mask (ansiktsmask)

1916.9.233

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
The face has the same mud colour, guru-pata (Sin.), as 1916.9.226 and 1916.9.235. Other details, such as the swelling on the forehead, the thin lines indicating the flow of pus from it, the deep furrow on the right cheek, the wound on the left cheek, the deformed mouth, the broken upper jaw, the slash on the nose, and the goggle eyes, are all common attributes of a warrior mask.

2000 06 03
Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka