Our masks, a symbol of culture

by Amal Hewavissenti

Currently, masks and production of masks in our country have emerged as an all-absorbing folk art associated with Sri Lankan culture. Most prominently, the mask has duly established its irreversible link with performance arts, cults and human beliefs. Although the mask was previously exploited for Sinhalese folk play and for traditional arts of healing (Shanthikarma) it has managed to retain its original local appeal even today.

There is a common practice now to use masks for purely decorative purposes and as a cultural symbol.

The primary drive behind the wearing of a mask is to alter one's appearance or adopt a disguise to avoid recognition. The situational demand to cover up man's identity and to appear as someone else have forced him to use masks even before human civilisation sprang up on earth.

Even in the tribal phase, he used masks probably to frighten animals and to guarantee safety of his face. In the ages of great battles, he used masks to frighten or misguide his enemies and as a strong shield for his face.

As man began to live in peace and tranquillity, the mask was a special object that provided immense entertainment for him and subsequently the mask and different contexts it was used simply became a folk art.

The major folk plays (Kolam-Sokari) exploiting traditional masks are Sokari and Kolam but other forms of shanthikarma such as “ Sanni ” and “ Pali ” too fall back on masks. The traditional Sinhala mask depicts multiple characters ranging from animals to the gods.

The traditional Sri Lankan artistes have evinced a rare inventiveness in creating masks with special features typical of a particular character. This is made more specific in the creation of Kolam masks. The artiste have succeeded in observing a real character and in infusing the qualities and facial expressions into the mask.

The most popular characters depicted by masks in folk plays are Lenchina, Jasaya, Panikkale , the king, queen, Hewa Kolama, Mudali Kolama, Sokari and Pedi .

Varied

The mask artiste has successfully produced the pride and dignified nature of the king and the queen on their masks. At the same time, he has infused into the mask the intrinsic foolishness of Pedi , the snobbish arrogance of Mudali, and the typical helplessness of Panikkirala.

The array of masks with varied human qualities has managed to generate a greater interest in the viewer. Particularly in Kolam plays, the artiste has done an excellent job in depicting old appearance and youthful appearance in masks. The wrinkles on the forehead, gray hair, toothless mouth, sunken cheeks have been created with perfect artistic matureness when the artiste had to design a mask of an older person.

On the other hand the mask artiste has been extremely careful not to include any of the above features on the mask of a youthful person. The Demala Kolama is the perfect example where the artist has depicted complex character traits on a mask.

This inventive creativity helps the traditional mask artist symbolise an array of human qualities.

Apart from that, masks of demons and she-demons used chiefly in Shanthikarmas have been designed with features meant to evoke fear. Blood shot eyes, thick lips, long teeth and red tongue, have added to the overall fright-giving appearance of devil masks.

Masks of gods have been carefully crafted to inspire awe and to produce the superhuman nature that accompanies images of gods. Such masks are chiefly decorated with exquisite carvings. The masks of the king and queen have been designed to a larger scale in order to signify the majesty. These masks are so complex and heavy that the wearer (actor) can hardly do anything except sitting like a king or a queen.

In Kolam plays which originated in Ambalangoda, Mirissa, Devinuwara and Kamburugamuwa, actors dance with colourful masks on their faces. The actors play different roles and the basic attraction of the Kolam lies on the masks and dances.

In Sokari plays, a few actors alone wear masks. In these folk plays, masks have been effectively used to satirise common human weaknesses and to project qualities of dignity. The plays were a rich source of humour. Most interestingly, the real person who was being imitated, had the opportunity to watch the masked actors and to see how the Kolam players viewed his qualities.

The most notable traditional masks are Lenchina, King, Queen, Pancha Nari Ghata, Nonchi, Demon, Poornaka, Police Kolama, Arachchi Kolama, Hewa Kolama, Sokari and Vedarala.

Production

Even today, the artist and craftsmen involved in the production of high quality masks are from the traditional coastal villages of South. They descend from ancient artists and painters in temples.

In the production of masks, the craftsmen use light wood such as Rukattana and Kaduru which could be made in to a rather glossy finish. However making a mask is a complex process that often involves patience and hardwork.

Currently the art of making masks is developing as a handicraft on account of the higher demand for and popularity of them.

This demand and popularity have made mask production a commercial industry and the mask makers have now invented easier and simpler methods of production. The traditional process of making a mask has been proved to take up much time and labour and thus the supply has failed to meet the demand.

However, there are other manufacturers of masks who are totally devoid of traditional expertise and training in the art. They use low quality wood and lacquer for their products and the very imitations are not to the level of precision.

In whatever way, the traditional mask still retails its demand as a wall decoration, souvenir a form of entertainment and a curio.