Multispecies ethnography of the tank cascade system in the dry zone of Sri Lanka

Multispecies ethnography is an expanding field in anthropological studies, promoting a unique method to explore the interlinkages between the human and non-human interactions. The Sri Lankan tank cascade system found in the dry zone, is the foundation for a multispecies web interlinking human survival, resource management and biodiversity. The tank cascade system was a uniquely curated design enabling paddy cultivation and crop cultivation alongside flora and fauna conservation. Observatory and participatory ethnographic fieldwork opened the possibility to engage with current agricultural practices in a small rural agricultural village in Horowpothana Divisional Secretariat within the Anuradhapura district of Sri Lanka, known as Pattiyawala. Pattiyawala comprised of the three key pillars of a Sinhalese Buddhist village; the village, the tank and the Buddhist temple, allowing me to explore the realities living in a rural agricultural community. The two village tanks in Pattiyawala are believed to be linked to the historical tank cascade system. Ancient kingdoms responsible for the unique design of the cascade system in Sri Lanka recognised the need for sustainable management of water and other natural resources for future generations. The first segment of the article attempts to provide a historical background to the tank cascade system and the associated multispecies dimensions of a village tank and paddy cultivation through a literature review. This provides a glimpse into the traditional agricultural practices which existed for a significant period in Sri Lanka’s recorded history. Followed by the second segment which highlights the current agricultural practices and explores the degree of change in relation to the multispecies web in a tank cascade system recorded through observatory and participatory ethnographic fieldwork. Historically, the management of the tank cascades ensured the survival of their multispecies web for centuries. However, the recent colonial and post-colonial legislation coupled with the green revolution interventions has resulted in considerable changes to the management of these tanks and subsequently impacted traditional agricultural practices. The deteriorating traditional agricultural practices have disrupted the multispecies web at the village tank, exacerbating the human-wildlife conflict, natural disasters and the socioeconomic conditions at the village level.