Immigrated national identity : Karava and Sinhalese Mask Drama (Kolam)

Abstract

M.D Raghavan, who made a study of native races and castes expresses that the mask drama, a kind of folk drama existed and in fact still existing to some extent in west and south coast of maritime regions in Sri Lanka is related with the Karava caste which is one of the major migratory castes of the island. The objective of this study is to launch a deep investigation into the observation he made with special reference to the Tukkavadu Kolamancestry of Maha Ambalangoda which belongs to Karava caste. The study revealed the following important points. The commencement of mask drama in Sri Lanka is associated with the Karava caste army brought from Kanchi puram,Kilakkare,Kaveri Pattanam when Puttalam was seized by Mukkaras, a group of invaders in the reign of king Parakramabahu-vi of Kotte. Those peoples were the believers of the Godess Kali at that time even the local people had already been performing variety of dancing by way of offering to demons and deities. It seems probable that the Kolam nataka came to being as a result of blending of Kolamthullal dance performed by Keralas on behalf of the Goddess Kali with the kind of dancing already existed in the island. Adoption as an entertainment of early practice performed for Kali in the colonial politico-economic context could be examined later. Carpentry was the duty assigned to Karava caste in the feudal system. Thus they were inborn artists in carving masks. The most significant fact came to light out of this investigation done into the history of Tukkawadu ancestry of Maha Ambalangoda which attracted the attention of a large number of those who studied the mask is this it was the ritual dancers or gurunnanses -devil dancers- of Thunduwa and Suddagoda, two villages of Berava (tom-tom beaters) caste in Bentota, who contributed singing, playing, words and verse to the mask drama. Though at the begging people belonging to different castes performed just the particular duty entrusted to him in time to come they took part in many other trades without distinction. Accordingly those who belonged to Karava caste took part in singing and playing where as that of Berava practiced carving masks. On the basis of the above inquiries the following findings were reached. Namely the origin of mask drama cannot be traced by means of one particular caste. It is an admixture of multi-ethnic and multi-religious cultural elements. While changing its form in accordance with time and tide mask drama under went influence of various cultures in its mode from exorcism to delight full and incidental art. Even in case of Tukkavadu ancestry which is the subject of this study a singular contribution has been made by both the castes Karava and Berava to the continuity of the mask drama. Although it is invariably associated with the migration of Karava caste the mask drama cannot be branded exclusively as a heritage of their own. It can be observed that following the national independence without resorting to cast issues there is a tendency towards continuity of performing art such as mask drama as one of the national symbolism. This approach diminished caste identities further.