The warriors drew energy and warmth from the sun; they sharpened their skill like water. Subtle and delicately precise, they could bring death to their enemy by the touch of their fingertip. And this art is still alive, unnoticed– if not completely nourished – right among us.
In an attempt to resuscitate the failing breath of the blood red art that has its roots in our culture, as deep and far as 30,000 years, ‘Angampora - a Nation’s Legacy in Pictures’, a photographic narrative of Sri Lanka’s ancient martial art was launched on Saturday (21), at the DIMO 0800 showroom Colombo 14.
The event was held under the patronage of film director Jayantha Chandrasiri who portrayed the art of Angampora through his teledrama ‘Dadubasnamanaya’. The coffee-table book unearths the history, origins and techniques of Angampora which, up until now, had been a dying whisper in the raw of modernism.
People’s art
“I believe that it is rebels who change the world,” said Dr. Ajantha Mahanthaarachchi, the author of the book and a proud descendent of Korathotaarachchi angampora lineage. “My own rebellion has helped revive the art of our people.”
Mahanthaarachchi, author of several other books, contributed to the project whose completion took two and a half years. His rebellion, in deciding to train students outside his lineage, was intended to preserve the deadly martial art which is a mastery he inherited from his ancestors.
His forbearers, the master Angampora fighters who supplied soldiers for the King’s army during the time of Kingdom of Seethawaka, were massacred by the Portuguese in 1562. And in 1818, Angampora was banned in Sri Lanka by the British. Since then, Angampora faced a tragic and silent decline.
It was however, practiced by a few lineages who managed to keep the art alive through generations, and now, with the introduction of this collection of photographs, Angampora is being presented to the world for the first time ever in visual form.
Picturesque legacy
Among the photographs of Angampora – a Nation’s Legacy in Pictures, is a copy of the ban announcement, declared by the British. The document was extracted from the London Public Library by the creators of the book. In addition, images of a War History Book (Satan Viththi Potha) from the library of the Temple of the Tooth Relic have also been included.
Pictures of the oldest Angampora fighter, Suriyaarachchi Gurunnanse, were also captured by Reza Akram, whose photography speaks of Angampora to the world through the collection. “The fighter was in ill health,” said Mahanthaarachchi. “But when he touched his weapon, he got up from his bed and performed his sacred fighting drill.”
The book contains pictures of dancer, 80 year old Jayasena Gurunnanse, whose Leopard Dance was the only remaining proof that after being banned by the British, Angam martial art was transmitted into dance. But unfortunately, the precious dance, by now, has gone extinct.
Mahanthaarachchi recalled Archimedes who once said “Give me but a firm spot on which to stand, and I shall move the earth.”
“If you ask me what I wish for, I would say the same,” Mahanthaarachchi said. “Give me but a firm sport on which to stand, and I shall move the earth through the art of my people – Angampora.”
A review of the book was given by Mahinda Kumara Dalupotha, prominent folklore researcher and lecturer at the University of Visual and Performing Arts. “Our culture has been deftly portrayed in the visuals of Angampora – A Nation’s Legacy in Pictures,” he said.
He further noted that the photographs of the collection bring out subtle details of the unique martial art that can be studied by researchers. Various resources that can be useful for research are found in most of the stills. Our heritage, from ancient times, documented on ola leaf, has been captured in the photographic narrative.
Military weaponry
The importance of presenting this invaluable treasure of an art in picture form is evident when you consider all the roles and devices that have ceased to make it to the present. The lost roles of society, the forgotten military weaponry could create muddled images if described using mere words. Therefore, the portrayal of photographs fulfills an immense duty in passing such precise knowledge to our future generations, remarked Dalupotha.
The book is an immense attempt to compile a system of visual anthropology which brings out the life, energy and spirit of Angampora fighters.
“While working on the project, we learned about the enormous social and cultural ramifications we have faced over the last two centuries,” said Yasas Ratnayake, project manager and editor of Angampora – A Nation’s Legacy in Pictures, “thanks to an integral part of our culture which was systematically erased by those who wished to turn [our people] into their subordinates.”
Ratnayake remarked that with the launch of the book, the opportunity to reintegrate Angampora back into our culture has, finally, arrived. Nations such as Japan, India, China and Thailand have adapted to the times without losing their unique sense of cultural identity and we, too, should think strongly about developing our sense of culture, he further stated.
The background of hundreds of people who came together to support in compiling the book shows how much people really care about preserving our heritage because “they came from the underprivileged and the highest strata of society and everything in between and they [all] cared deeply about preserving our heritage,” Ratnayake said.
Eager student
The book was published by Oceans and Continents, Sri Lanka and was sponsored by Diesel and Motor Engineering PLC - Mercedes Benz, Sri Lanka Army, Brandix (Pvt) Limited, Sampath Bank PLC, Sri Lanka Air Force, Sri Lanka Navy, Siam City Cement (Lanka) Pvt. Limited, Q&E Advertising.
Among the team who made this worthwhile attempt a success are also, chief advisor of the project General (retd.) Daya Ratnayake, Coordinator Sashanka Atapattu, Videographer Nuwan Attanayake and Media coordinator Dewmith Ekanayake.
The strength, the energy and the majesty of a human when they turn into their fighter self is prominently seen when they perform their art, when they fight their battle. The fighter is a sacred creature who can bring life or death with a concealed movement. It is time to preserve this mighty form of art. Where the student is eager, they are free awaken the soul of the warrior. The words of Archimedes echo the plea of this dying art: “Give [it] but a firm spot on which to stand, and [it will] move the earth.” 
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