Sri Lankan reggae singer makes himself at home in Camp Sherman

He may be a long way from home, but Sri Lankan reggae singer Rohantha has found himself welcome in Camp Sherman.

Since arriving in late May, he has made many new friends, enjoyed the local music scene and has shared his own brand of reggae music with Central Oregon musicians.

"This is something spiritual," he said. "I am here as a friend and as a musician."

While on tour in Sri Lanka last year, Rohantha met Sisters High School graduate Karana Ellis. Ellis had traveled to Sri Lanka to do relief work after the tsunami in December 2004. The two soon became good friends and spent a good deal of time together.

Karana stayed with Rohantha's family for a time, and Rohantha helped Karana with a music school he developed with his brother Raman for tsunami affected children in Arugam Bay.

Karana thought it would be a good idea for Rohantha to come and stay with his family in Camp Sherman.

"It's been an honor for our family to participate in this cultural exchange," said Karen Ellis, Karana's mother.

During his time here, Rohantha has had a good deal of time to play with a number of local musicians. Raman Ellis, Neight Batara and Benji Nagel have invited Rohantha to play at their concert this Saturday, September 2 at the American Study Center at Sisters Art Works.

"We've never really played reggae music before as a band," said Neight Batara. "It's really fun getting into his style, and playing reggae."

Rohantha left his profession as a music teacher in 2000 to pursue music full time. He had been researching reggae music and writing his own. Social consciousness seems to be what attracted him to the style of music, and on October 28, 2000, he performed what he has said is the first all-reggae concert in Sri Lanka. In fact, it is undisputed that he is the first reggae musician to come out of Sri Lanka.

His music has taken him to Germany in 2003 and Austria in 2004, which is where he was when the tsunami hit Sri Lanka.

Realizing that he might be a burden, he didn't go back right away. Instead he played in a number of benefit concerts that raised over $25,000 for the people of Sri Lanka and for the children of all the countries affected.

He returned in 2005 and toured the coastal regions and beaches he had played prior to the tsunami. Being from the mountain town of Nuwaraeliya, he lost no personal friends in the tsunami. He knew though that many of the people who listened to his music were affected in some way, so he returned to those beaches with his band.

It was in this time that he met Karana who was on a similar pilgrimage to help the people of Sri Lanka.

"I think he liked my family, and he said he enjoyed my music," said Rohantha. "He wanted to take me to his family and to the music scene in Central Oregon.

"It has been a very lovely experience for my music life and my personal life as well."