Dambana Vaddah Village
Dambana Vaddha Village is located about 20 kilometers from Mahiyangana, on the borders of the Maduru Oya Wildlife Reservation. It is the primary home of the last surviving aboriginal people of Sri Lanka, known as the Wannila Aththo, or forest dwellers.
The Wannila Aththo were previously known as the Yaksha Tribe in pre-Christian times and as Vaddha, meaning hunter, in the past. Today, they identify as 'Aadi Waasi', or aborigines. While most of the original inhabitants have been absorbed into mainstream Sinhala or Tamil society, there are still a few thousand Wannila Aththo living in small pockets in many parts of the dry zone bordering forests.
The Wannila Aththo have their own unique language, which closely resembles Sinhalese, and their own religious beliefs. They make offerings to a number of gods and believe that their dead come back as yakkas to protect the family.
The indigenous settlement of Dambana is home to the leader of all the Wannila Aththo tribe, called Maha-Huur...
The Wannila Aththo were previously known as the Yaksha Tribe in pre-Christian times and as Vaddha, meaning hunter, in the past. Today, they identify as 'Aadi Waasi', or aborigines. While most of the original inhabitants have been absorbed into mainstream Sinhala or Tamil society, there are still a few thousand Wannila Aththo living in small pockets in many parts of the dry zone bordering forests.
The Wannila Aththo have their own unique language, which closely resembles Sinhalese, and their own religious beliefs. They make offerings to a number of gods and believe that their dead come back as yakkas to protect the family.
The indigenous settlement of Dambana is home to the leader of all the Wannila Aththo tribe, called Maha-Huur...
