The people of Ruhuna used to make buffalo milk with great respect. Nikini Saubhagya BA Honors in Dance and Cultural Studies (J.P.R.)
It is a Sinhalese custom to treat a guest who has come home with milk and honey. Although this is somewhat difficult in other provinces, it is very easy for Ruhuna. In the past, the milk of Ruhuna was a divine food. A must-have side dish to a meal. This article was prepared through a research done on the methods used by the ancients to make such delicious buffalo milk. The study of ancient buffalo milk culture in Mahapalassa, Tissamaharamaya and Mattala areas took place here.
Current buffalo milk production is done using modern technology. But it is sad to say that the past dairy farmers of this area used very simple methods which have almost disappeared by now. And in ancient times, the production of buffalo milk was done with great respect.
Although modern technology is convenient, there are problems with the taste of buffalo milk produced from it. According to the ancients who were involved in the industry, the buffalo milk of that time was high in taste. They also say that the quality of milk at that time was higher than now. They say that at the time of milking, the milk was so thick that it melted in the hand, and they say that such a situation has not been seen so far. Especially the art that was created around this milk production has also died by now. Used old equipment is almost impossible to find. Even the ancients have forgotten the faiths and beliefs that were formed along with this industry.
From a rat that has given birth to a calf, the calf is given milk first. It is said that the offspring will live longer. A baby rat is weaned after 45 days. They are of the opinion that the calf has full ownership of the original milk. If the calf is a first-born calf, the milk will not be used for anything until 3 days later. It is known in those areas as “Thunmure Naganawa”. That milk is not consumed at all and is also avoided to be sold. Maximum milk is obtained from a cow for about 9 months.
In the past there was a specific dress code for milkers and it was a custom to never enter the barn with shoes on. Although not common, these customs are still present today. In the Ruhunu community, it is used to call the first weaning of the baby. Only clay and copper pots were used for milking in the past. Before milking, the udder is washed thoroughly and it helps to release pure buffalo milk. It is said that milk obtained from unwashed udders coagulates into coconut curds before being boiled and is not fit for consumption.
The ancients made sure that the curdled milk was not boiled near the rice husk. The reason for this is that it can damage the seeds. To accelerate the curdling of milk, a solution called "yeast" is mixed and the dense part of the curdled milk that binds at the top is used for this purpose. In common parlance, this is called "sick". The old villager makes enough leaven for about three months and puts it in a clay pot and hangs it above the house. It is called "Udahella". The leavened clay pot is placed in a holder made using the leaves of the Myla tree and hung above using three ropes made of the same leaves. Where the three ropes join together, a pierced coconut shell is placed and tied.
Then the villagers say that it is difficult for animals like mice to come near the hut with leaven. Maila patta is used for its strength and also to protect it from animals like rats. The well-melted milk is poured into fresh vats and left to cool in a covered area. It is the delicious food that we eat as buffalo milk. It is said that the fresher the hatti is, the better the taste of the milk, and if you feel a smoky taste mixed with the taste of milk when you eat it, it is said to be the real taste of buffalo milk. Our ancient forefathers used coconut leaves to pack well-frozen milk in the huts for traveling. Milk so packaged was a symbol of fertility.
At the end of all these operations, the pots in which the milk has been poured and melted are placed hand in hand over the stove. It is said that it kills germs and increases the taste of milk. Besides buffalo milk, there are several by-products that have been created along with it. They are ghee and smoke oil. Ghee is made from cow's milk and ghee is made from buffalo's milk. Smoked oil is used to make food and goat oil rice is also a very popular food. An example of how much this oil was produced in the Tissamaharama area in the past has been provided by giving a donation of smoke oil and rice once a month. Goat oil is made by using the soluble part of cow's milk. It is called Lende in rural areas. It is collected in this dal for a few days and is thoroughly melted.
It is heated until the size of a string survives. A milk stick was used for this purpose in the past and its name has now completely fallen out of use, so could not be traced. Similarly, the spoon used to boil this milk should never be washed. After some time, the milk bound in the spoon is scraped and used as medicine. Many people don't know that plasters made for treating cysts are made from these. In the same way, after removing the milk from the milk boiling pot, put water in the pot, keep it for a while, put it in a cup and drink it with sugar, and it is called "Moorwa".
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