The Vedda Creation Myth and Kande Yakka
The Vedda people, Sri Lanka's indigenous inhabitants, trace their origin to the children of Prince Vijaya and Kuveni — a son and daughter abandoned in the wilderness who married each other and became the first Veddas. Their central deity is Kande Yakka, the chief of the ancestral spirits (Yakku), who governs hunting success. Before a hunt, Veddas invoke Kande Yakka and Bilindi Yakka; after a successful kill, a portion of meat is offered to them or bad luck follows. The Nae Yakka (spirits of recently deceased ancestors) inhabit hills, caves, and rocks. The Vedda shaman (kapurala) performs the K