by Vidhurinda Samaraweera
Origins
What is “Papara?” This article explores a genre of music native to Sri Lanka widely known as either “Papare” or “Papara” (not to be confused with dunking bread popular in Greece and Turkey). The origins of the name Papara can be traced back to the late 1950s. A song named “Dingiri Dingale Meenakshi” (டிங்கிரி டிங்காலே மீனாட்சி) from the Tamil film titled “Anbu Engey” (அன்பு எங்கே, translated, “Where is Love?”), released in 1958, increased in popularity in Ceylon (as Sri Lanka was called back then). Later, this song was adapted in Sinhalese by two local artists, namely Maurice Dahanayake and R. Subasinghe. The tune of this song is still popular, and it instantly reminds us of Papara music. This is owing to the cleverly devised onomatopoeia in the song imitating the playing of a trumpet which goes, “Papara Papà Pàpa Pàpa.”
Instruments Used
A Papara band has two sections: rhythm and melody. The rhythm section consists of percussion instruments specially made for Papara including snare drum, bass drum, and hand cymbals. Numbers vary from occasion to occasion; it could be as low as 1 player per instrument to an army of percussionists. Their role is to maintain tempo or shift it. Often, a Papara piece starts steadily and gradually picks up speed, accelerating into hyper tempos allowing the people gathered to dance with great energy. The melody instruments normally are brass instruments. Trumpets and trombones play an integral role in carrying the tune, but on occasion a euphonium and/or a saxophone may be seen.
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| Sri Lankan Papara Band (1) | Sri Lankan Papara Band (2) |
Check out Papara from a sport spectator’s point of view.
Influences
In one of my previous articles, I delved deep into the influences of horn playing in Sri Lanka. There is evidence to show that Sri Lankan Papara has also been influenced by other cultures. In the article titled, “A Study on the Decline of the West Indian Influence on Sinhalese Music,” the author finds similarities in Sri Lankan Papara and the South Indian traditions of Melam and Kavadi (Wickramarachchi, 2006). Melam is a small group of percussionists and kombu horns found in Southern parts of India which can still be seen at Hindu Temples, and Kavadi is a form of devotional dance performed for a Hindu deity named Skanda Kumar. According to the article, The Rhythm Structure of Melam, a similar tradition is found in Kerala, in India called Chenda Melam, which is an ensemble consisting of instruments including kombu, cymbals, and other Indian percussion instruments (Vishnu Achutha Menon & Boobalakrishnan N., 2020). Hundreds of players may play this music together non-stop for hours with great discipline.
South Indian Melam
Apart from the Indians, the Portuguese who invaded the coastal areas of Sri Lanka in the 16th century also influenced local music. The Portuguese introduced instruments including the ukulele and guitar, and styles such as ballads to the locals. Baila was a style the Portuguese merchants and Kaffir slaves enjoyed. It is underpinned by 6/8 rhythmic patterns ideal for energetic dancing. Baila is heard in all corners of Sri Lanka at weddings, parties, and moments of celebration. Instruments like trumpet and saxophone became increasingly popular among the locals with the formation of the Police Band in 1873 under the British rule (Harish Sagar K., et al, 2021). Since then, with the advent of marching bands and funeral bands, and the influx of foreigners who imparted knowledge to the locals, the social fabric in Sri Lanka changed, and cross-cultural musical ensembles were established. Papara is only one such result combining Western instruments and derivatives of South Indian instruments, making it a uniquely Lankan affair.
Why no horns?
French horns are never seen in these ensembles for several reasons. One is that horns are expensive instruments not readily available for purchase on the island. (More about this can be read in my previous article, Horn Playing in Sri Lanka.) Secondly, players do not invest time or effort into learning, relegating the horn to a more difficult level. The harmonic series of F, as opposed to B-flat, and the mouthpiece being quite small makes it even more difficult for the players. Neither are hand-horn techniques unique to horn known to many locals. Finally, Papara bands are required to play very loud, mostly over the noise of a large group of people in a vast, open space. It is fair to say the horn would not be as loud as the other brass instruments in the band. Moreover, to play for hours on end, as long as 8–10 hours a day, would be quite taxing. Papara bands that play at cricket games, especially test matches, play close to 8 hours, and some religious parades held in the southern part of the island last for days. The risk of injuries to lips and arms and/or legs are imminent the entire time. Wounded players could be indisposed for days which would threaten their main source of income. Most Papara players engage in odd jobs during performances since income from playing Papara is largely insufficient to sustain a living.
Watch for Part 2 of this presentation in the next edition of the Horn and More.
