Colonial Writings
As mentioned in the introduction my hypothesis is, the colonial translation of Yaksha as ‘demon’ and the Yaktovil as ‘demon worship’ distorted the multiple Yaksha meanings.
Furthermore, because the masks are tangible forms of Yaksha,
I believe that the colonial translations and writings about the rituals from the colonial period affected people's perception of Sinhala masks and values about masks that Sinhalese had nurtured for centuries.
Upham, E. (1829) The History and Doctrine of Buddhism, popularly illustrated with Notices of the Kappooism or Demon Worship, and of the Bali, or Planetary Incantations of Ceylon, with 43 lithographic prints from original Singalese designs, London: Printed for R. Ackermann.
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Callaway, J. (1829) Yakkun Nattannawā: a Cingalese Poem, Descriptive of the Ceylon System of Demonology; to which is appended, The Practices of a Capua or devil priest; as described by a Budhist and Kōlan nattannawā: a Cingalese Poem, Descriptive of the Characters Assumed by Natives of Ceylon in a Masquerade, London: Printed for the Oriental Translation Fund.
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Tennent, J.T. (1850) Christianity in Ceylon: It’s Introduction and Progress under the Portuguese, the Dutch, the British, and American Missions: With an Historical Sketch of the Brahmanical and Buddhist Superstitions, London: John Murray.
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Tennent, J.T. (1860) Ceylon: An Account of the Island – Physical, Historical and Topographical with Notes of its Natural History, Antiquities and Productions, Vol 1, 5th ed. London: Longman, Green, Longman, and Roberts.
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Goonaratne, D.S. (1865) ‘On Demonology and Witchcraft in Ceylon’, The Journal of the Ceylon Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain & Ireland, Vol. 4 (13) pp. 1-117.
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https://www.jstor.org/stable/43483453?seq=1#metadata_info_tab_contents
Anon. (1891) Demon Worship: and Other Superstitions in Ceylon, Madras: The Christian Vernacular Education Society. M.E. Publishing House, Vepery.
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Anon. (1896) Devil-dancers, witch-finders, rain-makers, and medicine-men, Compiled from Lang, Caldwell, Conway, Tylor, Catlin, Schoolcraft, and others, London : Madras : Christian Literature Society for India.
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