The Grease Yaka Sightings: Fact Vs. Myth

By Raisa Wickrematunge

Two estate workers in Haputale were walking through the forest, looking for birds’ nests. Once they found them, they would ‘harvest’ the eggs. They were in their thirties, and not easily identifiable in the thick of the forest. The villagers set upon them, and hacked them to death on Thursday (11), according to a situation report.

In addition, a man who arrived at the Haputale estate was reportedly tied to a tree and tortured.

Why resort to such acts of senseless violence? The answer: pure panic. The villagers thought the two workers were ‘grease yakas.’ In their minds, they were defending themselves from harm.

Police spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody said he could not confirm the manner of the two victims’ deaths as an investigation was ongoing. However, he confirmed that the killings were reported from the Thotalagalawatte estate. The victim’s names were Somasundara Mahendra and Sylvester Douglas Peter.

When The Sunday Leader contacted the Haputale OIC, he was still at the scene. He said that it was still too soon to say what the cause of death might be, merely saying that investigations into the matter were still ongoing. He added that villagers in the area did think the victims were connected to the ‘grease yaka’ sightings.

What Is A Grease ‘Yaka?’

He sneaks in through windows in the dead of night, his body shining with grease, garbed in black. His motive is always dire – from stealing valuables to rape. He is a slippery customer; impossible to catch because of the grease he is covered in.

The ‘grease yaka’ has been well-established in folklore; just another urban legend.

Yet there have of late been increased reports of grease yaka sightings. A Sinhalese language Sunday newspaper last week reported sightings in Viyaluwa, Mahiyangana, Kandaketiya, Maaliyadda, Bibile, Lunugala, Dehiattakandiya, Girandurukotte and other areas in the Uva Province.

The sightings were always at night, with men peeking into women’s bedrooms. In some instances, the men would ‘embrace’ the women. What is more, it was reported, the ‘devils’ broke into pepper, cashew and corn cultivations to steal the crop.

The people of the Uva province were so terrified that they decided to change their routine in order to avoid the yaka.

What was particularly interesting, however, was that every eyewitness said that the man (or devil) was not covered in grease, contrary to the legend. There were plenty of reports though. Take the case of D. H. Kuhmarihami from Meegaspitiya. She was taken first to the Meegahakiwula hospital on August 1, and later to the Badulla hospital after several men broke into her house and attempted to ‘hug’ her. The terrified woman fainted, but had not a scratch on her when she was examined, news reports said.

That, however, was enough to get the rumour mill turning, even though Kuhmarihami said emphatically that there was no ‘devil’ involved. Even the Badulla SSP came forward to say the reports of yaka sightings were false.

On August 4, police spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody came forward to reiterate that the grease yaka was a myth, and that people were exploiting the legend for their own benefit. He also said that the entire thing had been blown out of proportion by the media.

But it did no good.

On Wednesday (10) ten suspects, who were labelled ‘grease yakas’ were taken into custody. News reports said they had been turned in by surrounding villagers. Six came from the Uduwara area in Badulla, and four were from Ragala.

The Badulla OIC said that he knew nothing of the arrests or their connection with the grease yaka. 

At least one however, was a 16 year old boy who attempted to pose as a grease devil, in order to rob a house in Badulla. He was handed over to the police by villagers, according to several reports. He and a friend had even taken pictures of themselves, covered in paint, on their mobile phones prior to the attempted house break.

A woman in Badulla phoned in to say that residents were in a state of fear. “By 6 o’clock, ladies are indoors with the doors locked,” she said. She asked to remain anonymous, fearing an attack against herself.

According to her, women were being attacked in several areas. In Thunaikanuwa, close to the Udavala school, a woman was attacked on Thursday night. A man broke into her house and allegedly groped her, the woman said. Later that night, villagers got ready to retaliate with sticks when they heard knocking on their doors. Suddenly a Pajero had whizzed past and some people were seen jumping into it, it was said.

The mysterious attackers knocked on doors, or opened the outside taps. When residents opened the door, the men would break in and attack the women inside.  ‘Yakas’ were sighted in Puwakgodamulla. There were also incidents in Kanpulalla near the Mailgasthana road, and in Haliyala, she added.

The Ragala OIC, however, confirmed the arrests in the area. “They have been remanded until August 15. These men were going around and knocking on doors. People were frightened,” the OIC said.

The reports kept coming- from Pussellawa, for instance. The Pussellawa OIC, however, said there had been no grease yaka related arrests, but added that two traders selling dried fish in the area had been detained for suspicious behaviour. The Nuwara Eliya OIC said that there had been no reported incidents in the area.

Police spokesman SP Prishantha Jayakody meanwhile said emphatically, “These are all foolish rumours. People are doing illegal things and trying to hide using the grease yaka. There is no such thing.”

Jayakody confirmed that the two Haputale victims were young men from an adjoining estate. “These are village people. How can they say it is the work of a grease devil?” he asked.

The police say that the unscrupulous are exploiting the idea of a devil to loot houses and harass lone women. So far, that seems to be the case. The so-called ‘grease yaka’ suspects who have been apprehended are ordinary people who were behaving suspiciously, or as in the case of the 16 year old Badulla youth, breaking the law using the persona of a mythical devil to frighten people.

It is clear that people are afraid. So much so that villagers turned in men for simply knocking on doors. Hopefully, the atmosphere of fear will diminish with increased police action; but only time will tell.