– AYUBOWAN –
(YOU MAY LIVE LONGER)
Kids New Year April 2008
It is the third year that Tangalle Children Relay Kids celebrate the New Year on 07th of April 2008. In Sri Lanka the mostly valued traditional National festival is Sinhalese and Tamil New Year that falls on the mid of April each year. The exact day and time is decided according to the astrology. For the New Year, everything has to be done at right timing decided by the especial Astrologists. The whole Nation would Cook, eat and start work at same timing. In year 2008, the schedule was on 12th and 13th. As our preschool supposed to be closed by the New Year, the teachers and parents organized to hold the kids New Year on 7th of April, the last day before the New Year Holiday. The main meaning of this event is to make aware the children with the traditional customs of Sri Lanka and the good behaviors that all Sri Lankan have to practice according to the Culture.
Following are some pictures of the event.
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Before all, Religious worshiping is proceeded. The flowers are offered to Buddha |
All the children and teachers sat behind a small Buddha statue to pay homage. Some Religious poems were preached. |
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| This is how at the auspicious day of New Year, Mother is making fire on a New hearth |
The first cooking is boiling Milk until overflow to mark the prosperity. |
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It is the time that every face glaze with a smile to see the Milk is overflowing. After that the Milk Rice was cooked. |
A traditional meal consisted of Milk Rice, other traditional sweets and Banana is ready. An oil lamp is lighted behind the table. |
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| The guardian of the family will feed each child with a piece of Milk Rice. It is the first meal of the New Year. | A group photo of the children and parent. The children are dressed in the traditional dress cord. |
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The younger will bow and plead for forgiveness of their all the mistakes and bad behaviors of last year and promises that the new year will be better. The parent will |
Then the time for the forgiveness and faults correction by offering a bunch of beetle leaves to elders. |
Then it is time for Fun and Games. New Year Games are a major part of the traditional events as well. This marks the unity and harmony among the community. Of course it is the post harvest season and villagers are free from their field work. So it gives access for more group games. It is for both sex and adults too join these games.
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The Kids welcomed our Guest Miss. Minerva Fernando with Beatle leaves. (Traditional way) |
The first game is to walk around the chairs upon the background Music and find a place to sit when the Music is stopped. There is always one chair missing and the person who did not find a place has to quit the game. |
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| This is the last round and Naweena won the game by finding her place. | This event is to eat up the whole yogurt cup, but not allowed to drop a bit out |
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| Here they are rush to be the winner. | This is other event that children are ready to drink a bottle of fruit juice. |
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| Here they go….! Not easy to drink it up all. | Here are first 3 winners of the game. The one in the middle is the first. |
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Here the little once eyes are wrapped closed and they have to find their way to the Elephant. Then it is their talent to guess where they should draw the elephant’s missing eye. |
In the meantime there were several games organized for the mothers too. Here is the same game like for the children as to find a seat while walking around to the Music. |
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Here is a moment that mothers are competing to find a place to sit. |
Here is other game for mothers. There is a plate changing to each hand and when the music stops, the one who has the plate has to select a chit from the plate and has act according to what it has written. Always the funny acts are written there in each chit. |
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| Finally the children are dressed up with the traditional suit and showing up…..! | Here our guest wears a crown to each child by saying that they all are kings and queens. |
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This is the seen after all of them were crowned. All the kids were very proud to be Kings and Queens in this festivel. |
Then was the final event of receiving New year presents. Each parent gave a present to one of the other children. This is to practice the children to donate others in need. It is also tradition to exchange presents among each other. The presents were organized by TCR and each child received the same present as there were no differences. |
The children were given 2 weeks holiday. The original New Year celebration is held on 13th of April. We all wished the children and their families a very happy New Year. The Preschool will be open on 23rd of April for the next semester.
Thank you.
Mahendra.
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