The Hawke’s Bay Sri Lankan community came out in their most colourful traditional clothing to enjoy New Year celebrations in Clive. Photo / Ian Cooper
The Hawke’s Bay Sri Lankan community came out in their most colourful traditional clothing to enjoy New Year celebrations in Clive. Photo / Ian Cooper
The Hawke’s Bay Sri Lankan community came out in their most colourful traditional clothing, bringing their traditional Sri Lankan food for their New Year celebrations at Pathumrungsiwatanaram Monastery in Clive.
Sri Lankan New Year is usually celebrated on April 14 and is based on the sun’s movement from the MeenaRashiya (House of Pisces) to the Mesha Rashiya (House of Aries).
The community gathered for the day to honour the god of the sun.
The celebration was full of traditions, with customs performed at auspicious times which are publicised at the beginning of a calendar year.
Lots of fun, laughter, food and catching up was had at the local Sri Lankan New Year celebration. Photo / Ian Cooper
Sri Lankan community member Chamil Liyanage explained that at New Year Sri Lankans exchange gifts among family and friends and honour the elderly, as well as playing New Year games that symbolise unity and new beginnings.
This year more than 100 Hawke’s Bay Sri Lankan community members celebrated the Sri Lankan New Year at the Pathumrungsiwatanaram Monastery in Clive.
Dressed in traditional clothing, people brought dishes of Sri Lankan food to be shared. Food included kiribath, a coconut milk rice that Liyanage said is an absolute must in the Sri Lankan New Year.
Four-year-old Oneki Roi giving Tug-of-War a go at the Clive Sri Lankan New Year celebration. Photo / Ian Cooper
The feast also included kokis (a deep-fried delicacy made from rice flour and coconut milk), bananas, kevum - also known as oil cakes (a deep-fried sweet made from rice flour, and kithul treacle), thala guli (a traditional Sri Lankan sweet made with sesame seeds, jaggery, and salt) and aluwa (a Sri Lankan sweet made from roasted rice flour).
To the sounds of Sri Lankan folk music, the community played cultural Sri Lankan games including Pin the Eye on the Elephant, Buns on a String and Breaking the Pots.
In another traditional ceremony, young girls and boys walk down an aisle and two are selected as Prince Avrudu Kumaraya and Princess Avrudu Kumari, said Liyanage.
Indika Kadarage leading his team to victory in a friendly game of Tug-of-War at the Clive Sri Lankan New Year celebration. Photo / Ian Cooper
Liyanage said the festival will no doubt have brought the Sri Lankan community together and was an opportunity to pass on the traditions to the younger generation.
