Greentree Holiday Tours As Your Sri Lankan &
Maldives Holiday Travel Operator

Your Schedule for the day

       
 

Arriving at Dambana Village and meeting the Eco Team representative. [Around 10.00 a.m.]

Meeting the leader (chief) of the village for a brief discussion ) [ on availability ]

After the discussion clients will arrive at the museum

Visit the museum

Arrive at the lunch area

Depending on the time, clients will experience some of the daily activities of the tribe before or after lunch ( 2 and ½ hours)

BBQ lunch

Departure after lunch / tribal experience

 ARRIVAL AT DAMBANA AND MEETING THE CHIEF

Dambana is a remote jungle village, where the original indigenous people of Sri Lanka still reside. The Veddhas preserve a direct line of descent from the island's original Neolithic community dating back from at least 18,000 BC. Veddhas were originally hunter-gatherers, with the women of the tribe staying at home to tend to family. They used bows and arrows to hunt game, and also gathered wild plants and honey. The original dwellings of the Veddhas consisted of caves and rock shelters. Many elaborate cave paintings have been discovered in Sri Lanka, painted mainly by the womenfolk whilst waiting for their men to return from the hunt.

Joining the Veddhas of Sri Lanka in their village gives visitors a unique opportunity to get a firsthand experience of the Veddha culture which remains relatively untarnished by modern technology and commercialization. The Veddhas are devoted to their traditions and visitors get to meet with UruwarigeWanniyaleththo, Chief of the tribe.

VISITING DAMBANA MUSEUM

Dambana museum is one of the most historically valuable places in Sri Lanka. You can see various equipment used by Veddhas (indigenous people of Sri Lanka) by visiting the museum. This is a place that anyone can gather immense knowledge about their culture, lifestyle and learn various other things about the Veddha community.

EXPLORING THE ‘VEDDHA WAY OF LIVING’

Veddhas were famously known for their rich meat diet, derived from the animals they hunted in the forest. This diet included venison, rabbit, wild boar and even monitor lizards. The Veddhas kill only for food and do not harm young or pregnant animals. Game was commonly shared amongst the family and clan. Another Veddha delicacy is dried meat preserve soaked in honey. In the olden days, the Veddhas used to preserve such meat in the hollow of a tree, enclosing it with clay. Though originally living in caves, the Veddhas of today live in unpretentious huts of wattle, daub and thatch.

Although we may not be able to go on an actual hunting trip with them, they will not hesitate to depict to us the pros and cons of hunting and enact how they set about it.

Watching them making their traditional bow & arrow- made out of natural material-too would be another interesting activity.

In addition to hunting, another important way of catching prey is by setting traps. Out of many such traps, "Habaka" is a simple form used to catch small animals, which they will demonstrate in a very practical way.

BBQ LUNCH AT THE CAMPSITE

Meal times in the camp are truly special. Your lunch will be served in the most unique setting


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