The Performing Artistes in Sri Lanka: the Contribution to Ethno-Religious Cohesion Through Their Shaping and Challenging of Socio-Cultural Norms
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THE PERFORMING ARTISTES IN SRI LANKA: THE CONTRIBUTION TO ETHNO-RELIGIOUS COHESION THROUGH THEIR SHAPING AND CHALLENGING OF SOCIO-CULTURAL NORMS. Winojith Sanjeewa Withana Appuhamilage Submitted in accordance with the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy The University of Leeds York St John University School of Humanities, Religion and Philosophy October-2018 i The candidate confirms that the work submitted is his own and that appropriate credit has been given where reference has been made to the work of others. This copy has been supplied on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. The right of Winojith Sanjeewa Withana Appuhamilage to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. © 2018 The University of Leeds and Winojith Sanjeewa Withana Appuhamilage ii Dedication To my Amma and Thaththa -Mother and father With veneration, I worship my mother’s feet (mathu padam nama maham). She nourished me with loving kindness enabling me to lead a healthy, long life (posesi uddikaranam- ayu digham vassasatam) and I worship my father’s feet (pithu padam nama maham). He taught me to keep my head held high even before kings (raja majjam supattittam). To my “Guru Deva” - Professor Pauline Kollontai Akhanda Mandalaa kaaram - Vyaaptam Yenam charaacharam Tatpadam Darshitam Yena - Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha. (Guru Gita- Skanda Purana) A guru can guide us to the supreme knowledge of that which pervades all the living and non-living beings in the entire Universe (namely Brahman). I salute such a guru. To the performing artistes Tan Jin, tan Jin, taka Jin, taka, kuda, gajin Tarikita, gata, gata, gogonda, kuda, gajin Takajin, gata, kunjingata, kunda, kundakjin /// Takun, Takun Jin Jin Gaj Jin (Auspicious drumming) For their devotion to preserving Sri Lankan art. To the memory of my brother, Indrajith Sujeewa iii Acknowledgements Many people have helped me in this research into the Sri Lankan Performing Artistes. To them I express my sincere thanks. First, I wish to express my gratitude to my Guru, Pācariya, the principal supervisor Professor Pauline Kollontai who guided me with care and kindness. Because of her expert guidance in planning, drafting, and revising, my research was made pleasurable. It would not have seen the light of day if not for her. She was a tower of strength to me from the interview for the scholarship up to the conclusion of the research. I pay my homage to her for her guidance and kindness. I also value the inestimable feedback and guidance given by Dr Sue Yore as my second supervisor which helped to improve the thesis. To her my grateful thanks. My dream of studying for a doctorate would have remained but a dream if not for the scholarship granted to me by York St. John University that made me financially independent. So, my grateful thanks are due to York St. John University, which helped me realise my dream. I also thank all participants who helped me to make a success of the research. Such a successful thesis would not have been a possibility if not for their participation in discussions and the performance of rituals irrespective of the time of day and facilities. Let me wish that all those participants who unfortunately lost their lives in the landslide may attain Nirvana. I pay humble homage to Ven. Girambe Ananda Thera, Head of the Sarananda Pirivena, Anuradhapura and Anunayaka of the Ramanna Nikaya, and Ven Kuttikulame Wimalasara Thera who arranged for me to be ordained as a Buddhist monk, a rare achievement as a human being. May you receive every blessing- May all heavenly beings protect you through the power of all the Buddhas, Dhammas and Sanghas. I must record here the unstinted support I received from Professor Sebastian Kim, Professor Kulatilaka Kumarasinghe, Thilaka Nawarathne, Dr John Rule, Debbi- Boden-Angell, Gillian Sowray, Jill Graham, Ian Staite, Annette Webb, and Graham Milnes who always helped me. They did their best to accommodate my requests even at odd hours for which I am greatly beholden to them. iv I am grateful to the commitment of Dr Victoria Nesfield who advised me, held discussions with me relevant to the research and opened my eyes towards new paths. I wish to thank Edmund Jayasuriya who gave me paternal advice both in this research and in my personal life in difficult times. He always reminded me of the word of the Buddha that the mind that remains resolute, stainless and brave before inevitable vicissitudes of life is always blessed. I am greatly indebted to him. I pay my homage to my mother, and father who are a beacon to me in moments of life’s vagaries. Similarly, I remember with love Suranjith Aiya, Kanchana Akka, Sampath Aiya, Lakjeewa Aiya, Kusum Punchi amma and my nieces and nephews (Thakshila, Bhagya, Hansana, Chamodya, Anuhas, Rajantha, Dananjaya) whose love to me is unbounded. I am grateful to them for the support and love they give me. I am unable to forget my dear friends Katie Davis, Adam Harris, Dr Esmie Smith, Dr Linda Walz, Dr Lauren Stephenson, Dr Linda Marshall Griffiths, Dr Tracy Donachie, Andrew Pendle, Robert O'Connor, Parvaz Ahmad, Sally Jenkins, Sally Harris, Martin Harris, Barrett Truax, Rob Gray, James Sampson, Jelena Erstic, Theo Baudet, Agathe Le Tiec, Sandaruwani Yatawara, Shanaka Perera, and Lakmini Kannangara, who were a tower of strength to me right through this research. I am forever indebted to them. I am grateful to my friends who remind me of the word of the Buddha, visvasam paramam gnati – a close and trusted friend is the best relative. They were always concerned about me and helped me in numerous ways. Finally, I bless all who helped me in this task with the maithri bhavana, loving- kindness meditation. May all living beings everywhere, on all planes of existence, known and unknown, be happy, be peaceful, be free from suffering – sabbe satta bhavantu sukhitatta ! ! ! v Abstract Mahāvaṃsa, the most widely cited historical Pali chronicle, records information about the performing arts of the Yaksha and Naga tribes who lived even before the advent of Vijaya to Sri Lanka in 543 BCE. With the introduction of Buddhism and Hinduism to Sri Lanka (250 BCE), ritual and religious based ceremonies inspired by India developed and the performing artiste played a significant role in those ceremonies. Because of the subjugation of Sri Lanka to Portuguese rule in 1505, the Dutch in 1658 and the British in 1815 several changes took place in Sri Lankan art. With the Sinhalese-Buddhist policy declared in 1956, the main ethnic groups of Sinhalese and Tamil separated into two distinct groups with the result that a civil war lasting more than twenty-five years ensued. Along with this, the performing arts divorced itself from the common ethnic background and separated into two as Sinhalese and Tamil. Thus, this thesis will primarily focus its attention on the role and influence of Sinhalese-Buddhist and Tamil-Hindu artistes on key issues such as caste, ethnicity and gender in ethno-religious division. Similarly, the manner in which the performing artiste overcomes ethnicity and gender issues through the practice of his/her art caste, and the contribution this has made to the establishment of ethno-religious cohesion in society at large is also examined. vi Table of Contents Dedication .................................................................................................... iii Acknowledgements ...................................................................................... iv Abstract ........................................................................................................ vi Table of Contents ........................................................................................ vii Map ............................................................................................................ xiv Figures ....................................................................................................... xiv Glossary ........................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 01: Introduction ........................................................................... 9 1.1 An overview ..................................................................................... 9 1.2 The Research Focus and Research Design ................................... 11 1.3 Organisation and Structure of the Thesis .................................... 12 1.4 Key Terminology ........................................................................... 13 1.5 Profile of Sri Lanka ....................................................................... 15 1.5.1 Sinhalese-Buddhist and Tamil-Hindu performing arts ................. 18 Chapter 02: Review of Literature .............................................................. 19 2.1 Introduction ................................................................................... 19 2.2 Vamsa tradition and Sinhala Classical text culture .................... 19 2.3 Western studies, and colonial literature ...................................... 25 2.4 Performing Artiste and Caste (Kulaya) ........................................ 32 2.5 Sinhala Buddhist performing arts and rituals ............................ 42 2.6 Performing Artistes and Gender .................................................. 49 2.7 Conclusion ....................................................................................