If there is one trait of the Sri Lankan people that really stands out, it is their passion for music and dance, which is their own 'joie de vivre.' The island nation's faithful love to sing and dance and are always on the lookout for an occassion.
When I was in Matara last month, I saw a group of young people put on carnival-esque costumes and dance with a band playing in the background. So, what was the occassion, I asked. These were friends of a couple that tied the knot the same morning and they were planning to playfully suprise and abduct the couple in a bullock-cart.
The group would grab passers-by and make them dance to their tunes. The only ones that would be 'spared' were the monks.
The dances were a free public spectacle and just about everyone on the street seemed to be happy and enjoying the performance. While the band was hired, the dancers were just a bunch of late 20-somethings who wanted to make the wedding day memorable for their friends. What I particularly liked was the entire unpretentious way the street party was held and how everyone was free to join in.
When I was in Matara last month, I saw a group of young people put on carnival-esque costumes and dance with a band playing in the background. So, what was the occassion, I asked. These were friends of a couple that tied the knot the same morning and they were planning to playfully suprise and abduct the couple in a bullock-cart.
The group would grab passers-by and make them dance to their tunes. The only ones that would be 'spared' were the monks.
The dances were a free public spectacle and just about everyone on the street seemed to be happy and enjoying the performance. While the band was hired, the dancers were just a bunch of late 20-somethings who wanted to make the wedding day memorable for their friends. What I particularly liked was the entire unpretentious way the street party was held and how everyone was free to join in.
