Ensina’s unique Sinhala poetry mats
They can be viewed at the Galle National Museum
A stock of 60- year-old mats designed with traditional Sinhala folk poetry based on Jathaka stories have been discovered by the Galle Heritage Foundation in a house at Narawelpita in Hakmana. The owner of the mats, 87- year-old Alangakage Ensina of Hakmana donated the mats to the Galle National Museum for conservation.
Ensina, in her old age, does not remember clearly how she learnt to weave mats with this particular design. However, after her husband, Peduru Arachchige Haramanis died about 25 years ago, she said she gave up her cottage industry because she could not find a person to carry the mats to the markets and fairs.
She said, “I am a mother of five sons and five daughters. My children and some of my grand children are now married. I took to this trade at the age of about 20. We brought up our family of ten children by selling mats. We lived a comfortable life on that income. However, many traditional craftsmen have resorted to other trades for want of a profitable market for their products. This resulted in the present decline in cottage industries in the country.
I never attended school or leant from books. I can’t read or write and I do not remember how I leant poetry. I might have woven the design by looking at some poetry written on a paper by someone else. I decided to donate the mats that had been left unattended in a corner of the house to the museum before they got soiled. However, I retained three mats as a souvenir for my children.”
The Coordinating Secretary of the Galle Heritage Foundation Mrs. S.p.lokuliyana said the designs in the mats were a clear indication of the large legacy of master craftsmanship and age old techniques in Lanka. The Head of the International Buddhist Centre Ven Pallawela Sumedha Thera who came to know about the mats with the unique design had informed the Galle Heritage Foundation. The Chairman of the Heritage Foundation Parakrama Dahanayake and Chief Executive Officer H.l.gunawadene met Ensina and took over the mats to be conserved for posterity. The mats are now on display at the Galle National Museum.
The coordinating officer of the Galle Heritage Foundation said a mat with a similar design is already on display at the Colombo National Museum.
After her husband, Peduru Arachchige Haramanis died about 25 years ago, Ensina gave up her cottage industry because she could not find a person to carry the mats to the markets