mask (ansiktsmask), Anabera Kolama

1916.9.58

Name and identification of character
Kolam mask depicting the drummer, panikkale or anabera kolama (Sin.), as well as the god of gods, Sakra or Sakraya (Sin.), in the guise of an old man.

Context
This mask is used in two contexts: (i) In Kolam, as a stock character in the group of drummers. The drummer is referred to as anabera kolama, or panikkale in a normal Kolam performance. Dantoberre, appearing in the Umlauff Catalogue, is a misspelling.
(ii) In Gammaduva, god rituals (cf. Preface). Sakra, in the guise of an old man, appears before the king.

Material
Wood, Vel-kaduru (Sin.) (Nux vomica).

Iconography
The drummer's mask comprises the head-dress and the face. The head-dress is in the shape of a cloth turban, referred to as uramava (Sin.). The drummer normally wears it in order to keep the unsteady hair in place. Its extent determines the position the character occupies in the larger family of drummers. The turban is small in size (cf. 1916.9.59-60) and indicates the head-dress of a young drummer. The turban is tied in folds, and coloured red and white. The ears are crudely cut and fixed to the sides of the face through slots. One ear is missing. Wrinkles are carved on the forehead and painted on the cheeks. The face is lemon yellow. The eyes are very sharp, with the pupils in black. Only one row of teeth is visible; there are four teeth with spaces between them. The chin is pointed and carved in such a way as to enable the dancer to wear a beard. This mask is at times used to denote Sakra.

Comments on the Umaluff Catalogue
The transliteration "Dantoberre kolam" is incorrect. Phonetically it should be "anabera kolam".

2000 03 15
Dr. M. H. Goonatilleka