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Sri Lankan, Low-Country, Ritual Drumming: the Raigama Tradition

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Sri Lankan, Low-Country, Ritual Drumming: the Raigama Tradition Sri Lankan, Low-Country, Ritual Drumming: The Raigama Tradition Sumuditha Suraweera (88054652) A thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy University of Canterbury August 2009 Principal Supervisor: Elaine Dobson Assistant Supervisor: Dr. Roger Buckton Contents List of Tables ...................................................................................................................... v List of Figures ..................................................................................................................... v Abstract .............................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................. x System of Transliteration .................................................................................................. xii Key to Musical Transcriptions ......................................................................................... xiii Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 1 Chapter 1 Low-Country Drumming in the Contemporary Context .................................................. 20 1.1 The traditional Sinhala Buddhist pantheon ............................................................. 20 1.2 Ritual in Sinhala Buddhism .................................................................................... 21 1.3 Bali .......................................................................................................................... 23 1.4 Tovil ........................................................................................................................ 27 1.5 Maḍu ....................................................................................................................... 31 1.5.1 Legends of the supernatural beings .................................................................. 32 1.5.2 Origin of the devol maḍuva ritual .................................................................... 35 1.5.3 Ritual preparation............................................................................................. 36 1.5.4 Ritual structure ................................................................................................. 36 1.6 Buddhist ceremonies ............................................................................................... 37 1.7 Secular performance settings .................................................................................. 39 1.8 Chapter summary .................................................................................................... 42 Chapter 2 The Yak Beraya ................................................................................................................. 43 2.1 Instrument classification ......................................................................................... 43 2.2 Commonly used traditional instruments ................................................................. 44 2.3 The yak beraya ........................................................................................................ 49 2.4 Traditional instrument making practices and attitudes ........................................... 51 2.5 Construction of the yak beraya ............................................................................... 54 2.5.1 Preparing the body of the drum ....................................................................... 54 2.5.2 Preparation of drum skins ................................................................................ 56 2.5.3 Preparation of the häkma (the outer layer of skin) .......................................... 58 2.5.4 Placing the drumheads (bera taṭṭu) .................................................................. 60 2.5.5 Attaching kanvaraya, varapaṭi and the waist-strap ......................................... 62 2.6 Tuning and maintenance of the yak beraya ............................................................ 63 2.7 Chapter summary .................................................................................................... 64 Chapter 3 Theory of Low-Country Drumming ................................................................................. 66 3.1 Drumming Patterns ................................................................................................. 67 3.2 Akṣara (drum syllables) .......................................................................................... 69 3.3 Four basic strokes of tat, dit, toṃ, naṃ ................................................................... 70 i 3.4 Flick-thumb technique ............................................................................................ 71 3.5 Advanced hand techniques ..................................................................................... 72 3.6 The relationship between akṣara and technique ..................................................... 77 3.6.1 Cell-1................................................................................................................ 78 3.6.2 Cell-2................................................................................................................ 80 3.6.3 Akṣara sequences produced by the flick-thumb technique .............................. 83 3.7 Tempo ..................................................................................................................... 84 3.8 Performance ............................................................................................................ 85 3.8.1 Posture.............................................................................................................. 85 3.8.2 Relaxation ........................................................................................................ 86 3.8.3 Rudimentary exercises (saraḿba) ................................................................... 86 3. 9 Chapter summary ................................................................................................... 93 Chapter 4 The Devol Maḍuva Ritual ................................................................................................. 95 4.1 The ritual space ....................................................................................................... 97 4.2 Cutting of the milla tree (milla käpīma) ................................................................. 98 4.3 Bringing in the oil to commence the ceremony (tel väḍavavīma) ........................ 102 4.4 Dancers seek blessings and permission to perform in the ritual (yahan däkma) .. 108 4.5 Cleansing and incensing the ritual arena .............................................................. 111 4.6 The offering of fire to the demons (pidēni dīma) ................................................. 115 4.7 Planting the Torch of Time (kālapaňdama).......................................................... 116 4.8 Dance segment for the demons of the Evening Watch (sändǟ samayama) ......... 120 4.9 Planting of the Queen‘s Bough (bisō kapa) .......................................................... 124 4.10 Ritual of the ceremonial archway (toran yāgaya) .............................................. 128 4.11 Segment dedicated to the Pattini deity ................................................................ 139 4.12 Performance of ceremonial drumming (magul bera) ......................................... 144 4.13 Telme, the dance in honour of the Twelve Gods ................................................ 151 4.14 Segment dedicated to the deity Vāhala ............................................................... 152 4.15 The dance of Devol and fire trampling ............................................................... 154 4.16 The dance of the Garā demon ............................................................................. 159 4.17 Thanksgiving and sending the deities back to their abodes (deviyanṭa pin dīma) .............................................................................................................................. 160 4.18 Chapter summary ................................................................................................ 161 Chapter 5 The Tovil Ritual (Kalu Kumāra Samayama) .................................................................. 167 5.1 Ritual space ........................................................................................................... 167 5.2 Ceremonial drumming (magul bera) and the observance of five precepts ........... 169 5.3 Recital of verses of salutation to the Three Refuges............................................. 170 5.4 Inviting the demons of the Three Watches ........................................................... 170 5.5 Placing of ceremonial objects on the patient‘s feet .............................................. 171 5.6 Unveiling of the curtain to display the altars ........................................................ 174 5.7 Dance segment dedicated to the demons of the Three Watches ........................... 175 5.8 Offering food (dola) to the demons and the hat pada pelapāliya (series of seven dances) .................................................................................................................. 177 ii 5. 9 Dedication of offerings (pidēni taṭu) for Mahasōna and demons of Three Watches .............................................................................................................................
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