Jaffna Music Festival pays homage to traditional rituals:

Breathing life into ancient art

Anuradha ABEYSEKARA

A low country dance act. Pictures by Malan Karunaratne and Ariyaratne Perera

Folk art has always been a unique testimony to the lifestyle of various communities. Sri Lanka’s rich ethnic diversity has been inherited and preserved in multifarious forms of dance and music by indigenous folk artistes for over generations.

Hundreds of traditional and contemporary artistes and folk music lovers gathered in Jaffna, to share a unique experience by showcasing their cultural heritage to the world.

The Jaffna Music Festival 2011 which was held on March 25, 26 and 27 brought together a mix of traditional music and dance performances from around the island, with groups representing multi-ethnic communities and regions along with international folk groups from India, South Africa, Nepal, Palestine and Norway. The enthralling performances dished out by the musicians and dancers thrilled the audience.

The Seva Lanka Foundation, Aru Sri Theatre and Concerts Norway organized the festival with financial support from US Aid and the Norwegian Embassy. As a part of the Norway-Sri Lanka Music Cooperation the event will be conducted biannually on different themes as the sister event of the Galle Music Festival.

The welcome ceremony was beautified by a collection of percussions and dance performances bringing a soothing feeling to the burning morning of the folk village. Besides the famous Duraiyappah Stadium, the Jaffna Municiple Councill ground was especially arranged for this occasion.

The evening main stage inaugural performance of Veera Praththirar Wasnthan Koothu, the ancient dance performed in Kudduwan area, had the audience joining in by clapping to keep up to the ascending rhythm till its climax ending.

The word koothu means the dance and the particular koothu is a prayer for an avatar of Lord Shiva to protect the villagers from evil.

The songs explain the beauty and bounty of the village life.

Ulavar Nadanam by Vavuniya dance troupe

Sibikwa (South Africa)

Kali Kambatam - beat and play

The Indian Manganiar group, the ancestors of Rajputs, the kings of Rajasthan enticed the audience with their splendid performance.

Khalil Najem playing the ‘Oud’  (Palestine)

The five men armed with their exceptional bowed string instrument kamayacha and khartal (clapper) accompanied by bhuta kahn (dholak), harmonium and vocals brought the crowd through a rhythmic journey. Their songs with high pitched alaps embodied the essence of life, love, birth, weddings and family festivals.

The Sabaragamuwa Bali performers decorated the show with their fire works to the beat of the dawul bera, and chimes. The Ulavar Nadanam, a contemporary dance item depicting the farmer’s daily life activities has added glamour to the evening.

The Norwegian trio Tindra played their traditional fiddle and accordion to the songs they sung about sad and happy moments in life with rich harmonies. Sinhala contemporary songs too caught the Tamil audience’s hearts when Rohana Beddage performed with the orchestra.

The mathra troop captured the attention of the crowd by performing the traditional folk songs using modern methods and musical arrangements.

The Palestine Sbreen Association showcased their fret-less Arabic string instrument ‘Oud’ and performed an Arabic-Jazz melodies.

The South African team Sibikwa memorized the audience by illustrating their hunting life style in a musical story. The Nepali trio entertained the crowd by playing their traditional tunes in to the Madal (Nepali drum) beat.

There were Sri Lankan upcountry and low country dancing troupe in action. Puppet shows, Muslim and Kaffir community’s folk performances with an array of diverse music and dance forms from across the country were in display during the three-day folk music festival.

The historic city of Jaffna, known for its traditions through a written record of more than 2,000 years, resurrected its lost artistry and heritage during the event. For many years these folk art forms were stranded due to war.

Paparavaham Koothu (Chullipuram)

As many of these folk performances were carried out when dusk blanketed the sky, people didn’t get the opportunity to breathe life into them for three decades.

The younger generation would not have been acquainted to their folk dance and music unless this stage was opened. This timely event saved many of such heritages at a time when they are just about to wither into the past.

Every where in the world, the original traditional folk art forms have been trapped in an eternal struggle with life style change. The evolution brings changes. New forms and traditions will discard the old, but the original forms of these arts should be protected as a part of national heritage.

Our roots must be given due respect and preservation to grow strong and steady as a nation which boasts of a proud history.

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