Maureen’s ‘personalized’ writing
 A
senior writer (creative writing and essay writing) Maureen Seneviratne
is well known in most literary and public circles. Her manifold
interests are not yet properly evaluated by critics that matter. She has
been writing for long and authored many books written from time to time.
The younger generation probably had not heard of her despite her
achievements in at least few notable fields. This columnist had known
her since the 1960s as he followed a course in creative writing for
which she was the Course Director. A very amiable and capable person,
she was earlier known as Maureen Milhuisen. She married Mark Seneviratne,
a fine top ranking Airforce gentleman who was the head of the Kotelawela
Academy before his demise.
 Mark
was one of the earlier Defence Analysts I the country. Her brother had
worked for the Daily News and Maureen herself was working for the then
Ceylon Observer as a teenager.
In 1975 she participated in a Comprehensive Course for Third World
Journalists organized by the UNDP held in Mexico.
The blurb on her latest book Travelling Light and other Essays give
this and further information. For the benefit of those not familiar with
her works, here are some excerpts:
Advertising, Publicity and Marketing and Public Relations are her
forte. Her works have been published in many countries. She writes on
social issues. Her creative writing have been broadcast including over
the BBC. She has won several awards both locally and abroad for her
writing. In 1995 she was warded the Hellman-Hamnet Grant for her
committed interest in human issues. She has travelled widely. Presently
Maureen Seneviratne is the Chairperson and a Founder member of the
Protecting Environment And Children Everywhere (PEACE)
Her 150 page book attractively printed has two sections: Essays of
varied lengths and Thumbnail Sketches. In her Introduction, the writer
says “Short stories were to my liking. But above all what I enjoy
writing are comments on the life I see around me, history and current
affairs, and the impact of the past on the present.
It is amazing how people have done same thing over and over again
throughout the centuries. They still do” That admission makes our task
easy as we have come to learn what her preoccupation and purpose of
writing.
The first 118 pages is a new kind of writing by the author and
cover15 chapters. The rest is an assemblage of thumbnail sketches
written under 10 heads. Both sections are very interesting because the
writer writes most of the time in the first person. She couples
anecdotes and first hand observations and experiences to make us
informed of many things we might have not known previously.
We shall take one or two excerpts selected at random to show what
kind of style she employs and it is for us to judge with our own
individual perceptions how her writing satisfies us or not. “For
centuries both Sinhalese and Tamils had lived side by side in harmony
under our kings of yore. The kings themselves and their consorts were a
nice mix of both ethnic groups and never claimed to be ‘pure’ of stock.”
(Chapter 1)
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Maureen Seneviratne |
“The pyramids of Mexico (pronounced Mehico) are mostly stepped and
one can climb those steps right to the top where the chamber of god and
goddess can be entered. The outer walls contain carvings of other Aztec
gods and goddesses” (Chapter 3)
“What I remember mostly of my trip to China for the ceremonial
closure of the UN Two Decades for Women, is the Great Wall, that
stupendous feat of human Endeavour to put halt to the galloping Tartar
invaders, and the exquisite embroideries of China” (Chapter 12)
From Part 2:
During my sojourn at Lake House in the Editorial Division I spent
most of my time when I was not in the field, in what was known as the
Ladies’ Room. We did not like the epithet “ladies”. We ourselves called
it the Women’s Room.
As someone said there are no ladies and gentlemen in journalism, only
men and women…When I joined the other four women in that room they were
by far my seniors. There was Anne, Jeanne, Charmaine and Sunethra. Anne
was regarded by me with awe. She was the Editor of the Daily News
Women’s page….” (Chapter 4)
I found this book extremely interesting. It is available from the
author or at Wimal Enterprisers, 197/30 W A Silva Mawatha, Colombo 06.
[email protected]
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