A foreigner’s journey around the country
 

by Professor Sunanda Mahendra

Quite a number of foreigners, inclusive of such persons as rulers, intellectuals, scholars, creative writers, travellers, artists and historians have written books amounting to more than hundred in number, out of which we have a few that are available in our libraries today.

Similarly, several researchers have dealt on the aspects of these books in their learned works out of which some are either submitted for the post graduate examinations or for mass publication.

In this direction one of the rarest English books written as far back as 1890 by a state lawyer who had been living in Sri Lanka [then Ceylon] is now available in Sinhala translation [the original is titled Ceylon and Cingalese by Henry Charles Sirr and translated into Sinhala by the well known translator Premachandra Alwis, Suriya Prakasakayo 2004].

The book is in the form of notes, observations, discussions hearsays and perusing of documents of a journey from place to place commencing from Galle, where the writer worked for sometime.

These discussions though centre round various places the writer places more attention on aspects of the ruling nature of Portuguese Dutch and the English, with special reference to the kingdom of Kandy, the last kingdom ruled by a local king.

One of the main objectives in his writing these notes subdivided into twelve chapters is to overview almost all the aspects of the country giving more attention to the developmental progress taking into account the natural resources and human resources of all races that existed at the time as the basis.

Undoubtedly he is seen enamoured by the very nature of the surroundings about which he makes emotional descriptions, beneath which he also sees a seamy side of things that disturb his mind.

transportation

He commences his journey from Galle from the first chapter where he underlines the transportation getting ready to make use of the then horse drawn and bullock drawn carts or coaches which they denoted as kocchiya. The reader comes to know a number of words as used in various professions and functions and honorific usages for people and titles.

In chapter three the reader is made to know how the term Colombo or kolamba in Sinhala came to be (p.41) where the writer underlines several references in the folklore and classical texts and believes that the term is referred as far back as 496 AD. Some say that the term came to be as a honourary acceptance of Colombus, the explorer but he disagrees.

random references

The translator adds a note to the effect that the term colomba may have come to be as a result of the belief that there was a mango tree without fruits though abound with leaves and this was known as kalamba. He also makes random references to such places as Galle face green and slave island which is known as Kompannavidiya [the island of the slaves known today as slave island ] and cinnamon gardens [kurunduvatta] [p48-49].

From Colombo the attention is diverted to Kandy [mahanuvara] where more attention is paid to the plantations, fauna and flora of the area referring to the rare cardamoms and herbal plants.

Chapter five is mostly focussed to the religious side of the country where the aspects of temple rituals like pujas [p82] are emphasised referring to some of the previous comments made by his predecessors, the writer makes fascinating observations on the city of Nuvara Eliya, which is visualised as closer to his heart and soul than any other place in the country.

Its climatic and scenic beauty, the pleasures, the food and drinks, the business dealings of people available are emphasised [p90-94]. The writer emphasises the geological resources in the country in chapter seven where he gives names of precious gems and other mineral resources [p.98-100] like Topaz [pushparaga], Tourmalin [toramalli] and the list is too long and shows the trouble he has taken to note them down carefully.

I felt that the translator Alwis too had taken a special detour from his normal function as a translator to find the right local equivalent name given to each item referred to in the original work.

It looks as if the original writer has left no stone unturned in his search for the excavation of material around him. One example is his reference to the Bo- tree [ficus religiosa (p.117] where he brings to the forefront the enlightenment of Buddha under such a tree as recorded in Buddhist history.

The original writer possesses several aspects added to his function as being the historian sociologist and the general creative thinker cum observer. This is seen specially in chapter eight where he records carefully some of the notes of previous historians and adds his comments on animal species like amphibians serpents elephants and the uses made out of them.

One such reference is made as the elephant being used as an instrument to punish offenders of law and order on the part of the ancient kings, by making the criminal be pounded by the foot of the elephant. [atun lava paga maravima] [p.121].

This is extended giving historical and folk informative sources in the last chapter [chapter twelve p.198] where the cruelties of the ancient kings, especially the last king of Kandyan kingdom, king Sri Wickrama Rajasingha, as regards the punishments are concerned are highlighted.

Chapters ten and eleven are basically dealt with the invasion of Portuguese and Dutch and the nature of their rule in the country. The writer as a historian records all the major incidents in the rule of the two invaders and their impact on the local inhabitants and the conflicts they had with the local rulers as well.

These two chapters underline many of the unknown facts pertaining to the history of the invasion as heard from the elders of the country during his journey as a fact finding mission. A tribute to the translator has to be paid as to the calibre of the translation method he had adopted.

The reader will not feel a moment of dullness that he is reading a translation, as the pages move easily through a lucid style of writing where he too contributes as far as possible. An investigator into our socio cultural and historical aspects of the country as seen through a foreigner will be greatly benefited through this translation.

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Role of women in reshaping society

Satyagraha

Towards Manushya Theology

Author: Dr. Anita Nesiah

Sarvodaya Vishva Lekha Publications

I have known Dr. Anita Nesiah for several years and during that time we served on several committees, mainly dealing on issues related to justice, development, peace and gender issues. She speaks with passion when it comes to these issues and the two books she has produced are a written testimony for what she stands for and struggles and advocate in the Sri Lankan contest.

The fact that Anita has published two important books on crucial issues like justice, peace, reconciliation, solidarity and gender justice is a challenge to the patriarchal domain where generally men occupy the centre stage and happen to speak the last word on issues of this nature.

Anita’s two publications are a timely contribution to the Sri Lankan context by a woman who can speak with passion, authority and credibility. In that sense I count it a privilege to have been asked to review these two books written by a radical woman like Anita.

ethnic conflict

These two books are a critical reflection on what the people, especially women, in the North-East of this country have gone through during the brutal ethnic conflict.

It documents the pain, hurt, anger, brokenness, displacement, fear, experiences of rape and displacement and the anxiety the women in Sri Lanka face in the context of a society ravaged by war and militarization. What is interesting is the links or the connections she makes with the women in the South of Sri Lanka and Israel - Palestine.

Therefore, as one reads two books one sees the marks of a scholar who is able to transcend the ethnic prejudice and link the experiences of women irrespective of ethnicity, religion, class, language and geographical distance to a common struggle and to untie them to work towards the realization of a new vision of society grounded on qualities of Manushya, which is humane, compassionate and caring.

According to the words of Anita Manushya Theology is “.... a conception of a humane theology, as practised by the women who in spite of their dire circumstances care for each other and share their meagre resources in the continuing war in Sri Lanka. (Towards Manushya Theology, p.1).

New vision

Anita also describes Manushya theology in terms of re-visioning “a social movement of God’s people encompassing God’s love and care and moving with hope towards a reconciled humanity and renewed creation...” (Ibid p.141). For Anita this new vision can be realized only on the basis of a spirituality rooted in the faiths practiced by our people.

She gives a good exposition of spiritualities of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam and Christianity. (See pp118-134). According to Anita the core of spirituality is “The strength to love and forgive the “other,” in the process of healing one’s own wounds, in spite of personal tragedy and grievances is the essence of Spirituality” (ibid p.114).

In chapter 5 of Manushya Theology Anita speaks of Spirituality and Reconciliation and she points out a distinctive difference between men’s approach to reconciliation from women.

She says “I argue that, as women, our reflection on our experiences and our religion to these experiences are a gateway to reality. As women we perceive an event differently from the way men do. Instead of judging the “other,” we feel compassion towards them-that is, we see it from their perspective, that of the other.’ (ibid p115).

She explains how this kind of theoretical understanding of spirituality can help us, especially to move on in life. According to her “Many a family has been deprived of having their loved ones with them’ With state sanction some have been roused from sleep at night, seized at their work place and taken incommunicado.

They are kept in prison for months and years under the prevention of terrorism acts; some are tortured, and some have disappeared after arrest. Similarly, innocent families have been roused from sleep and asked to move away from their homelands.

Some families have lost their loved ones in the frenzy of the senseless killings by the militants in the dead of night. Moreover, some have lost their limbs due to the indifferent and inhumane attitude of the perpetrators planting land mines where innocent civilians tread. Finally, some women have been raped and molested” (ibid p116).

Painful experiences

People in the north-East and the South have faced these painful experiences one way or another. Majority of them are still bitter and carry these wounds in them. These are the unresolved grievances a large number of people in Sri Lanka carry with them.

Generally people like to resolve these grievances by taking revenge on the one who has committed this crime. But, Anita suggests that the “...only hope for us women is to turn to our different religious faiths to get solace and gain strength to continue our lives in the dire predicament.

I turn to the great religions born in the East and focus on how the different religions could help heal the wounds, reconcile, forgive and give “Shakthi” in order for us women to continue to live with positive thoughts and action for peace with justice in our serendipitous Sri Lanka” (ibid p116-117).

This is timely advice to a nation like Sri Lanka where so many people carry in their psyche pain and hurt and have still not overcome the desire to take revenge.

literature

The book Satyagraha is another creative piece of literature and she explains the meaning of Satyagraha in the following manner. According to her “Satyagraha, the holding on to truth, involves a process of educating the public and forming public opinion.

Satyagraha is never vindictive or destructive, rather it strives for conversion... To participate in Satyagraha is to persist int he ways of truth in spite of all the difficulties, dangers, and suffering. More accurately it could be interpreted as action based on truth, love. And nonviolence.” (Satyagraha, p39).

In this book she puts together a collection of stories where she describes how the women, particularly in the North-East have gone through painful experiences over a period of time. But she makes a strong case to show that women can be abused, raped, molested and crushed.

But, they cannot easily be destroyed and silenced. According to Anita women have within them the capacity and the power to resolve a conflict by using nonviolent direct action in their struggle to achieve peace and justice in Sri Lanka.

Solidarity

She also brings out a number of examples where women in the South have been in solidarity with women in the North-East. She states that “The women in the South also went up to the North to show their solidarity with sisters who were in great distress, especially during that time of the aerial bombing and shelling by the Sri Lankan armed forces against the civilian population.

...This gesture of compassionate action by the Sinhalese women towards the Tamil women shows that Ahimsa, love, and human kindness, displayed in their spirit gives us hope for peace and reconciliation. The women demonstrated their unconditional love and care for those in need in the war situation” (ibid p.66).

The fundamental argument she makes in these two books is that women’s contribution to peacemaking and to overcome violence has been very minimal.

She shows very clearly that the women can make a difference to reshaping of society, and therefore women can no longer be marginalized, ignored or co-opted to agendas of men.

I recommend these two books to be read both by men and women irrespective of religion and ethnicity.

Rev. Dr. Rienzie Perera

Director/Coordinator, Reconciliation and Peace Desk.

Diocese of Colombo
 

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