mask (ansiktsmask), Anabera Kolama

1916.9.63

Name and identification of character
The drummer, or tom-tom-beater, Anabera Kolama or Panikkale (Sin.).

Context
This character appears in an episode in a god ritual with curative effect, known as Gam-maduva or Devol maduva (vide Preface). In some of the Kolam dance groups this mask is also worn by young drummers.

Material
Wood, Vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica).

Iconography
The head-dress is in the shape of a turban, an uramava (Sin.) (cf. 1916.9.58-60). Two edges from the turban hang from both sides of the turban. It is painted in dull red with black lines indicating the folds.

An uncouth, gaping mouth, with a miserable set of unpolished teeth. The lips are swollen and painted in red. The eyebrows are raised and the eyes projecting from the eye-cavity. A beak-like big nose. There are wrinkles on the forehead and at the corner of the chin. The face is painted in lemon yellow. An artificial beard is normally attached to the chin (vide Preface). The lower part of the ear lobe is pierced to facilitate the wearing of an ear-ornament, kadukkama. (Sin.).

Comments on the Umaluff Catalogue
The transliteration ¿Dantoberre kolam¿ is incorrect. Phonetically it should be ¿anabera kolam¿.

2000 03 16
Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka