Devil Dances
Mask of the demon
Maha Sohona used in the Tovil Healing Ritual in Sri Lanka
The "Devil
Dances" are an attempt to respond to the common belief that certain
ailments are caused by unseen hands and that they should be chased away for the
patient to get cured. If an individual or a family is not doing well, the
village-folk believe that it's because that person or the family is being
harassed by unseen hands. A 'tovil' ceremony is the answer.[1]
The 'tovil' can be a
simple ritualistic ceremony at home restricted to family and immediate
neighbours or involving the whole village like the 'gam-maduva' or the
'devol-maduva' which is closely linked to the worship of gods. Masked dancers
take part in at least two of the well-known 'tovil' ceremonies referred to as
the 'Maha Sohon Samayama' and the 'Gara Yakuma'. The mention of 'Maha Sohona' frightens
the people since he is believed to be the demon of the graveyards.
The performer
disguises himself as a bear and wears a mask and a dress to resemble one. Often
the 'tovil' involves the 'sanni' dances where all the dancers wear masks. The
'daha ata sanniya' refers to sixteen ailments with a demon being responsible
for each one of them.
Dancers wearing masks
take part in processions while at certain ceremonies, masks are used to depict
different characters. Of later origin are the masks worn by children and
teenagers at street performances during Vesak. Popularly known as 'olu bakko'
for the simple reason that oversize masks are worn, these performances keep the
younger-folk, in particular, entertained.
The simple version of
the devil dance ritual usually starts in the morning with the building of the
stage, decorations and preparation of the costumes. The performers build an
intricate stage before which the dancing commences. The stage consists of a
wall made of freshly cut natural materials such as coconut palm tree and banana
tree trunks. Depending on the region and the available materials the stage may
also be coated with clay mud. The dances are accompanied by drummers which also
herald the begin of the ritual. The distinctive sound ensures all neighbours
turn up to take part. The full ritual usually lasts until the morning, with the
dancers consuming betel-nut juice and drinking coke to stay awake. Dances can
however also go on for multiple days.
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