By Sahana Nandakumar and Dimitri Ratnayaka
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The Bharatha community, Jaffna Tamils, Sinhalese, Muslims and Burghers were the divergent communities that filled the Green Path on the 11 th ,12 th and 13 th of November. “Taste of Harmony” was apart of the WINGS Festival of Arts which was organized with the motive of reconciling the Sri Lankan society.
Poori, pickle, dried fish, thalaguli, vegetable papadam and pasthal curry were a few of the array of traditional cuisines that helped to successfully heal the hearts of the people who came to the festival.This project was not just about the visitors who were delighted by the diversity of the food stalls, but also about the vendors who represented different areas, styles and methods of food preparation. Each stall had a unique story behind it.
When speaking to a leading organizer of the event, Kamanee Hapugalle, she said that the food that Sri Lankans eat every day, is a fusion of many cultures. Through the Food Festival people will realize theuniqueness of every culture and comprehend that we cannot even make meals that represent only our culture, and that we are a nation interconnected through our everyday lifestyle.
The Festival didn’t end with only treats for the stomach but it also extende to musical and dance performances from various parts of the country. The Batticoloa Burghers, Mannar Muslims, and the Ceylon African Manja group presented their authentic art forms, reminding everyone of Sri Lanka’s rich and diverse cultures.
Although there were many more communities that were expected to participate and couldn’t make it, they expect the program to expand and cover all communities next year.
