Sri Lankan folk songs which is known as “Jana Gee”  or “Jana Kavi” has been originated during our olden times by our Sinhalese ancestors.These Sinhalese villagers used to sing these folk songs while they used to work in paddy fields specially in the night, and plumbago mines and also while rowing boats, while transporting goods in bullock carts.These folk songs were spontaneous feelings which arose in the villagers simple minds, which explained their tiredness and interest in work and so on. Even the mothers used to sing lullabies for their children to sleep. All these ideas and words came from their hearts. Jana Gee (folk songs) has played an important role in the cultural development of the Sri  Lankan society. Jana Gee was also an extension of our Sinhalese language, it had the ability of expressing emotions and feelings that couldn’t be told just in words.Folk music represents a higher emotion we all have towards our cultural heritage, our collective history and our land where our forefathers were born and nourished. Sri Lankan folk poems were always unique. 

  
Each class had its own styles.  There were also folk rituals, which are rarely performed today. Among the traditional Sri Lankan folk styles we could find an interesting style called "Virindu". It is an improvised poem sung  to the beat of a Rabana (hand drum). In the past there were contests in which two Virindu singers used to compete each other, where one asks questions in Virindu form and the other used to answer it in Virindu form. The words of these  traditional songs and poems were carried from generation to generation as in other cultures. Today, they are sung as a form of cultural expression.

“Onchili waram”- another type of Folk songs which is sung when people go on the swing. These songs were sung by females mostly and have been handed to us by our forefathers. As I have mentioned before, people who used to transport goods from village to village had their own style which was known as “ Karaththa Kavi”…whereas the people who row boats had their own which was known as “Paaru Kavi”.

“Siw pada” which has the meaning called four lines, were short folk poems which included four lines. The ancient villagers were capable enough of expressing his/her innermost feelings in touchy ways which touched people’s hearts. The voice of these unknown poets are now memories in our dying culture.

During this long journey of time, our folk music has been influenced by the prevailing nature of the political climate, under different kings of Sri Lanka, due to our close proximity to India we have also got a lot of foreign influences. The four and a half centuries of colonial domination has also influenced our culture. Nevertheless, we have been able to maintain the purity of our Jana Gee.