DAMBANA- is a remote jungle village, where the original indigenous people of Sri Lanka still reside. The Veddhas preserve a direct line of descent from the island's original Neolithic community dating from at least 16,000 BC and probably far earlier according to current scientific opinion.

“My greatest fear is that I will not be able to stop the death of the Veddha way of life”

- Chief Uruwarige Wanniyaleththo

The Veddhas have a simple way of life in the jungle. Their culture is laid back and even relaxing, with their main way of life being hunting. With the impending extinction of this unique culture, however, Sri Lanka and the world stand to lose a rich body of indigenous lore and living ecological wisdom that is urgently needed for the sustainable future of the rest of mankind.

Veddhas were originally hunter-gatherers, with the women of the tribe staying at home to tend to family. They used bows and arrows to hunt game, and also gathered wild plants and honey. Veddhas are famously known for their rich meat diet, derived from the animals they hunt in the forest. This diet includes, venison, rabbit, wild boar and even monitor lizards. The Veddhas kill only for food and do not harm young or pregnant animals. Game is commonly shared amongst the family and clan. Another Veddha delicacy is dried meat preserve soaked in honey. In the olden days, the Veddhas used to preserve such meat in the hollow of a tree, enclosing it with clay.

 In the olden days, the dwellings of the Veddhas consisted of caves and rock shelters. Many elaborate cave paintings have been discovered in Sri Lanka, mainly painted by the womenfolk whilst waiting for their men to return from the hunt. Today, they live in unpretentious huts of wattle, daub and thatch.

Joining the Veddhas in their village gives visitors a unique opportunity to get a firsthand experience of the Veddah’s way of life in the jungle, still free of exposure to modern technology and commercialization. Guests get to meet with Uruwarige Wanniyaleththo, Chief of the Veddhas, without whose permission guests cannot partake in any activity with the community. Upon his approval,  close observation of the Veddha’s culture is possible, as is participation in some of their activities. 

Visitors to Dambana learn how the Veddhas sustain themselves through age-old hunting methods, using traditional bows and arrows. They make these bows and arrows themselves using only materials harvested from the forest. A visit to the Veddha community will gives visitors the special and rare opportunity to see the "Kiri Koraha", which is one of the Veddha’s traditional forms of dance to invoke the blessings of the Gods.