78 



JOURNAL, R.A.S. (CEYLON). 



[Vol. XXI, 



some evil quality is associated with dissolution. According to 

 most Veddas, the spirit of every dead man, woman, or child 

 becomes a " yaka " within a few days of death. Soma Veddas, 

 however, say that when ordinary folk die they cease utterly, 

 and a surviving part, which becomes a " yaka," exists only 

 in the case of specially strong, energetic, or skilled men, who 

 have shown their strength of character in this world or who 

 have had the power of calling " yaku " during their lifetime. 

 Since each Vedda community consists of a small number of 

 families, usually related by blood and marriage, the yaku of 

 the recent dead — called collectively the Ne Yaku — are sup- 

 posed to stand towards the surviving members of the group 

 in the light of friends and relatives, who, if well treated, will 

 continue their loving kindness to their survivors, and only if 

 neglected will show their disgust and anger by withdrawing 

 their assistance or even becoming actively hostile. Hence, 

 it is generally considered necessary to present an offering to 

 the newly dead, usually within a week or two of death. This 

 offering must consist of cooked rice and coconut milk, the 

 food that every Vedda esteems above all other, but betel 

 leaves and arecanuts are often added. In each community 

 there is one man, called kapurdla or dugganawa, who has 

 the power and knowledge requisite to call the yaku, and this 

 man calls upon the yaka of the recently dead man to come and 

 take the offering. The yaka comes, and the kapurdla becomes 

 possessed by the yaka of the dead man, who speaks through 

 the mouth of the kapurdla in hoarse, guttural accents, 

 stating that he approves the offering, that he will assist his 

 kinsfolk in hunting, and often definitely stating the direction 

 in which the next hunting party should go. One or more of 

 the near relatives may also become possessed, but this is not 

 necessary. Soon after the spirit leaves the kapurdla the rice 

 is eaten by the assembled folk, usually, but not, I believe, 

 necessarily, on the spot where the offering was made. 



The above account represents the simplest, and probably 

 a degenerate form of death ceremony, but usually the matter 

 is complicated by the invocation of certain other spirits 

 besides the Ne Yaku. Many generations ago there lived a 

 Vedda called Kande, a celebrated hunter, who on his death 



