Kovalan Kooththu is the most difficult folk art form, because the barefoot pushed on the ground with frequent forceĪ handful of folk artistes including Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai are delighted to be identified as “ folk artistes”. Currently the older generation has the knowledge about our unique folk art such as Kovalan Kooththu” says Kanapathipillai Arunthaharan, Senior Lecturer of Department of Tamil at the University of Jaffna. We do not have a folk art museum to preserve and showcase our specific folk art forms. Due to war and displacement, we have lost many of our extra ordinary talents and traditional dresses, jewelleries and crowns worn by our folk artistes many generations ago. There is lack of knowledge about our existing unique traditional art forms.
And, as a result the younger generation does not get absorbed into the troupe. Nobody comes forward to help the folk artistes. The society does not recognise the existing folk artistes and give them due place. Therefore, folk artistes have changed their career over the period of time. The younger generation does not want to take folk art as their career because it does not pay well. People are not interested in learning the folk music or dance. Jaffna Music Festival has helped to revive, rejuvenate, resurrect and preserve the unique art form in the past. “Kovalan Kooththu” and “Magudi Aattam” were very famous in Vanni three decades ago, and performed throughout the nights for more than15 hours during temple festivals. But, it is quite unfortunate due to three decade of war, our traditional art forms have “nearly died” in Vanni. “ We are best known for our unique folk music and dance. Young people are not coming forward to learn folk dance or music. But our wellbeing is neglected” shares with frustration, a folk singer Kamalambikai Kanapathipillai from Mulliyawalai. My passion for folk songs and singing continued, despite the difficulties due to the prolonged war. I got displaced from Jaffna to Vanni in 1995. “ I have been a folk singer for four decades. Famous lullaby (தாலாட்டு) and mourning (ஒப்பாரி ) songs are rarely sung in the north including Jaffna peninsula.Folk tradition is slowly, but steadily disappearing from the Tamil community in the North of Sri Lanka. Tamils from the northern part of Sri Lanka are known for their unique folk art tradition, which has been in existence for many centuries. Ramupillai Murugupillai from Mulliyawalai is always delighted to perform