INTRODUCTION
In olden time’s villagers when they stained in the field, worked in the graphite mines,reaped harvest, rowed boat, drove bullock carts, especially in the night had a sweet songs on their lips. They were potent of expressing their ideas, thoughts and feelings in the delectable poetry to be found in the Sinhala language, which were spontaneous feelings arising in simple minds. They sang their way in to our hearts. These originated as a way to pass time for the individual groups as they engaged in their work. Today, they are sung as a form of cultural expression. Not only Sinhala people but also Tamil and other nations also have their own folk songs.
The ancient ordinary villager was capable of expressing his innermost feelings and faith in the sweetest of poetry to be found in their own language. Our Sinhalese folks reveled in singing these melodious songs which made the New Year celebrations seemingly lively. The voice of unknown poet, they just a memory now, a dying culture. In modern times with the introduction of television, audio players and radio these songs and “Siw Padha” have come out of place, become unpopular.From this site we are trying our best to familiarize and emboss our hidden charming of folk songs.
*This site contains only representative collection of folk songs in order to emphasis you the background of folk songs.
The ancient ordinary villager was capable of expressing his innermost feelings and faith in the sweetest of poetry to be found in their own language. Our Sinhalese folks reveled in singing these melodious songs which made the New Year celebrations seemingly lively. The voice of unknown poet, they just a memory now, a dying culture. In modern times with the introduction of television, audio players and radio these songs and “Siw Padha” have come out of place, become unpopular.From this site we are trying our best to familiarize and emboss our hidden charming of folk songs.
*This site contains only representative collection of folk songs in order to emphasis you the background of folk songs.
CATEGORIES OF FOLK SONGS
Folk songs are mostly connected with the agriculture .Narratives,Ballads,& these songs are dealing and linked with the child birth,puberty,marriage,day to day life and death,songs of recreation also can be seen in various parts of the island.Though we think our folk poets are mainly focused on agriculture Riddles, Love songs,and Religious songs also well abundant in some areas of the country.
There are some folk songs which equally popular among the all regions of the island,but it is not hard to find local variations among some categories of folk songs,as they have been deviated from the original one.Because of the popularity some folk songs are distributed so well over the island thus it make their origin obscure & intractable.Folk poets haven't got any kind of formal education and no knowledge of formal prosody,as well as these songs are transmitted by the word of mouth.So anyone can't expect consistency of them.Ultimately there can be seen abundant local variations of same folksong.This mutation can be triggered by the anonymous authors of these songs.
There are several categories of folk songs which have been prepared by various ethnologists and folklorists, but according to the Dr.Ratanapala there are 12 categories of folk songs.They are
*This site includes only representative collection of folk songs in Sri Lanka.
There are some folk songs which equally popular among the all regions of the island,but it is not hard to find local variations among some categories of folk songs,as they have been deviated from the original one.Because of the popularity some folk songs are distributed so well over the island thus it make their origin obscure & intractable.Folk poets haven't got any kind of formal education and no knowledge of formal prosody,as well as these songs are transmitted by the word of mouth.So anyone can't expect consistency of them.Ultimately there can be seen abundant local variations of same folksong.This mutation can be triggered by the anonymous authors of these songs.
There are several categories of folk songs which have been prepared by various ethnologists and folklorists, but according to the Dr.Ratanapala there are 12 categories of folk songs.They are
- Folk songs associated with important occasions of life
- Folk songs associated with popular customs
- Folk songs associated with festivals and ceremonies
- Folk songs associated with Ritual songs
- Folk songs associated with occupation
- Folk songs associated with magic and witchcraft
- Folk songs associated with play and recreation
- Folk songs associated with didactic
- Folk songs associated with narratives or ballads
- Folk songs associated with riddles
- Folk songs associated with love or dual
- Folk songs associated with obscene
*This site includes only representative collection of folk songs in Sri Lanka.