The Climate Anthropologist 

It was a clear, bright morning when my host and I climbed onto her scooter, a light breeze tugging at the edges of our plans, carrying with it the faint scent of dry earth. We cradled a few kilos of fertiliser mix between us and rolled toward a verdant field that shimmered with promise. The paddy beds lay like emerald waves, lush and inviting, and I found myself thinking that for a woman in her early fifties, she wore strength with the ease of a seasoned farmer. I trailed beh

Under the golden haze of the afternoon sun, a familiar figure emerged in Pattiyawala, a Muslim vendor from the neighboring village of Walahiddawewa, his cart laden with goods and his eyes sharp with business acumen. Word had traveled fast that the farmers here were ready to part with their hard-earned harvest, and he, ever the opportunist, had arrived to strike his deals. My host, a resilient woman weathered by the toils of farming, watched him with a mix of gratitude and res

The moment I stepped outside, the July sun struck me like a furnace blast a relentless, shimmering heat that clung to my skin. But this was no ordinary swelter; it was the perfect, golden fury needed to dry the freshly harvested paddy from my host’s fields. The earth itself seemed to exhale warmth, ready to cradle the grains in its embrace. My host had already spread out the woven mats, their edges fluttering slightly in the dry breeze. With practiced hands, she began unloadi

The golden hues of dawn had barely touched the fields of Pattiyawala when I found myself rubbing sleep from my eyes, still wrapped in the lingering chill of the night spent under the stars. My host and I had kept vigil over the swaying paddy, guarding it like silent sentinels. Now, with the sun climbing higher, my only thought was the sweet promise of a proper bed. But fate or perhaps the mischievous spirits of the village had other plans. Three of my students, their faces al

Farming practices in Pattiyawala rely on various water sources for irrigation purposes. In recent years, farmers have invested more in...

When I began harvesting mung beans with my host, I was surprised at how every time I harvest a bag of mung bean pods, there is still so...