Re-invention through Recycling: Tharanga Beraya

Abstract

Sri Lanka is a country where the coconut plant (Cocos nuceifera) is of utmost importance to daily activities. However, while the coconut fruit is used in meals every day, the shell is usually discarded in modern times. This is a case study that aims to investigate the modern application of the usually discarded object, the coconut shell, within a musical instrument and the quality and feasibility of such a musical instrument. First, the importance of the coconut plant in Sri Lankan culture and daily life is to be discussed, through which, the historic application of coconut shells as a raw material to construct musical instruments is to be investigated. Leading on to question the modern use of coconut shells as such, a selected instrument, the tharanga beraya was then investigated. Finally, comparisons of this to the traditional percussion instrument, the thammattama, was considered. While this research is qualitative in nature, discussions and field observations were used as a primary source and the relevant texts and articles on matters were used as secondary sources of information. Audio-video techniques were used to document the relevant data. Conclusions and thoughts on the future for this instrument were brought out in the end.