wew reconstruction work discovered sluices of ancient wewas. First it was at Galgamuwa, and then at Elalla in Hambantota, and now it is at Kataragama. On all these occasions, the sluices were found not by accident but by judicious selection of the location for sluice gates by peasants with their traditional knowledge.

According to Gallege Punyawardana of Swarna Hansa Foundation, these findings reaffirm the need of using traditional knowledge and technology in the development process of this country. As far as Sri Lanka is concerned it is not development that is actually needed, but redevelopment.

Its development process has been derailed and shunted with some other process which does not suitable to this country and its environment. It is unsustainable. On the contrary Sri Lanka has a sustainable development process, which had been undermined, by the Colonials. It was a process which lasts till the sun and moon last.

That process does not damage the environment. Instead it is a process from the environment by the environment, and for the environment. The sluice found by the peasants demonstrates the traditional development concept. The sluice is made out of clay. It has been strengthened by burning or heating, and even after nearly 2000 years it is still strong.