Exquisite items from coconut shells

by Surekha Galagoda

K. H. Nawaratne, a traditional lacquer craftsman of Palle Sapuwila, Matale turns out exquisite items from coconut shells.

His nimble hands work like a machine and he is busy all the time either teaching or turning out items.

As craftsmen for generations he has won many awards including Presidential awards which speaks volumes about his work.

Nawaratne said that he learnt the craft from one of his uncles, as he lost his father when he was seven years old. In his father's family all the other seven were girls and they too mastered this craft from my grandfather. They married seven pupils of my grandfather who continued with the tradition of keeping the craft alive.

He said that one of his grandfather's best friends was the late Anagarika Dharmapala and he was instrumental in arranging a scholarship for his father to study lacquer work in India.

Prior to going to India we only had the lacquering form done using the finger nails. "My father was in India for six-years from 1920-1926 where he studied engraving as well as all other forms of art work. On his return to Sri Lanka he introduced all these forms as well to Angulmaduwa Vidyalaya, Matara.

His father also authored a book on different techniques used in lacquer work which was also used in schools. Nawaratne said that to obtain coconut shells in the good old days they used to buy a variety of coconuts named "Kaipudi" and gave it to the village women who used to scrape the coconut and return the shells to them.

This was used to turn out different items such as ice cream cups, tills, cups and saucers.

A father of two children, a daughter and a son his wife is a graduate teacher. His daughter is also following in his footsteps, he said.

Nawaratne can turn out any item by merely looking at a photograph and has won more than 80 awards up to now. At present he is attached to the Janakala Kendraya Battaramulla as the instructor in Laquer work.

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