The unspoilt generation
Lionel WIJESIRI
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Wanniya-laeto, early 20th Century |
FOR ME, the Veddhas - or Wanniya-laeto (‘forest-dwellers’) as they
call themselves —our aboriginal inhabitants, are quite a fascinating
people. They preserve a direct line of descent from the island’s
original Neolithic community dating from at least 16,000 BC and probably
far earlier according to current scientific opinion.
At a time lost in the haze of history, they would have migrated to
Sri Lanka from India. Probably, they walked over Adam’s Bridge, or
Rama’s Bridge, which then linked the two countries. They lived by
nature’s rules - close to nature.
However, their rituals and their very language were threatened for
the past twenty-five centuries or more by successive waves of
immigration and colonisation that began with the arrival of the
Sinhalese from North India in the 5th century BC.
Consequently, the Wanniya-laeto has repeatedly been forced to choose
between two alternative survival strategies: either to be assimilated
into other cultures or to retreat ever further into a dwindling forest
habitat.
In the course of history, thousands of these original inhabitants of
the wanni have been more or less absorbed into mainstream Sinhala
society or Tamil society.
Today only a few remaining Wanniya-laeto still manage to preserve
their cultural identity and traditional lifestyle despite persistent
pressure from the surrounding dominant communities.
Until recent times, our Wanniya-laeto settlements were to be found
scattered in the Uva, Sabaragamuva, North-Central and Eastern Provinces.
Such areas like Nilgala in the Eastern Province and Yakkure in the
North-Central Province had a considerable settlement of Veddhas. Today,
Dambana, a Veddha settlement near Mahiyangana is the last bastion of the
Veddha culture.
The term Veddha comes from the Sanskrit Vyadha meaning hunter with
bow and arrow. The pure Veddhas are said to be related to the
Austro-Asiatic people found scattered today in many parts of southern
Asia.
These include the tribes of Chota Nagpur in eastern India, the Sakai
of Malaysia, the Kubu of Indonesia and the Australian aborigines.
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Group of Wanniya-laeto community |
These people have similar characteristics - such as dark brown
complexion, long head, broad nose, heavy brow ridges, and wavy hair. The
hunter-gatherer mode of existence is also common to all of them.
According to the historical chronicles, early Sinhala immigrants from
North India thought that the Wanniya-laeto were not human beings but
wild jungle spirits (yakas) who were human in outward guise only.
Unfortunately, such negative attitudes towards this population exist
even today. Most of us do not yet recognise that Wanniya-laeto do have
self-respect, dignity, human rights, and cultural uniqueness.
We ourselves have to be blamed for their vulnerable position. If we
care to dig deeper into history, two serious errors we have done could
be found. The first was that we never gave them secure tenure that
recognises their collective custodianship over traditional hunting
ranges.
The second was that we never consulted them in the decision-making
process, which affects their daily lives. And, we never gave them
opportunities to represent their collective aspirations within the
framework of society at large.
History
According to the Mahavansa, the Pulindas (Veddhas) are descended from
Prince Vijaya (6th-5th century BC) the founding father of the Sinhalese
nation, through Kuveni, a woman of the Yakkha clan whom he had espoused.
The Mahavansa relates that following the repudiation of Kuveni by
Vijaya, in favour of a Kshatriya princess from the Pandya country, their
two children, a boy and a girl, departed to the region of Sumanakuta
(Adam s Peak in the Ratnapura District) where they multiplied giving
rise to the Pulindas.
Some might not agree with this story but according to Dr. Nandadeva
Wijesekera (Veddhas in transition) Ratnapura District, which is part of
the Sabaragamuva Province is known to have been inhabited by the
Wanniya-laeto in the distant past.
In fact, the very name Sabaragamuva is believed to have meant the
village of the Sabaras or forest barbarians.
Such place-names as Veddha-gala (Veddha Rock), Veddha-ela (Veddha
Canal) and Vedi-kanda (Veddha Mountain) in the Ratnapura District also
bear testimony to this. As Wijesekera observes, a strong Veddha element
is discernible in the population of Veddha-gala and its environs.
Royalty
Throughout history Wanniya-laeto has played an important role with
the Royalty. In the reign of Pandukabhaya (5th century BC) a Veddha
chieftain and his tribe supported him to fight against his embittered
uncles.
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Bandiya with his son |
In the reign of King Dhathusena (6th century A.D.) the Mahaweli was
diverted at Minipe in the Minipe canal nearly 47 miles long said to be
constructed with help from the veddhas. The Mahawamsa refers to the
canal as Yaka-bendi-ela.
When the Ruwanweli Seya was built in King Dutugemunu’s time (2nd
century B.C.) the Veddas procured the necessary minerals from the
jungles. King Parakrama Bahu the great (12 century) in his war against
the rebels employed these Veddas as scouts.
In the reign of King Rajasinghe II (17 century A.D.) in his battle
with the Dutch he had a Vedda regiment. In the abortive Uva-Welessa
revolt of 1817-1818 of the British times, led by Keppetipola Dissawe,
the Veddas too fought with the rebels against the British forces.
Centuries ago, Wanniya-laeto were cave dwellers - their drawings are
found in many caves. The drawings such as those found at Hamangala
provide graphic evidence of the artistic vision achieved by the
ancestors of today’s Wanniya-laeto people.
Most researchers today agree that the artistes most likely were the
Wanniya-laeto women who spent long hours in these caves waiting for the
return of their men from the hunt.
When we look at the drawings from this perspective, these cave
drawings depict brilliant feats of Wanniya-laeto culture as seen through
the eyes of its womenfolk.
The simple yet graceful abstract figures are portrayed engaging in
feats of vision and daring that place them firmly above even the
greatest beasts of their jungle habitat.
Life Styles
Today, most of the Wanniya-laeto population has taken up chena
cultivation although in the past, they cultivated yams in the first
three months of the year and concentrated in fruit and honey in the
mid-year. Yet, hunting was done throughout the year.
Wanniya-laeto still hunt and are adept at collecting honey. This
skill is an art, interwoven into their life fabric.
In the olden days, the dwellings of the Wanniya-laeto consisted of
caves and rock shelters. Today, they live in huts of wattle, daub and
thatch.
Dr. Seligmann , renowned anthropologist classifies the Wanniya-laeto
into three groups - The Gal Veddas (Rock Veddas) who dwelt in caves -
hunting animals with bow and arrow and lived a food gathering existence,
Gam Veddas (Village Veddas) those who intermarried with the neighbouring
Sinhalese and cultivated chena and other food crops.
The Mudu Veddas were confined mostly to the eastern coastal belt,
like Kalkuda. Today neither Rock Veddas nor Mudu Veddhas exist; instead
a few Gam Veddas are still confined to the aboriginal settlements.
The Wanniya-laeto community has their place in the history and in
legends of the Sinhalese and Tamil communities. In fact, they are said
to be the world’s most studied, yet least understood, people.
In common, all scholars agree about the Wanniya-laeto’s honesty,
sincerity, compassion, marital fidelity and sense of duty to the family
and clan. That is why they are sometimes called “the unspoiled
generation of nature.”
With the impending extinction of Wanniya-laeto culture, however, Sri
Lanka and the world stand to lose a rich body of indigenous lore and
living ecological wisdom that is urgently needed for the sustainable
future of the rest of mankind.
Surely, it is incumbent on our society to give them their due place,
so that they may exist with dignity, in their time-honoured manner.
(References - Veddhas: The unspoilt children of nature - Asiff
Hussein: Sri Lanka’s Forest Dwellers:-Faith Ratnayaka : Veddas, now only
a household name :-Gamini G. Punchihewa: Patrick Harrigan, Veddhas in
SOBA journal : Report to Sri Lanka’s National Committee for the
International Year of the World’s Indigenous People submitted by
Cultural Survival of Sri Lanka) |
