Abstract:
Purpose: Folk poetry was used to alleviate the drudgery and harshness of agricultural life. The research
problem here is whether folk poetry has been used for the spiritual thinking and mental development of
people engaged in agriculture since ancient times. The main objective of this study is to reveal that these
poems and songs stimulated the rice farming of the farmers.
Research Method: The method used for this purpose is the Ethnographic research method. In those songs,
the words used and the rhythm are considered prominent for this. Folk poems and songs related to farming
recorded from different places in Sri Lanka from 2000 to 2015 are used for this research.
Findings: One of the major features of Sri Lankan farming was singing folk poems and songs while
working in farming aiming to mitigate work stress. Those poems and songs have influenced the physical
and mental wellness of the farmers. It is evident that the communication ability and mental freedom that
attracts agriculture are based on the work’s utility and the song’s rhythm. Poems and Songs created by
farmers are not just for entertainment. They express their efficiency and the nature of their work in those
poems and songs.
Research Limitations: Only the songs performed during tasks from mudding to harvesting in fields related
to rice farming in Sri Lanka were investigated.
Originality/ Value: These poems reveal the nature of the industry and the mental and creative nature of the
people who work in it.
