Traditionelle masker

"Raksha"-masken er en traditionel maske fra Sri Lanka, der ofte bruges i traditionelle danseforestillinger og ritualer. Den repræsenterer en dæmonfigur med udstående øjne, fremstående tunge og frygtindgydende udtryk. Disse masker spiller en vigtig rolle i srilankansk kultur, hvor de symboliserer beskyttelse mod onde ånder og bringer velsignelser til samfundet.

Raksha-masker

Traditionelle masker

Sanni-masker er traditionelle træmasker fra Sri Lanka, der bruges i rituelle forestillinger for at afværge onde ånder og sygdomme. De er indviklet udskårne og forestiller forskellige dæmoniske figurer og ånder. Disse masker spiller en betydelig rolle i landets kulturarv og symboliserer kampen mellem godt og ondt i traditionelle danseformer.

Sanni-masker

Traditionelle masker

Kolam-masker i Sri Lanka er traditionelle træmasker, der bruges i forskellige kulturelle ritualer og forestillinger. Disse masker er indviklet udskårne og malet i farver og repræsenterer forskellige karakterer og guddomme, såsom dæmoner, dyr og folkehelte. De har betydelig kulturel og religiøs værdi og fremviser Sri Lankas rige kunstneriske arv.

Kolam-masker

Mudali Kolama (High official comedy)

The Mudali (high official of rural areas) who was appointed during the British Colonial era has inspired the creation of this Kolam (comedy) dance. The verse used for the Mudali Kolama (rural official comedy) is as follows :-

Bearing on his shoulders the weight of office
Wearing shining belts to show his importance
Carrying a sword and wearing a shining black coat
adorning himself with gold and gem set ornaments

The mask of the Mudali (official) has been carved to display the arrogance and importance of a government official. Masks have been created with and without combs fitted to the head. Over the upper lip and round the two corners of the mouth was a moustache twisted and turned to two sides, and on two sides of the face are puffed up cheeks. By these mean an appearance of great dignity and importance is depicted. The mask of Mudali of the Ambalangoda, Hirewatte, Gunadasa dance troupe is square in shape, but in general this is not shown in other creation of dance troupes.

In colouring the mask some of them have been coloured white and some have been coloured yellow.

A man who comes behind the Mudali (official) is a man named Hencha (henchman) who holds a talipot a palm leaf over the Mudali head. In the Gonapola Balangoda kolam kuttama (comic dance troupe) the Henchman’s face is grey in colour and large pimple has been introduced, but in Ambalangoda Wijesuriya kolam kuttama (dance troupe) on the face of the Henchman a brown Jagalath Thoppiya (a comic hat) has been created. This face depicts the character of a person who is too loyal to the government and it too humble and cringing. The masks of these two characters are relevant to the governing class of today’s society.