Pioneers of Sinhala journalism

Coperahewa has compiled one book on the trends as set up by Wickramasinghe which has come out as a separate volume titled ‘Martin Wickramasinghe – Puvatpat Kala Mehevara (2012). More recent trendsetters of the calibre of D B DHanapala (1905 – 1971), Hemapala Munidasa (1903 – 1957) and David Karunaratne (1918 – 1981) too are featured in this work

A student of the literary history of a country and the history of the growth of mass media in a country cannot afford to miss the value of the profiles of media persons behind each mass media channel. At a time when Sri Lanka (then Ceylon) was introduced to the print medium, one of the main factors one observes is the strength of the men who shouldered the development of the same, making the recipient or the reader in the case to be aware of the socio cultural values embedded in the country. This paved the way to build a special type of indigenous journalism that lasted for over a period of at least 75 years or more.

Dr Sandagomi Coperahewa, a senior lecturer in Sinhala studies at the Colombo University, has embarked on a lofty project of an in depth studies of the contents of the Sinhala newspapers from its very inception. Furthermore he has intensively collected material for the compilation of a series of profiles of the pioneer Sinhala journalists, inclusive of such scholars as Koggala Johannas Pandita Tilaka (1830 – 1867). He is justified as the journalist who spearheaded the debate known as ‘savsaddam vadaya’. This, according to Coperahewa, has triggered off an active interest in the use of language which is more akin to terminologies, carried down the ages by those who followed the trend.

Scholarly journalists

Perhaps as hinted in the work, the journalist had been a founder of certain new uses that had entered the field of journalism, which we nowadays denote by this term ‘key terms’. Then comes the scholar journalist Pandit M Dharmaratne (1846 – 1925) who had been the founder author of ‘Lakmini Pahana’, a paper later edited by the well known scholar Munidasa Cumaratunga (1887 – 1944) about whom the author Coperahewa devotes more space.

The profiles are arranged in the chronological manner enabling the interested reader to gather the historical development of the patterns and crosscurrents that had led the way to change the format of communication insights of each journalist. Humour too had played a significant role in the creation of readership in the country.

One example is the profile G D Palis Appuhamy (1847-1910) who edited ‘Kavata Katikaya’. Then comes the profile of the dramatist cum journalist C Don Bastian (1852 – 1921). He is accorded honour of being the first editor of a daily paper called ‘Dinapata Pravurthi’. He is also remembered for several original works, and adaptations of occidental playscripts inclusive of ‘Rome and Juliet’.

The other journalist in line, who had been cited as a trendsetter of the Sinhala newspaper is Weragama Punchibandara (1856 – 1892) is honoured for the newspaper titled as ‘Sarasavi Sandarasa’. In all there are eighteen profiles, some briefly written, and perhaps one fine day the compiler may have the chance of developing them into lengths and interesting works.

There is a need in the modern day communication studies to rediscover some of the works of pioneer journalist cum classical writers of the caliber of Piyadasa Sirisena (1875 – 1946), Piyasena Nissanka (1890 – 1970), Martin Wickramasinghe (1890 – 1976), Julius de Lanerole (1896 – 1964).

The author Coperahewa has compiled one book on the trends as set up by Wickramasinghe which has come out as a separate volume titled ‘Martin Wickramasinghe – Puvatpat Kala Mehevara (2012). More recent trendsetters of the calibre of D B DHanapala (1905 – 1971), Hemapala Munidasa (1903 – 1957) and David Karunaratne (1918 – 1981) too are featured in this work. Covering each profile, Coperahewa has cited sources and bibliography from which he has gathered material for his research.

This work of the scholar Coperahewa serves two main purposes. Firstly, each profile underlines a social history of the era in which the media (print) had evolved.

Secondly the work underlines the challenges faced by each journalist to strive towards a better communication culture, which we need today. It is observed that each journalist included in this, had had an impact on the society, which in turn is factor that has to be rediscovered today.

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