Chena cultivation

            In the ancient time Srilankan people's major occupation was agriculture. Out of the many cultivations chena cultivation is diffused in dry zones such as Anuradhapura, Sigiriya, Hambantota ect. According to inheritable culture characteristics in each areas chena cultivation is various by region. 

                      Villages are selected near jungle of their villages for chena cultivation. This jungle known as Mukalaana. In every season they clean up a part of the jungle and farm vegetables, greens and grains as food and trade. 

                         There are few types of chanes such as Mulketiya chena, Atdaduwa chena, Aepela chena, Kanathu chena and Thalaa chena. Atdauwa chena is seen in Sathara Korale and Aepela chena is seen in Uva province. Kanatu chena is a land with small herbs located all over the place. Trees rarely grow in Thalaa chena. Most of the chanes in dry zones exited as Mulketiya chena. In the Mulkeiya chena systm some of the farmers are joind together and they go to select a rich field to the jungle. After they selected a field for cultivation and this rich field called Mulkataya. This system has been proceeding in Ilukweta village near Sigiriya yet. Nevertheless this system goes to bereave now.

                After select the land farmers go with lunch and tools early in the morning. Farmers are gathered to this land and cutting the jungle by shift system . They get their lunch in the jungle due to arrange the chena. After cutting off the land farmers are dry up in week or tow by solar radiations. After that fire it in August. It must be fired befor rainfall. Specially they drive out animals befor fireing.
     

After cutting off jungle

After fireing

                  Flate lands not only get for chena but also get heigh lands of covered from jungle. Cut the jungle, fired, loosen the soil and arrange the land. Then grains such as Gingelly, Kurahan, Miss, Corns and vegetables like Cucumber, Gherkin, Pumpkins, Snake-gourds and hedgehogs ect. grows in October and November. As a result of above activities they obtain harvest in January. Farmers do not grow soon after reap they accommodate it grow as jungle again. In return cultivating chena in this place after many years back. This is the system of past. 

               As a result of growing of population in the present day society people can not waiting for many years because space is limited. Therefore they divide their chena in to two parts and in a one season grow in a one part and other part self-sufficient in this perioud. This self-sufficient part get next season for cultivation. 

    Farmer of ancient time adapted auspicious time for beging to cultivation. Farmers consider about several points for choosing a land;

1. Rich land of abundant vegetation. 
2. Flat ground
3. Bushy jungle of easy to fire
4. Near a channel
5. Away from wild animals track
6. Wide range of area of cultivation for group of farmers

          Village leaders took noticed above points and finely decided the best land for chena cultivation.

          Chena cultivation has a long history because six brothers of Gotaimbara cultivated chena in the ancient time that is mentioned in Mahavanshaya. 

           In old rural agriculture there was three types of chena ,

1. Niyara chena (Millet grow in May and June, Kurakkan grow in August)
2. Nawadeli chena (Kurakkan grow in October and November)
3. Mukalan chena (Chilles, vegetables such as mixes cultivation) 

           Whatever the type of chena, farming season is depend on precipitation.

Chena protection

        The farmer is not free just only by cultivation. He must protect his chena from wild animals and natural disasters.

                Here he is buit cottage. There are several ways to build a cottage. It Mulkete chena cottage build in coner of the chena. Then cottages are built around all over the chens. This system has been continuing in dry zones for instance Ilukwewa near Sigiriya. This method is suitable for driving large animals such as elephants  because caretakers in around the chena. Chena is built in a splitting fork.

Chena cottage

            Chena cottage has some of the features there are Angam frame, cottage bed, cottage frame and roof. There are ladder for climb. Logs and vines get from the jungle for create ladder. The front part of the cottage is called Angam frame. Farmer in this part for protection chena. We can see all over the chena when in Angam frame. After Angam frame there is a cottage frame. 

Build a cottage frame;

1. Four wooden poles and spread out the planks
2. Then they tie-up strongly
3. Put green leaves on top of it
4. Finally spread soil and stick dung.

         A stove make on the cottage bed. Stove very useful for farmer because he can cook something and back out from cold. In addition a bench make on the cottage bed.  

      In the night time farmers major enemies are elephants, pigs, hedgehogs and elks and day time enemies are birds. The bogie is used as a means of driving birds.

Bogie

Wild animals attack

     Farmers song poetry for avoid their loneliness. Following video clip clearly shows that.

Harvest

Out of the many chena crops first receive harvest from corns. After corn harvest then receive beans, snake-gourds and hedgehogs harvest. After that receive Kurakkan harvest. Finally receive gingely. When rainfall of gingerly growing season is called gingerly rainfall (Thala wessa).

Grains store in vii bissa

   The crop is used only after offering it to God. First part of the harvest is divided for God. Gods are various as regions. They believe God protect their cultivatios. Apart from that they use charms for protect their cultivation from wild animals.

Disadvantages of chena cultivation

•  Deforestation
• Soil erosion
• Destroyed water sheds
• Leads to loos of biodiversity
• Water pollution

But above poblems can be solved in different ways.

     Accordingly chena cultivation is major occupation of dry zone people. By this time chena cultivation has been going to obsolescence because threats of wild animals , abundant of lands as a result of population. But chena cultivation is a part of Srilankan culture. Therefore protection our culture is the obligation of all people to. The government should take action in this regard and farmers should be encouraged and provision should be made. Improvement of chena cultivation can reduce food exports and can import foods to other countries. Therefore foreign exchange gains in the country. Apart from that export food has lot of flavours and preservatives because of this a lot of poison is injected. It's harmful for our body. The best solution is to produce the food that the country needs by improving chena cultivation. As a result our future generation will be healthy.