mask (ansiktsmask)

1916.9.221

Name and identification of character
A soldier/warrior, hevaya (or hevarala or heva kolam) (Sin.).

Context
This character appears with a group of soldiers in the first stage of the Kolam performance, in the dance of the warriors, heva kolam (Sin.). The soldiers enter the place of performance in order to uphold law and order. Their duty is to maintain discipline prior to the arrival of the royal party (vide Preface).

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

Iconography
A freely conceived mask with asymmetric design and contrastive shapes of ears and head-piece. The head-piece is low-cut, contrary to the usual headdress of the warrior, it is in the shape of a turban normally worn by the drummers in Kolam. The wood has cracked and has subsequently been repaired by nailing a piece of metal. Paint on the head is erased. The turban is painted in pleats of red, black and white. The mask is more naturalistic than realistic. It has figures of leeches in a decorative manner, painted in green. The nose is flat. The nostrils are drilled.

2000 06 03
Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka