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| Sunday, 15 September 2002 |
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Features |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
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Jak's place in folk literature : It's akin to a mother ...
Many have written in commenting on various aspects of jak, its history and other significant developments of this wonderfruit to ANCL's National Jak Development Project (NJDP). While all comments are greatly appreciated, we continue the letter on jak's place in folk literature sent by Bandula R. Gulawatte and a poem by T. D. Goonasekera, that will be of interest to you.... planting season The planting season is now on. Jak-fruit saplings about 2 1/2 - 4 months old are sought from the public. Individuals and organisations interested in supplying Jak-fruit saplings are requested to contact the Secretary, NJDP, Sarath Amarakoon, Chief Administrative Officer ANCL - 429201 or Coordinating Secretary NJDP, Nihal Abeysinghe - 429268 or write to National Jak Development Project, C/o Silumina, Lake House, Colombo 10. This project is sponsored by Sevana Lotteries Division of Sri Lanka Lotteries Board. More information on NJDP could be obtained from the website http://www.geocites.com/heraliyainasia/index.html The jak-fruit by its association with women over the centuries, may have been instrumental in empowering them to stand against chauvinism. Some of the literature associated with 'raban pada' are examples of this. They subtly hint at men, at their failure to perform duties letting women do more than their share of work. One such 'raban pada' talks of the benefits of jak, as fodder. It goes on to relate how a woman approaches a cow with a basketful of tasty 'kos katu' the outer shell of the jak fruit, sought out by cattle. How the woman coaxes the cow away from her calf for milking, and then takes the cow away to the pastures while the man 'looks on, with folded arms, seated at leisure.' This was one way the women chided men for their reluctance of work at the cattle sheds. Next comes the idioms. There are so many idioms which relates to the qualities, characteristics and benefits of jak-fruit comparing them with the qualities and characteristics of humans, of nature and so on. One such idiom is "peni warakawata hena gahala vage." Peni waraka is supposed to be the sweetest kind of waraka, which is liked by many. However, it is not everyone who has the peni waraka variety in his garden. Therefore, it is precious in that sense. However, rare the peni waraka is, this is not spared by the laws of nature. Even the peni waraka is struck by lightening just as much as a very close friendship which is dear and near and therefore, rare, could be struck by disharmony and disagreement. This idiom is used when some enmity or disagreement comes up between close friends. Another interesting idiom is 'Yuddeta nethi kaduwa kos kotannada'. It comes from a long folk song, or poetry where the poet goes on asking what is the use of a book, if you have no eyes, sugar cane if you have no teeth, fight if you have no strength to win... and so on and then comes to the sword, and asks what use it has if not to be used in the day of battle. The only other thing for which it could be used is to cut jak-fruit. However, it becomes useless for anything else after cutting jak-fruit, until it is properly cleaned of its latex. This idiom is used when people engage their resources in useless tasks. Many folk poems are also associated with the wonders of the jak-fruit. Here is a folk poem, used more or less to educate the village children of the value of jak-fruit: Kaputu kak kak kak This poem used as a lullaby, pictures nature beautifully. The village child looking at nature surrounding him would understand the high value of the jak-segment. The lullaby is about two crows getting ready to go on a long journey. The female crow carries a 'wela madula' in her mouth while her partner carries a gold ring. What's important here is the food and not the gold. Therefore, the 'wela-madula' (jak-segment) is more valuable than the gold ring. Another important part of literature is the riddles. They are educative and expand the thought process of the village children. There are many riddles associated with the jak tree. They were woven around the different characteristics or the qualities of the jak-fruit as well as the tree. There are some which talks about the thorny outer layer of the jak-fruit. "Atthak uda bummagena - katu reddak porawagena" is how the villager saw the jak-fruit. It again talks of another characteristic, there are so many segments inside a jak-fruit so it is equal to a mother with many young in her. Another riddle, talks of nature and the energy cycle which keeps the world going. It depicts the jak-fruit as the son of the sun god. Without the sun, there won't be any jak-fruit. The jak-fruit is a gift of the sun god. In many a riddle and an idiom jak and especially the jak-fruit was depicted as a mother, surrounded by children. This managed to promote the caring and sharing qualities and convey the nurturing quality of the jak-fruit. |
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