Then & Now
Pre-colonial Period Representation of Sinhala Masks
Traditional masks had philosophical meanings to the carvings. For example, the Mahā Sammatha Raja mask was embodied with the Sansaric reality according to the Buddhist doctrine.
Traditional masks makers also personify the archetype of the mask they are making for the mask itself be completed in its totality. They believe that the essence of a mask has to exist within the carver for him to transmit that essence to the masks.
Traditional masks carving instructions were in poems called Ambum Kavi. A poem related to the carving of the Mahā Sammatha Raja Mask:
උසින් පස් වියත් මහසම්මත මුහුණේ
දෙවුර තුන් වියත් තුනඟුලා මැන ගන්නේ
තිරිඟිතලේ කැටයම් කිරුළිස එන්නේ
සිරසෙ පිපුන නෙළුමකි කැටයම් වන්නේ
Usin pas viyath Maha Sammatha muhune
Deura thun viyath thunangula mana ganne
Thiringithale katayam kirulisa enne
sirase pipuna nelumaki katayama vanne
Source: Folklore
Mahā Sammatha mask (Wijesuriya 2014,p.18)
Colonial period Representation of Sinhala Masks
Kōlam masks performed in traditional Kōlam Madu, evolved to depict social and political characters of each period. Policing was first introduced to Sri Lanka during the Dutch colonial period (1640-1796), tracing the origin of the Police Kōlama Mask to that era.
Sinhala character masks were adapted to give place to colonial character masks. However, the evolution of traditional Kōlam masks stopped during the British colonial period.
Police Kōlama Mask (Ariyapala Mask Museum, Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka)
රැජින / Queen
Traditional Manikpāla Bisava (Manikpāla Queen)(Ariyapala Mask Museum, Ambalangoda, Sri Lanka).
Perhaps the English Queen Mask according to the Jewels and the Plaited Collar, exhibited in Hamburg (Pertold 1930, p.250 and Plate XII).
Postcolonial period Representation of Sinhala Masks
After the evolution of masks according to tradition stopped during the British colonial period, Sinhala masks appear to have changed from ritual and cultural representations to commercial and tourism endorsements.
Just one year after independence from the British rule, the much-revered icon of the Sinhala mask tradition Mahā Sammatha Raja mask was used as the logo for alcohol produced by W.M. Mendis & Co. Ltd.
Traditional masks are currently produced as tourist products. Often marketed as
‘Sri Lankan Devil Mask’ they are mass-manufactured and sold as display objects.
W.M. Mendis Old Arrack logo
(W.M. Mendis & Co Ltd n.d.)
Mendis Founder's Reserve (ws23 n.d.)
T-Shirts
T-Shirts (society6.com n.d.)
Images of traditional masks are being used in tourist products. it is noteworthy to observe the marketing is done under the name "Sri Lankan Devil Mask".
Mugs
Mugs (www.teepublic.com n.d.)
Notes Money
Notes money (www.ebay.com n.d.)
Postal Stamps
Masks of Sri Lanka (colnect.com n.d.)
Commercialized Mask Shops
Sri Lankan Masks (www.ceylonluxury.com n.d.)
Emergent Representation of Sinhala Masks
Diyazen - The Humanoid Robot
Diyazen - The Humanoid Robot (Arimac 2019)
In an email conversation (July 2019), Rashida Esufally, the Strategic Growth Manager of Arimac Lanka (Pvt) Ltd., described their inspiration for the robot design from traditional masks. "The overall aesthetic concept of the robot is for it to have local attributes, hence the Raksha mask which is so deeply rooted in Sri Lankan history. The name Diyazen is also derived from Prince Diyasen" (Arimac 2019). This signals a promising trend is developing among young Sri Lankans, restoring pride in Sinhala culture and legacy.