Creative Communication
Some disappointing thoughts:
Daya Dissanayake
‘Creative Communication and the Influence on Traditional Literature’
was the topic of the presentation made by Prof. Sunanda Mahendra at the
Monthly literary speech organized by the National Arts Council. Prof.
Anura Wickramasinghe chaired the meeting.
The monthly speech, in Sinhala and English on alternative months, was
a regular feature organized by the Arts Council in the past. It was
revived again by the present Chairman of the Literary Panel, Buddhadasa
Galappatty. The pathetic attendance at the lecture displayed the
interest we have in literature.
There were only three members present from the Arts Council and one
official from the Department of Cultural Affairs. The youth, the new
generation, the people who are to continue our literary works, was also
conspicuous in their absence, as Galappati mentioned in his opening
address.
There are five universities in and around Colombo, but only about 10
students from Jayawardenapura were present. Does it mean that Sinhala
Literature is not a subject at the other universities, or that no one is
really interested in our literature, except just enough to get through
the degree examination?
Sunanda Mahendra talked about Creative Communication in the present
day, in all new media of communications available to us, even though the
term may not be used.
Next he talked about Knowledge Sources, which include folklore,
historical, philosophical, anthropological, religious, technological,
cultural and medical science resources, which were required for
successful Creative Communications. All these resources influence our
creativity, directly or indirectly.
He cited examples from Guttila Kavya, Pattini Hella, Kuweni Asna and
Budugunalankaraya. He mentioned that in Sri Lanka none of the
universities yet had started Comparative Literary Studies as a subject
and that the Guttila Kavya is a great literary work which could be used
for such a study, studying it alongside our own ancient and modern
literature and also with literature of other countries, in other
languages.
Vijayaba Kollaya is worth re-discovering and re-reading, even though
it had been rejected as a very poor example for a Historical Novel.
We cling to our traditional roots. But Traditional should not mean
the stereotyped ideas and we should stay in the past or push our youth
into the past. We should use Creative Communications, learn from other
cultures, other social values. As examples he cited W. B. Yeates who had
spent some time on Aran islands and Bertold Brecht who had toured China.
The discussion became lively when Prof. Siri Gunasinghe, raised the
question as to why our Knowledge Sources had dried up. Reasons were
discussed, Siri Gunasinghe, Sundara Nihathamana de Mel and others voiced
their views. There was agreement that the reading habit had deteriorated
very drastically.
It was pointed out that a few decades ago a Sinhala novel would sell
around 15,000 to 20,000 copies, whereas a publisher today would be happy
to sell1000 copies, in a country with around 15 million Sinhala
population.
The media, specially the electronic media was blamed as the major
culprit. That could be a reason for the decline in the quality of the
Sinhala novels too. Some of the recent novels appear to have been
influenced by the ‘teledramas’ they watch on television, both local and
Indian.
But can we blame only the media - the question raised by Sunday
Lakbima Editor Sundara Nihathamani de Mel - when we see the degeneration
of all our cultural values and in our parliament, in the universities
and the Public Sector. A young student from Jayawardenapura joined in
the discussion, bringing out the questions they had about modern
literature, their thirst for new creativity from our authors, and play
writes.
Unfortunately time was running out. The discussion would have become
livelier and more academic, had we been able to continue, as some
members in the audience would have contributed more, if they had the
time. We had Prof. Somaratne Balasuriya, Buddhadasa Galappatty, Malini
Govinnage, P.M. Senaratne, Neil Wijeratne and many others who could have
made valuable contributions in addition to the students.
The disappointment we all felt at the start because of the poor
attendance, was more than compensated by the hope for a better future
for our literary activities, with the discussion which ensued.
Perhaps the Arts Council and the Department of Cultural Affairs
should consider a discussion which could continue for a few hours,
having a panel of academics who can make a really good contribution, and
also invite more youth from the universities and also the media who
could take the message to a wider public.
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