Meemure people are one of specific group of people living in Sri Lanka that have hundred years of history and are living isolately away from the main society with their own specific culture. Meemure village is located in the Central Province, in Kandy District, 343 km from Colombo.
The mountain “Lakegala” has given a prehistoric importance to the Meemure village with the stories of the “king Ravana, several folklores has shaped the history of Meemure village, saying about a Vedda named Beduruwa, owner of the village during King Wimaladharmasuriya (I) era (1542-1604). Later two men from “Poddalgoda” (village in Kandy district) named “Herath Hami” and “Riti Hami” had killed “Beduruwa Vedda” and had settled there with their families.
The mountain “Lakegala” Pic by Tharaka Ananda
In Meemure village 93% of the families receive monthly income of less than 5000 rupees. Majority (90%) of the villagers are farmers. BMI calculation of children indicated that 50% of girls and 15% of boys were in the underweight range. Mean BMI for girls were 14.41 (16.7±12.2) and boys were 15.97(21.3±12.5). In adults 26% of females and 4% of male were in the underweight range .48% of females and 88% of males were in normal weight range and 26 % of females and 8% of males were in over weight range. The mean BMI of Meemure adult female were 22.04 (28.82±15.72) and 22.06 (28.39±17.78) for males.
In 1988 legal Prohibition of Chena cultivation has disentitled culturally specific traits such as food storing systems( “Irigu Aduththa” ,“Irigu uga”,“ Atuwa” ), land apportion system (“Pendi wata” ) etc., and their main food source. Meemure people have their unique cultural traditions and practices related to many areas as in religious practises (“Adukku pujawa”), puberty rituals (“Atamangala ritual”,“Mala Bulath Thattuwa ritual”), marriage customs (“Danamuththa Custom” ), foods (“Pusnambu”, “Hathmaluwa”, “Kiripani hodda”) and architecture (Ancient house planning system with “Madamindula” and “Stone fence”) etc., which is significantly different when comparing to main Sinhala society. Exodus of young, urbanization, assimilation with main society threatens to Meemure’s unique traditions. Responsible governing bodies must take actions to protect and preserve Meemure Village, People and their specific Culture.