The koha still shouts

Ishara JAYAWARDANE

Meanwhile speaking to the Daily News Emeritus Professor, University of Colombo, Prof. Kusuma Karunaratne said that the Sinhala and Tamil New Year or the Aluth Avurudda is a joyful occasion and it coincides with the holiday season, especially for school children. It is celebrated in many ways and sports and games constitute an important form of rejoicing.

There is a variety of indoor and outdoor games associated with this festive occasion. One main game practiced by the Sinhala villagers, especially the young people, is Pancha Keliya. There are several names used for this : Pancha Dameema, Kavadi Dameema and Bello Dameema. In different areas of the country they used different terms. This is done by using shells. This is a traditional game that has been there for a long time. When I was a child I used to enjoy it tremendously.

The playing of the Rabana (drum beating) is an important activity during the New Year. Rabana is of course used on other occasions too. For example, when a newly married couple comes home, everybody is happy and they play the Rabana. So it is meant for happy occasions. This is mainly done by females and elderly females but we as small children could also join with the elders. When we were children we all had the opportunity of going on the swing. Women and children ride the onchilla - the swings - strung on trees. When they play the rabana, it is accompanied by singing raban pada (raban songs).

Likewise, singing is also a part of riding swings and these songs are called varang kavi. Our folk literature is full of such raban pada and varang kavi. Then there are items such as Beauty Queen contest ( Avurudu Kumari and Pancha Kalyani) and Fancy dress competitions. There is an impression that these items have been introduced in the very recent past. This is not exactly correct. Even when I was a child I have seen the Avurudu Kumari and Pancha Kalyani contests. The only difference is that these events are more commercialised today. Cycle races were there when I was a child but not in a large scale.

Cricket matches is an item of recent origin. Elle was a game traditionally played in rural areas particularly after the harvesting season which coincides with the New Year season. When farmers finish harvesting, children have ample room to play in the fields.

There are New Year celebrations organised by various village associations. Among the sports and games played at these functions are: climbing the greasy pole, pillow-fighting, tug-o-war, kanamutti bindeema, pora pol gaheema, placing the eye on the elephant, coconut scraping, lime and spoon, bicycle races etc.

There are games especially for women and small children too. Some games such as Ankeliya and Pora Pol Gaheema have religious overtones. These games are also performed during the New Year season. Nowadays various TV channels also organise New Year festivals. The telecasting of such cultural events has a positive effect. The younger generation particularly in urban areas who are not familiar with New Year rituals and games can learn a lot about our culture. It has a commercial aspect but it also serves a purpose. People celebrate the New Year irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, and therefore, these celebrations can be used to promote ethnic harmony among various communities. The rituals and games associated with the New Year play an important social function.

They help to strengthen relationships among family members, neighbours, and the village community. It is a special time which allows people to relax for a while and be away from their tedious daily routine. It is particularly important for the woman folk in the village to experience something different from their routine life. Therefore, Sri Lankans must try to preserve these games for posterity.

Sri Lanka is going through a phase of sweltering heat. It is the hottest new year in recent times. And in this baking heat the smell of kavum and kokis will soon pervade the air and one would be right in thinking that the koha would certainly not mind the oppressive heat. The cashier girls at KEELLS and CARGILLS will be dressed in their appropriate New Year outfits industriously working at the counters. Like busy bees, customers will be making last minute purchases to take to their relatives in the villages. The media as always will paint the town red with New Year programmes. And in all this we cannot forget the festivities. But the real question is what has really become of New Year Celebrations? Is there a difference between now and then? Is it still done with fervor? How many additions have we seen? And how many seem to be outdated or declined?

Just another holiday

Pavithra, a young lady of 25 said: “During the time I was schooling, the denizens of my village got together to celebrate Avurudu. However I did not take part in games like Ang Keliya, Olindha Keliya and Pancha Dameema; however I have taken part in Mutti Bindeema and Banis Kama and Avurudu Kumari competition. I enjoyed it a lot but when you compare those celebrations in the past, it is a bit more complex.

So those days’ people come together for the New Year/ Avurudda. So you meet friends and it is a happy occasion. But now the question is where you can hold these events, because the land has been taken for housing and there is no space. If someone organises the event at a field we go for that but there are strangers and there is no togetherness but still it is an anticipated event and we remember the good old times. Those days there was time and space to do the games. People were full of enthusiasm but now the occasion serves the purpose of just another holiday. It has become very complex with the new lifestyles.

Chaminda, 29 years of age said that when he was little the Aluth Avurudda was something that was much anticipated. Everyone looked forward to the month of April. This was an opportunity to have fellowship with friends and neighbours so they were very much interested in organising New Year festivities.

“That was something we did with pleasure. We did this in a small way getting money from our parents and we organised festivities which gave people a lot of satisfaction and joy. We did this on a small scale in our tiny way. This gave us a lot of pleasure and that sense of togetherness. The difference between New Year games and other competitions is that the purpose of New Year games transcends winning or losing but to foster good feeling and friendships. Even the Raban competition is how you play the game and not whether you win or lose. Onchili Padeema involves singing of folk songs and our identity as Sri Lankans can be shown to the world. It is a fun time for all of us. We are very fond of our mothers making Kavum.

However in modern times things have been added to this tradition, like cycling and other games. In place of the Banis Gediya you have to eat the apples in a tub of water. Now there are Fancy dress competitions (Vikata Adhum Tharangaya) and there are new refinements in this competition that was not seen before. So these traditional games have changed and taken on a modern aspect. So I feel that the traditional forms have declined. I think that because of the busy and hectic life styles of the youth, they no longer have the time and space to enjoy these festivities. This is even true when you think of older people with all their responsibilities.”

Avoiding New Year celebrations

Pradeep (28), felt that there is a greater diversity in New Year celebrations with a wide representation from not only the youth but the elders as well. “We see participation from housewives. It covers many aspects such as knowledge and entertainment and the spirit of the game. All of this is encompassed in New Year celebrations. Despite differences and problems with each other everyone takes part in these celebrations and there is unity and reconciliation. After the competition, after the games we see a sort of camaraderie. Actually as children we really enjoyed immense freedom.

That is the uniqueness with New Year celebrations. Even though we were small there was that freedom. There was also that learning element coupled with enjoyment. But now it is different because life has changed and it has become more hectic. Even the concepts have changed. How we look at things have changed. Many questions arise in our minds: can we derive excitement from this? Will we be accepted lovingly? Who will organise the New Year’s events? This is done by a limited number of people, No one strives for togetherness. People have also lost interest in participating in these events.”

When you compare then and now something I see is that there are two sides to this. Good and Bad.

The media with its technology and with the internet, seem to be promoting and carrying these events forward if we look at this through the eyes of the media.

The downside is that some of these items have taken a different form. Are the replacements for these events part of our culture?

Banis Kama seems to have been replaced by eating apples so in the future what kind of replacements will we see? Are these replacements rooted in our culture? So whose New Year are we celebrating here? So we have to take so many things into consideration - the time factor, the financial situation and commitments.

There is clearly a difference between now and then. So you can look at it positively or negatively. When it comes to Tamil celebrations and Sinhalese celebrations there are differences but also similarities. So again what we have to consider here is the perception and attitude of the children in modern times. It seems that they cannot enjoy simple things. These have now become jokes in the eyes of the children. In Sri Lanka youngsters grow up in a world of Harry Potter.

They question how they can receive pleasure from the New Year games? How can a person who has played Delta Force relate to these New Year games? They live in a totally different world constructed around them.

They have been convinced that New Year games cannot interest them. Parents are now alleging that children live in money minded world and have scant respect for their parents. We are partly to be blamed for this. We promote this rat race, so is it any surprise that children are turning out like this? There is no point in blaming the children in this globalised world. I know that my younger relatives avoid New Year celebrations and do not go there even by accident!

Decline in participation

Peshan (27) recollections of New Year Celebrations were Kana Mutti Bindeema and Aliyata Aha Thabeema and Banis Kama. “I did a lot of country sports like Lissana Gase Nageema. When I was in Galle I engaged in those kinds of sports but it was during my school days mostly. I liked doing these games because I did them with my friends.

More than competition it was the eating part that I liked the most! Aliyata Aha Thabeema was something no one really was able to do successfully. So all this was very humorous. Once I attempted Kana Mutti Bideema and I was very naughty I dashed all the small muttis. But now I feel it is more commercialised. In rural areas it was there to create unity amongst the village. After corporations started sponsoring it, though there is the element of happiness there is no togetherness. It is more commercialised.”

Lavanga, another young lady of 24 years said “From the time I was small I liked it, and wanted to even win a prize. So I have taken part in such festivities. I have taken part in organising festivities by collecting money. I had a lot of fun taking part in such things. In the bicycle race I took part in throwing water. After the Tsunami the celebrations stopped. The fields have been used for housing and you cannot even find a place to celebrate. So yes I agree with the fact that new things have been added to the list. However I feel that there is a decline in participation.”

Harshani, who is 22 years spoke last said “I lived in Narahenpita. It is an urban area so to a great extent we have festivities done on the road since there is no available space. We do Kamba Adeema on the road. Everything is virtually done on the road. It is organised by a welfare society. However I like the festivities done on the village level to the ones done in the urban areas.”