Veddhas, ‘kota halu’ and cops 

March 28, 2016

Alas, in my quarter century of government service in many 'outstations', I never had the good fortune to work in an area where Veddhas lived. However, my interest in this tribe was fuelled by Dr .R. L. Spittel's many books. I also have the unusual distinction of being the only man yet alive who met, and spoke to, the legendary 'Veddha' the original Tissahamy. This was in 1948 in Badulla Jail. I was a pre-undergrad holidaying in the Badulla bachelor home of government staff officers W. J. Fernando, T .B. M. Ekanayake, Herbert Hewavisenti and Lionel Fernando - all sadly departed on their final 'circuit' from where there is no return. Lionel was the Superintendent of Badulla Jail and took WJ and me one morning to call on his prime resident - Tissahamy - on remand for a murder many years ago. [He was later acquitted as all witnesses were dead !] He was a cheery old chap with high cheek bones, a mischievous smile, and a wispy beard. He had a perfect memory and chanted to us a set of Sinhala 'kavi' he had composed while in Welikada Jail many decades earlier. Tape recorders were non-existent in 1948, nor can my fading memory recall this unique folk poem. Lionel Fernando, many years later, became Principal of Kandy's Trinity College where he, probably, found his penal experience useful.

'Kota Halu' rituals/celebrations have always been an integral part of rural Sinhala life. Way back in the early 1950s, when I was a Kachcheri Staff Officer in Nuwara Eliya, I received an unforgettable invitation from a Village Headman to grace the "Age Attending Ceremony" of his daughter. Neither Spittel nor the anthropologist Seligman ever refer to Veddhas ever having this ritual. Veddhas seem to have regarded this as a simple biological fact of life. Their practical attitude has been vividly described by the inimitable Fred Medis who, as a hiking Boy Scout seventy odd years ago, witnessed a Veddha woman casually squatting against a tree and giving birth to her baby. After a short rest she carried the baby and trudged along with her clan on their journey.

Sadly, urbanization has transformed the Veddha way of life, and rechristened themselves as "Vanniyalettho' discarding the centuries-old name of their tribe Thus, the clan at Rathugala decided to emulate their Sinhala neighbours and hold an "age attending ceremony" fuelled with liquor [anathema to Veddhas of yore]. Our cops seem to have a long nose for these festivities as is evident from their violent raids [in mufti] on two earlier 'kota halu' parties in Embilipitiya and a village off Galle. Brutality was inevitable, as were casualties.

Fond parents are hereby advised not to proceed with "age attending ceremonies" in the future, as they seem to attract pugnacious cops as surely as ants to honey.

Tissa Devendra