Dying custom given a new lease of life

A DYING facet of Sri Lankan culture has been captured in pictures and placed on show at the Dandenong Community Arts Centre.
Daha Ata Sanniya, a ritualistic Sri Lankan dance, was performed by the Sri Lankan Centre for the Advancement of Technology and Social Welfare last September.
Ashan Wimalaratne captured the dance in photos and has moved to place them on display for the rest of the community to enjoy, and to discover Daha Ata Sanniya.
It was the first time the dance had been held outside of Sri Lanka, Mr Wimalaratne said.
“This is a slowly dying art in our Sri Lankan culture,” he said.
“This group of dancers are in their middle ages and there is a good possibility that they could be the last generation left to perform this unique dance.”
The Daha Ata Sanniya is a traditional dance ritual held to exorcise diseases from the human body.
The origin of this Shanthi Karmaya (blessing) took place in the times of ancient kings and was performed in the southern and western parts of the country.
Mr Wimalaratne’s interest in photography started in 2004 after discovering a short course advertised in a magazine. It was a basic course but one that has seen him take on the challenge and produce some outstanding images.
“My ambition is to go back to Sri Lanka to photograph the unique landscapes, the people, traditions and the old culture,” Mr Wimalaratne said.
The exhibition will be hosted from 1 to 28 February.