கிழக்கிலங்கை கிராமியப் புலவர்களின் கட்டுப்பாடல்கள்: வரலாற்று முறையியல் நோக்கு

The Composed Songs of Eastern Sri Lankan Rural poets: A Historical Methodological Perspective

Abstract

In Eastern Sri Lanka, a song tradition situated between oral literature and written literature has long been developing. Agricultural culture, its associated ritual traditions, folk theatre culture, and the spread of free education have all contributed to the growth of this song tradition. Local rural poets possessing the skill of composing songs created and performed these works. In most cases, these individuals were referred to by villagers simply as “Pulavar” (poet/scholar). These poets composed and sang songs on a broad range of themes, including religious practices, events connected to their villages and regions, current social affairs, everyday lifestyles, and individual emotions. In addition, they memorized and performed these songs publicly and also printed and circulated them as small pamphlets. In today’s context of globalization, studies on these songs have gained increasing importance, and several significant studies have already been undertaken. From a historical methodological perspective, this study examines the composed songs of rural poets and seeks to highlight the significance of this song tradition. In particular, the study foregrounds the historical evidence embedded in these songs, based on the view that the past social history of a community is essential to its continued existence. The study was carried out through the analysis of primary data consisting of handwritten song manuscripts collected by the researcher during fieldwork, along with songs obtained from compilations by other researchers. Based on this analysis, the study reveals how rural poets documented the ways in which their regions were affected by natural disasters, war, and military occupation, as well as the hardships experienced by people during such crises. At the same time, in ritual songs associated with temples, these poets recorded the histories of the respective temples and important events connected to them. They also incorporated the histories of villages and regions into their songs. Furthermore, they boldly expressed political conditions in the post-independence period, the activities of rulers, and the suffering endured by people due to oppressive measures carried out during times of war. These composed songs stand as literary testimonies to the oppression experienced by the people. Beyond this, the study emphasizes that in the present political climate—where various conflicts concerning land appropriation continue to occur—the songs of these poets remain indispensable for safeguarding the existence and identity of minority communities.