Folk
Handicraft in the Village Kudawa of the Sinharāja
Forest
in Sri Lanka
in Sri Lanka
Jayantha Amarasinghe
Dammika Hewage
Abstract
The
village “Kudawa” lying in the Kalavāna Divisional Secretarial Division of
Ratnapura District in Sri Lanka also forms the north-western boundary of Sinharāja
forest which is a wet tropical evergreen forest. The major livelihood of
the people of Kudawa is the small scale cultivation of tea. Even at
present, however, the majority of people in this village possess talent for
making various tools necessary for day-to-day activities. Some people are engaged
themselves in folk handicraft by means of which they spend their leisure treating
the activity as a hobby. They have the necessary knowledge of making those
creative products. Sinharāja Forest
surrounding the village is the major source of raw material they need to make
the products. Chief raw material used to make folk craft includes bata
(bamboo), wēväl (cane), Vätakeyyā (screwpine), dunukeyyā (Pandanus thwaitesii),
Indi kola (wild date palm leaves), katu kitul (thorny caryota urens) and
varieties of rush. Winnowing-fans, open baskets, milk-strainers, bags, mats and
baskets can be identified as main folk tools. Though there is a market for folk
craft here on account of its tourist potential the community seems to have
deviated from it to a large extent by now. Though the bustling situation
created with the cultivation of tea has exerted a certain amount of unfavorable
influence on traditional folk craft, actually speaking the present study
revealed that it is the present forest conservation law which has had a
decisive and adverse impact on the community to diverge from the folk craft.
Community has been forbidden to enter the jungle. In consequence a great
difficulty in obtaining raw material has arisen. In view of the above it can be
concluded that it is primarily the prevailing forest conservation law which
made the community to deviate from the traditional folk handicraft.
Keywords
: Kudawa, Folk craft, Folk life, Traditional knowledge, Sinharāja forest.
Objectives:
- The main objective of this study is to identify
the folk craft tradition that exists in the village Kudawa and to find
out what obstacles this traditional industry is facing at present.
Methodology
The methodology used to collect data
included direct observation, formal and informal interviews and case studies.
To present data notes and photographs have been used.
Study
area
Sinharāja
forest reserve which has been identified as the Sri Lanka’s first world
heritage of biological and both
ecological importance. This is a tropical rain forest which is located in the
south-western part of the island between the latitudes 60 211
and 60 261 North and longitudes 800 211- 800 341 East. (1)*
At present the Sinharāja Forest Reserve including the natural forest
complex and the secondary forest encloses an area of 11, 187 hectares.*(2)
The village Kudawa located in the north-west hillside of Sinharāja forest
belongs to Kalavāna Divisional Secretarial Division of Ratnapura District in
Sri Lanka. History of the village Kudawa does not go back to more than 300
years. Though the history cannot be definitely reckoned history of the genealogy
and the physical surroundings do help one to ascertain it. It is evident from
folklore that the first settlers who went there chose Chena cultivation as
their livelihood. Although wet cultivation was also later emerged it was very
slight and the majority bent on chena cultivation. The simple life the
community had enjoyed earlier became complex with the swift spread of tea
cultivation in the latter part of 1970s. Owing to present day development in
transport and communication, however, substantial and obvious changes have been
brought about in the community of Kudawa. The long-standing relations the
community had with the jungle was taken away to some extent with the cutting of
timber at the opening decades of 1970s by the state’s intervention and again
later with the introduction of buffer zones by the Department of Forest
Conservation adopting foreign plants. And the community distracted further from
the jungle when the chena cultivation which had been carried out in the jungle
was banned after 1977. Though human activities are forbidden in the Sinharāja
Forest even today the community goes on making use of it without causing any
damage as they had traditionally been in the past. In spite of the pressure of
work due to tea plantation the traditional ties the community has been having
with the jungle has not come to a total standstill. It is not infrequent to
find even today in the village Kudava village-folks engaged in folk-craft
during their leisure using the traditional knowledge and skill.
Folk
craft made out of the forest raw material
One
of the chief patterns of forest consumption of the community living in the
north-western hillside of the Sinharāja forest is to get the raw material
necessary for their handicraft from the jungle. From time immemorial the
community of this region had been in the habit of using peels, barks and other
herbaceous parts of trees and creepers naturally grown in the forest to make
tools they need in day-to-day life. Even at present it is from the jungle they
obtain raw material they need for various cottage industries although it is not
to the same extent as it had been in the past.
Especially
it is from the forest that they collect bamboo and cane necessary for bamboo
and cane industry. Though cutting cane is banned by the Department of Forest
Conservation on the other hand the community keeps on obtaining the necessary
bamboo and the cane for their craft yet without causing any harm to the jungle.
It will be proper if some of the laws made less rigid so as to encourage the
community engaged in such industries.
Cane
industry
Sinharāja
forest is abundant in varieties of bamboo. Mā vēväl, tudaräna vēväl, ala vēväl,
tambotu väl, kukuta vēväl are some such varieties of cane. The smallest member
of the cane family is the kukuta vēväl.
Cane
is used for making a multitude of utensils such as baskets, open baskets for
sifting, furniture etc. In addition to which it is also used to weave chairs
made of wood. Betel trays in the houses in this area and the lāha, a
kind of measure used for paddy is also made of cane. Further, almost every man
over forty in this locality has at least skill in cane work. Many men and some
women have ability to weave several other tools in addition to cane open
baskets.
Before
making implements it is necessary to go to forest and -“vēväl talāgena” – the
cane must be beaten and brought. The Sinhala expression “vēväl tälīma” means
cutting, clearing and splitting the cane. As the cane has extremely sharp
thorns the beating must be done very carefully. Cutting and drawing the cane
out of the enmeshed growth of tall trees is equally problematic job. One must
exert a lot of strain in pulling the cane which has entwined round the tree and
gone very high especially when the one who does it is far below.
“Canes
some three to four hundred feet long are cut. There are canes which stretch
over the floor of the jungle to a great extent and then again stretch upwards
along the trees. Too matured canes are, however, of no use. It is difficult to bend the cane at points where it
is too matured. And if it is bent then the cane breaks. So, in vain the cane
goes matured. We are not allowed to cut such a cane. If found in the act you
are fined. There is no way to make use of our knowledge. But even then if and
when in need we beat a cane.” (Gunaratne, 11. 07. 2010)
Of
all kinds of canes “the kukulu vēväl” is the strongest. Once thorns and spathes
are removed “the kukulu vēväla” (the cane) won’t be more than a pencil in
width. A cane bed is made of “the kukulu väl”(creepers). Then it is not
possible to say how long the cane bed will last. Similarly even for cane chairs
it was “the kukulu väl” torn into extremely thin strips in width are used. Then
the cane of the chair is very strong and it lasts long. Moreover using the
“kukulu väl” cane they made betel trays and picturesque flower vases which were
not only extremely beautiful but also quite long-lasting. This kind of cane tools
if not got wet would last very long and in fact longer than one can actually
and definitely predict. Sometimes such cane goods may last for generations. One
can find such equipments as old as the hills in many a house in the locality.
It is the timber of the tree called
“Īpetta” which is used as the brim of the tool. Even the kind of cane called
“ala vēväl” is used for this purpose. As “the ala vēväla” is very fragile it
cannot be of any use for a need other than this.
Bamboo
peels Industry:
Though the bamboo peel industry had been
very prosperous and widespread in this region about ten years ago by now it is
being carried out only for private consumption. It is of course the rigid
forest conservation laws which have been responsible for the decline of this
industry. According to law cutting bamboo in the forest is forbidden. In spite
of such laws the community keeps on cutting bamboo in the forest for its day-to-day
needs.
They
cut and split the bamboo in strips and then use it to make various equipments.
They make out of the bamboo open baskets, boxes, open baskets for string
hoppers, winnowing fans, milk-strainers etc. Again it is the timber of the
plant called “īpotta” which is used as the brim of bamboo peel tools. This kind
of word called “īpotta” is a loose, light one which could be split very well.
The timber in width not more than a handle of a hoe is brought from the jungle
after cutting it and then it is split into strips each of which in thickness is
not more than a quarter inch. It is very important that the “īpotta strip” must
be made use of before it goes dry. Although “īpotta” is a light wood and its
strip by means of which the edge of the winnowing fan and that of the open
basket is made it will endure so long as the container/device lasts provided
that the wood contacts no water. The “īpotta edge” does not decay easily.
Bamboo
by which the forest abounds in goes rot to a considerable extent by nowadays as
it is untouched and not being utilized by the community. Traditional industries
such as these which depended on the forest did not cause damage to the latter.
On the other hand, however, the present day rules and regulations cross swords
with them. At present while only two or three folks are commercially engaged in
the industry the rest of the people occasionally weave an open basket, a box or
a winnowing fan for their own consumption.
03.
03. Rush industry
Yet another kind of forest consumption
of the community living in the north-western hillside of Sinharāja is
collecting raw material they need for rush industry. This industry which has
been going on since the past is a shining example for man’s unusual skill in
his adaptation of the surroundings for his benefit.
“Unlike today those days we had no
synthetic (shopping) bags. To carry anything we used the bag made of rush. Even
the paddy was stacked in large bags weaved of rush. Even the “hunu malla” in
which the “kai bata” (lunch given to farmers) that was taken to the paddy field
was packed in rush bag. Further, even the purse was made of rush. I am still
having a rush purse. We sleep on the “minuvaŋ” mat. Even an important person
has to sleep on the “minuvaŋ” mat. The “minuvaŋ” mat is very comfortable”
(Äsilin : 01. 09. 2011)
The forest yields a lot of varieties
of rush. They differ in quality from one another. Accordingly, the people of
this area seems to possess the necessary knowledge so as to select the kind of
rush that suits his need.
“It was by “kaduruvaŋ” rush the bags
were weaved those days. Even the bags used for paddy were made of this variety.
They last even for twenty five years provided that they do not get wet. They are so much strong. The “kaduruvaŋ” rush
grows beside brooks. It is the “minuvaŋ pädura” (mat) which is the most
comfortable to sleep on. Even the “minuvaŋ” rush grows beside brooks. The kind
of rush called “Gallähä” is also very strong. Bags and mats are vowen even out
of the “Dunukeyyā” (Pandanus thwaitsii) which is found in the forest. These mats are very comfortable. They are
like the “minuvaŋ pädura” (mats). As soon as this kind (Dunukeyya) is torn up
the mats must be woven before the leaves go dry. Those days we used to go and
fetch the “Wal indikola” (wild date palm) leaves, boil them and then weave bags
and mats. Mostly it is for making hats that the wild date palm leaves are used.
Three or four hats are woven for the season of Chena cultivation. (Läisā, 21.
08. 2011)
Though there are rush mats in almost
every house even at present young women skilled in art of weaving bags and mats
are extremely rare. Very often it is the women only well over fifty who possess
the ability to weave mats by means of rush. Village folks here are of the
opinion that bag and mat making (weaving) is exclusively a trade meant for the
woman. Those days at the season of chena harvest the chief task of women was
the weaving bags for storing the cereal. In spite of the fact that one cannot
get a sight of the ancient bags meant for storing paddy nowadays almost every
other rush product can be found in village houses in this area. Rush weaving
women say that there is still a very good market for the “Ätulpata” a piece of
fabric of plaited rushes used especially for slicing green leaves and for
spreading the hot rice for quenching. (Rosalin: 03. 09. 2011) But nowadays
mostly the “Ätulpats” are plaited not by rushes but by coconut leaves.
Discussion
It is clear that the people of
Kudawa do make folk craft solely for their own day-to-day consumption. In that
especially noteworthy feature is the procurement of most of the raw material
from the surrounding forest. In addition raw material is also obtained out of
plants such as coconut, areca etc. grown in home gardens. These folk crafts
made without involving any primary cost serve the needs of the neighbours of
course free of charges and at times they involve charges. In view of the above
it is clear that the fundamental needs to make folk craft are the natural raw
material and the labour. Most of the folk crafts are either professional
instruments or household tools. By now, however, there seems to be a tendency
of young women on handicrafts such as sewing and embroidery. It seems that the
incongruous rules and regulations of forest conservation enforced in Sri Lanka
are the greatest obstacle to this industry. In consequence, entry to the forest
to obtain raw material is an offence punishable by law and the use of whatever
forest product is altogether prohibited. Although this is a wholesome and protective
approach on the part of forest conservation on the other hand it keeps away the
people who had been consuming the forest in time immemorial from it. In this
village frequented by local and foreign tourists who visit Sinharāja forest
there is a substantial demand for folk craft. Owing to lack of raw material,
however, folk craftsmen have got to be despaired of because they cannot make
use of their traditional knowledge of folk craft. It is due to factors such as
difficulty with regard to procurement of raw material, busy life connected with
economy of tea cultivation, and urbanization that the present day generation is
completely cut off from the traditional folk craft. As a result within less
than next two decades the traditional folk craft and the knowledge of this
industry will probably be vanished from the village Kudawa.
Conclusion
Forest
consumption patterns of the village folks of Kudawa lying in the north- western
hillside of Sinharāja seem to have been taken root solely through traditions.
With the introduction of economic pattern based on tea and of communication the
villager gradually abandoning the traditional practices embraced novel habits.
The changes referred to above also seems to have equally compelled the people
to deviate from forest products which had answered many of their problems in
day-to-day life. Folk craft to some extent still exist in the village culture.
Rush industry; for instance, can be treated as still in action to a certain
extent depending on forest products. The abandonment of the bamboo and cane
industry by those who were engaged in it clearly manifests that it was
primarily the forest conservation rules and regulations that were behind the
decline of folk craft depending on forest products. In spite of the fact that
there is a good demand for handicraft associated with the forest in this
locality of tourist interest it is obvious that the main problem of catering to
such needs are the forest conservation rules and regulations.
No comments:
Post a Comment