Monumental biography of a great film-maker

LJP - Lester James Peries - Life and Work

Author: A. J. Gunawardene

With an introduction by Wimal Dissanayake

Edited by Robert Crusz and Ashley Ratnavibhushana

Published by the Asian Film Centre, Sri Lanka

244 pages, Price - Hard Cover Rs. 1000, Soft Cover Rs. 750

The Asian Film Centre, Sri Lanka has published the first complete biography of Lester James Peries, one of the greatest film-makers of Asia and of the World. The author, the late Prof. A. J. Gunawardene, was a close friend of LJP and collaborated with him as the scriptwriter of three of the filmmaker's well-known films - Beddegama (Village in the Jungle), Kaliyugaya (The Age of Kali) and Yuganthaya (End of the Era) Prof. Gunawardene began researching and writing this biography of Lester James Peries in the early 1990s.

Intention

His intention was to enhance the narrative with his own insights, analyses and assessments of the filmmaker's work. Sadly he passed away in 1998 before he could complete this labour of love.

However, the manuscript, which was in the possession of Dr. Lester James Peries proved to be a treasure chest of Prof. A. J. Gunawardene's singular writing style as it shone through to illuminate the heart and mind of his esteemed subject. Dr. Peries passed the manuscript over to the Asia Film Centre which has now brought it up to date with his latest film Ammawarune.

Colonial Ceylon

The biography comprehensively covers LJP's life from his childhood in colonial Ceylon, through the post-war years in London where he worked as a journalist and then an experimental filmmaker, and takes us through his nearly 56 years of filmmaking in Sri Lanka right up to his new film.

An introduction has been included in the form of a detailed and comprehensive assessment of the work and influence of LJP by the respected and widely published academic in the field of the cinema and cultural studies. Prof. Wimal Dissanayake. The publishers have also added a complete filmography and a biodata section, plus an index and many archival photographs, which make this biography a worthy tribute to both the writer and his subject.

The Asian Film Center (AFC) was founded in 1991 to enhance and enrich film culture in Sri Lanka and to expand the appreciation of film as a culturally relevant art form among all sections of the population. The AFC actively pursues a policy of developing a viable world film culture in Sri Lanka with a special focus on Asia. It plays a unique leading role in film education and training, film appreciation, hosting foreign film festivals and promotion of Sri Lankan film worldwide.

Introductory essay

Profiling Sri Lankan Cinema, published in 2000, co-authored by Wimal Dissanayake and Ashley Ratnavibhushana, was an introductory essay aimed at the non-specialist and general readers written with a deep acquaintance with contemporary film theories.

It focused very concisely on the growth of Sri Lankan Cinema, and on mapping its high points and dominant trends, with discussions on the more important filmmakers. The Tamil translation of the same book was published in 2001.

AFC is affiliated to the Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema (NETPAC) an internationally recognized organization for the promotion of Asian Cinema.

Mandatory reading for those aspiring to priesthood

Life of Blessed Joseph Vaz

Apostle of Sri Lanka

Author: S.G. Perera SJ

Published by Humanics

Universal Inc., Canada

Review: Audrey de S. Wijeyeratne

My father who was a public servant once served in Puttlam. Out of the mist of time, I recall my father one day telling me on our way to church, that Fr. Joseph Vaz served the Catholics in that area. That was the first I heard of Blessed Joseph Vaz. Since the visit of the Holy Father and the beatification of Fr. Joseph Vaz, much has been published in the local media about Fr. Vaz and his work in Sri Lanka.

Most Catholics in Sri Lanka have some knowledge of the important events in his life like the miracle of rain in the Kandyan Kingdom, his selfless service in nursing the victims of the dreaded small pox epidemic, and how single handedly he helped the Catholics suffering under the Dutch persecution to remain loyal to their faith.

Only after reading the third reprint of Fr. S.G. Perera's book, published by Humanics Universal Inc. was I able to obtain a comprehensive picture of the life and work of Fr. Vaz.

Considering the conviction of many people in Sri Lanka, India and even in other parts of the world, that Blessed Joseph Vaz is indeed a saint, and that he should be canonised as soon as possible; publication of this third reprint is indeed very timely. The conviction that Blessed Joseph Vaz is indeed a Saint is also very clearly expressed by Fr. Aloysius Pieris who has written the Foreward for this third reprint.

The founding of the Catholic church by the Portuguese was a "ready made organisation imposed on all who harkened to the gospel of Christ". With the arrival of the Dutch, the Portuguese and their religion was soon extirpated from the island. The abandonment by the church of the Catholics of Ceylon was disastrous. Neither the King of Portugal, the patron of the Indian Missions, nor the Bishop of Cochin, whose diocese included Ceylon, stirred a finger to help the Catholics desperately holding on to their faith from the inevitable danger of losing it completely.

Safety

When the Lord called Fr. Vaz to Ceylon, it was not an easy task for him to undertake. He had to contend with the ecclesiastical authorities who had their own petty feuds and jealousies. No other priest was willing to accompany him to Ceylon.

Worried about his personal safety, the authorities discouraged Fr. Vaz from going directly to Ceylon and wanted him instead to go to Kannara, an area administered from Colombo so that he would be in a position to ascertain the feasibility of safely carrying out his desire to go to Ceylon.

Fr. Perera writes that Fr. Vaz "was in the habit of seeking the guidance of Providence through the voice of others." Being a man of great humility, he had greater confidence in others than in himself when faced with a decisive problem. Fr. Vaz often sought the advice of his spiritual director through whom, he believed; he heard the voice of God. This trait is seen throughout his life. When faced with important decisions, he always sought and took into account the counsel of his faithful.

It is interesting to read of Fr. Vaz's exploits in Ceylon such as his arrival in Kandy and his winning over the goodwill of Vimaladharmasuriya, the King of Kandy, to be able to establish himself there. He also faced the great dilemma of having to reveal his identity as a priest to the Catholics he wished to serve without at the same time exposing himself to the Dutch authorities. Despite the danger to himself, Fr. Vaz's primary concern was protecting the faithful who met with him from Dutch persecution.

Informative

The book is very informative about the social conditions of the era, aspects of the caste system, and some quaint place names - offshoots of Portuguese words - such as Saffragam for Rathnapura - thuppaih, which I always presumed to be a derogatory term for the Westerner but which really was a reference to those who spoke two languages.

It is also full of background information such as the use of passports, "a print seal in clay," procedures at ferries etc. Words of a bygone era like redound, abjure, behest and eschew are scattered throughout. The machinations of the Dutch to get rid of the Catholics not so much out of religious fervour but as they were feared for their possible allegiance to the Protugeuse, there by a threat to themselves, are clearly revealed.

The Holiness of Fr. Vaz, his care and concern for those in his charge and for his brother priests later on, his total disregard of his personal needs, hours spent in prayer make very interesting reading. This book should be made mandatory reading for all those who aspire to the priesthood or religious life.

A book that takes the reader back to a magical era

Galle Fort - the Heritage City

Author: Dr. K. D. Paranavithana

Review: Padma Edirisinghe

Significant facts of historical knowledge fascinate many, especially when they cascade down the springs of early civilization of man. However it's an exaggeration to encase the topic of the book under review to this "womb - period" of the saga of civilized human history.

Yet almost it does so, in a strange way, to a dim period of the story of man, when the giant rocky boulders that yet fringe the Galle harbour guarded our shores and rustic carters and masticating oxen after the day's work was done lazed in bivouacs or Galas as the sun a ball of red dipped into the Indian ocean.

Today this city which owes its name either to the Galas or galas (Stones) has risen to world fame along with the Galle Fort and this amazing tale is succinctly told in this large publication. Perhaps no less significant, though told in a few brief lines in the introduction, is the story of the author's rise to academic fame, a rise that could inspire many a young man and woman.

The author makes no pretence at all to an exotic family background but very candidly reveals his own simple beginnings in a remote village in the Southern province whose capital just spelt magic till his own exposure to the Southern city. To use his own words:

"The first visit of mine to Galle from my native village, Ginimellegaha, took place in or around 1950. One of my uncles took me there while he was attending law courts located in the Fort. On his way back we stopped at a huge banyan tree".

On seeing the Galle city, fort and environs, he writes: "At first sight I was excited by the gigantic size of the ramparts, the extensiveness of the harbour and the diversity of social life in Galle... I did not dream that I would be the author of two books (on this city), one in Sinhala in 1994 and the present work in 2005, on this wonderful city. As I grew older I read writings ranging from Dutch, British and local sources. Galle fort, the heritage city is a conversion of such knowledge into a publication.

Before going on to review the book some words should be mentioned of the author himself. He zoomed to a superior position in the galaxy of the academic elite of the island, working on the university staff of Rajarata University while holding the post of President of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka. Many publications have been put out along the way and the boy from the rustic village of Ginimellegaha on the banks of the Gin Ganga has even been honoured with the Order of Knight of the Order of Orange Nassau.

However, he certainly had a large slice to chew on when he took over this assignment of writing on Galle Fort, a far more difficult task than hanging on to his uncle's hand and staring with awe at the massive structure. The fat content matter has been compartmentalized into 21 sections that precludes a segment on its history which however runs through like a thread weaving in and out. Page nine gives the first report of Galle fort to the king of Portugal by a Spanish captain.

'It is a small affair built of palm trees and mud with only 30 soldiers."

That was in the early 17th century (Circa 1602 ?) when the Dutch, responsible for the present giant structure were already eyeing Lanka's shoreline.

To come back to the 21 chapters they are, location, maps, plans and drawings, ramparts, bastions, streets, churches, public buildings, warehouses and trade, private houses, lifestyle, museums, places of worship, schools, recreation, law courts, library, transport, hotels, lighthouse, bank and the last chapter on tsunami and aftermath, that gives the brave tale of the fort's resistance to the island's worst natural catastrophe. Only the artifacts of the new Marine Museum of Galle Fort's myriad possessions, went back to the sea from where they came from.

Prof. Senake Bandaranayake, writing, a foreword to the book pays this exotic tribute to the city of Galle:

"Through many centuries, the ancient Southern port of Galle, with its sheltered and well watered harbour has been a historical centre of Sri Lanka's contact with the world beyond. Its importance, lies in its strategic and central location straddling the sea lanes of the Indian ocean." He calls it a Silk Road hub of the sea, a rare meeting point of the trans-oceanic Southwest and Northeast monsoons and a gateway to a rich hinterland rich in tropical products and ancient crafts.

The Galle Fort he describes as a memorial to a long period of devastating foreign invasion, occupation and hegemony and a monument to the wealth, productivity, technology and craftsmanship of Sri Lankan society in the 17th, 18th and 19th Cs and the unknown workers and mastercraftsmen who were its builders".

The book itself has earned the tribute of a pioneering work, documenting in painstaking archival scholarship and a series of visual images the history and heritage of the fort and harbour of Galle. Actually the visual images, perhaps as a natural corollary of the contemporary trend of visuals attracting more attention than words, almost predominate the content matter.

About 215 photographic illustrations (collected from varied sources) and cartographical drawings and maps cascade through the pages in lush abundance, making the discussed matter quite authentic.

This content matter is treated under 21 segments, each highly significant, ie. Location, maps, plans and drawings, ramparts, bastions, streets, churches, public buildings, warehouses and trade, private houses, lifestyle, museums, places of worship, schools, recreation, law courts, library, transport, hotel, lighthouse, bank and even, a chapter on tsunami and aftermath. The Galle Fort stood a resilient giant against the vicious tides of the tsunami sacrificing only the marine artifacts to the sea god with his unpredictable moods.

Some snippets of information spring as a surprise on the lay reader, as the part played by the ubiquitous Rajasinghe of Sitawaka in using Galle as a war venue. Many a Westerner of note, who has etched his name either in the battle front of navigational arena, weaves his way out of the strange saga of this world heritage, while some of the illustrations takes the reader back to a magical era shrouded by the mists of time.

Perhaps it is the reviewer's weakness that she feels sad that such works of this writer which are the products of laborious research are confined to the English language. A Swabasha translation is almost imperative to be fair by the Swabasha reader.

Provincial Councils' fiscal and financial issues analysed

Decentralization and Provincial Finance in Sri Lanka: 2004 - An Update

Author: D. D. M. Waidyasekera

Institute of Policy Studies

99 St. Michael's Road,

Colombo 3.

Review: A.M. Jayasekera

Decentralization and fiscal devolution have assumed importance in Sri Lanka particularly in the context of the on-going ethnic crisis, but the Provincial Council system which arose from the 13th Amendment to the Constitution has several weaknesses and deficiencies.

The present publication, an update to 2004, analyses the fiscal and financial issues pertaining to the Provincial administrative system. As it states, the Provincial Council System, enacted under the Provincial Councils Act No. 42 of 1987, was an attempt at a process of devolution giving powers to Provincial Councils to plan, execute and manage the totality of selected functions. However, Sri Lanka compared to other countries where multi-level systems of governance prevail, is unique in that the sub-national units were introduced into a state explicitly unitary in character.

The book includes a host of statistical tables and illustrations and emphasizes the fact that the resources devolved to Provincial Councils are both inadequate and insufficient to meet the demands of even a considerable portion of their expenditure.

Born with Budget deficits they depend largely on grants from the Centre for their functioning and existence. Further, the imbalance has also a horizontal dimension in that the Western Province accounts for two-thirds of provincial revenue and one-fourth of provincial expenditure. The book also analyses provincial revenue buoyancy, the nature of provincial expenditure and the weaknesses of the prevailing grants system.

The appendix includes a list of the powers devolved, the Reserved and Concurrent lists, and also a summary of the recommendation made to enhance the revenue performance of provincial administrations.

The book updated to 2004 would prove useful to policy planners, administrators, students and the general public alike, particularly in the context of the current situation in the country. The author is a former Commissioner of Inland Revenue, Secretary to the 1990 Taxation Commission and presently attached to the Institute of Policy Studies.

The reviewer is a Former Commissioner of Revenue, Western Provincial Council.