Society

Railroading Classism in Post-Colonial Sri Lanka A Class Above

Admin March 24, 2020 649

JEEVANI SINNIAH Comparing classism and railway classes We sat nervously huddled on the wooden bench of the Haputale Railway Station late one chilly August night, clutching our precious collections from the trip to the Hill Country – Kithul Jaggery, jars of Orange Marmalade, Guava Jelly and

Society

Mixed Marriages in Sri Lanka “Religion was never an obstacle…”

Admin March 24, 2020 609

TUSANTHAN VAYIRAMUTHTHU -K.M.RAZOOL Two stories of mixed marriages from different corners of the country “Religion is a way of life, but many problems occur when we consider that man was created only for religion” says Muthukuruppan Sambanthar (71), a retired school principal and former Hindu Religious Affairs Director of the Kandy Department of Education. He […]

Society

How do we treat our seniors? Orphaned Mothers

Admin March 19, 2020 566

AHSAN AFTHAR A photographic investigation of our treatment of Sri Lanka’s senior citizens What you see pictured here are mothers who have been left behind at St. Anne’s Home for the Elders in Wadduwa. They have no blood relatives, but they are together; helping each other in their day-to-day activities. There are no ethnic or […]

Society

Reconciliation & Childhood Lives Beneath the Labels

Admin March 19, 2020 535

VIMUKTHI KARUNARATNE AND K. M. RAZOOL A visual exploration of childhood and reconciliation that begins at a young age Still a nascent community, the Thalpitiya locality in Wadduwa has been in existence only since the mid 90s. Built on land grants by the government, the locale mainly comprises fisherman families of Buddhist and Catholic faiths, […]

Society

Singing the National Anthem Where is the Tamil Identity?

Admin March 11, 2020 581

MELANI MANEL PERERA KARTHIKESU KAMALARANI A dialogue on the new policy to sing the National Anthem in Sinhala only On February 4th is Sri Lanka’s Independence Day. Parallel to the official ceremony in which only the Sinhala language version of the national anthem was sung, a diverse group of activists belonging to many ethnic and […]

Society

Reporting from Wadduwa Pollution & the Peaceful Sea

Admin March 11, 2020 549

LASANTHA DE SILVA Fishing industry in Wadduwa in crisis due to pollution in the sea The sea is calm in Wadduwa at the beginning of each year. Fishing vessels of all sizes easily set sail to catch fish. However, the fishermen seem more silent than the sea. Southern Thalpitiya is a coastal village situated between […]

Society

From Malay Pickle to Mulligatawny The Taste of Harmony

Admin March 11, 2020 563

MISHKA FERNANDO AND SHAKYA MEDAGEDARA Food as the unifying ingredient in the multicultural, multilingual and multi religious island of Sri Lanka From Malay Pickle to Mulligatawny, food has been the one unifying ingredient in the multicultural, multilingual and multi religious island of Sri Lanka. It boasts and burps of dishes that blurred its divisive lines […]

Society

From Kerala to Kandy Granny was a Feminist

Admin March 7, 2020 576

JEEVANI SINNIAH The story of Winifred Jacobs who travelled from Kerala to Kandy in the 1800s My great-grandmother Winifred Jacobs aka Granny (front row, second from right with baby on the lap) packed all her eight children on to a ship and sailed from Kerala, India to the golden shores of Sri Lanka soon after […]

Society

Reporting from Moratuwa The Carpenter’s Story

Admin March 6, 2020 625

SARATH MANULAWICKRAMA The story of a multi-ethnic community joined together by a common craft. Shot in and around the Moratuwa area, this Catamaran video story tells of a community connected by a common profession: carpentry. The carpenters, their employees and the business community alike are linked together with their customers in one seamless community. This […]

Society

A Commentary on Sri Lanka’s Wall Art Trend “No value in art that promotes hatred”

Admin March 2, 2020 554

UPEKSHA UDUWARALLA Senior Lecturer, Charles Dayananda comments on the growing public space art trend in Sri Lanka “Sri Lanka will benefit immensely if our deteriorated national unity can be repaired with art and wall paintings,” said Charles Dayananda, senior lecturer of the Art Department at Aesthetic Teachers’ College in Giragama. However, he opines that the […]