Travelling without moving
Kind words can conquer (Tamil)
There are places that we like to travel back to. Sri Lanka is a place we have loved and visited five times now. It’s a country where we have really enjoyed the people, the culture and the food. It is where I developed a fanatical hunger for hoppers; a kind of pancake, made from coconut milk and fermented rice flour.
But it’s not always possible to travel. So when I saw an advert for Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations locally, I jumped at the opportunity to go. It was being hosted by an association for Sri Lankans far from home. We saw it as a chance to mix and mingle with other people and take the chance to learn more about another culture.
Travelling without moving, quite literally.
We had never been to Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations before, so did not know what to expect. Sinhala and Hindu New Year (Aluth Avurudhu in Sinhala and Puththandu in Tamil) is a national festival. It has been celebrated in Sri Lanka for centuries. The venue was a local international school.
We arrived and were immediately greeted kindly by one of the association members. We chatted for a long time, about trips to Sri Lanka, future travel and expat life.
We nibbled Avurudu sweets; Kevum oil cakes, made with rice flour, treacle and coconut milk, kokis, a deep fried rice flour batter, and bibikkan, a syrupy coconut cake. The flavours immediately took me back to trips to Galle Face Green and afternoon teas in the Hill Country.
Nearby, on the school playing fields, we watched traditional games taking place, Avurudu Kreeda. Boys were waiting their turn to take place in pillow-fights (Kotta Pora). For Avurudu it’s made a bit more difficult. The contestants have to balance themselves on a horizontal bar, with one hand tied behind their backs, while they use the other hand to pillow bash their opponent.
There was another game, Breaking the pots – (Kanamutti bindeema). A row of pots were hung, children were blindfolded and were swinging a bat at the dangling pots. KP joined in the tug-o-war contest (Kamba Adeema).
There was talk of lunch. I mentioned my love of hoppers. The chairman of the association told me that apparently there are seven kinds of hoppers!
There was lots of chat and much laughter. We enjoyed talking to people who had a range of experiences after living and working internationally. They were outward looking, building a better life away from home and well travelled. Conversation flowed!
We were invited to eat. I queued at the buffet and hoped for hoppers. There was a great selection of tasty fare; coconut rice, Sri Lankan Eggplant, Brinjal Moju Wambatu Moju, with its intense aromatic flavours, spicy jack fruit, (kiri kos), mild curry potato cooked in a creamy coconut sauce, (Ala Hodi kirata), all with a unique blend of Sri Lankan spices.
Dessert was Watalappam, a coconut custard pudding, made with coconut milk or condensed milk. Cashew nuts, cardamom and cloves are added. My taste buds were singing, maybe in Sinhala.
All of this was washed down with iced Dilmah tea. Delicious! (Hari rasai)
It was a fantastic afternoon and evidence that sometimes we can immerse ourselves in another culture, without even getting on a plane.
I went in search of hoppers. I didn’t find any. Instead I found a community who embraced us. The food had heat and the welcome was warm.
What have you learned from attending a cultural celebration?
