Gratiaen Prize 2006 awarded – Any thoughts on the Winners?
The Gratiaen Prize 2006 was jointly awarded to Senaka Abeyratne for his play ‘Three Star K’ and Isankya Kodituwakku for her collection of short stories “The Banana Tree Crisis”.
-The Sunday Times 25/03/07
(article not available online)
A kickback to my earlier post would explain this writer’s interest in finding out to what extent the Gratiaen is seen as being a useful developer of Sri Lankan writing in English .
Has anyone read the stories or seen the play? If so what are your thoughts on this year’s winners? Has the Gratiaen lived up to its potential and raised the bar for Creative Writing in Sri Lanka?
I have not had the time to read Good Little Ceylonese Girl (though I have it with me) and haven’t really heard much of the other two writer’s.
Am I the only frog in the well with regard to these writers? If that is the case then the Gratiaen must be commended. But how good are the works(in your opinion)? Maybe not even a comparison but at least what you felt about an individual work.
Your time and opinions would be much appreciated.
The Need for Free Education
All who have meditated on the art of governing mankind have been convinced that the fate of empires depends on the education of youth.
- Aristotle.
Given the continuous hullabaloo the JVP creates over free education the need for free education in Sri Lanka is a topic of hot discussion. As a person who has had the benefit of receiving a private primary and secondary education and is now engaged in a “free” tertiary education program this writer’s is in a better position than most to discuss the issue.
Education in Sri Lanka has been free following Dr. C. W.W. Kanangara’s initiative in 1938. Almost 70 years of free education later Sri Lanka has one of the highest literacy rates in the world. S’s comment on Sach’s blog again promotes the whole make-them-pay-for their-education as a panacea for dealing with her particular situation. This is not a fresh view of the system and has been promoted many times before.
The idea is that if a person has to pay for her/his own education they will take it more seriously and be more circumspect in their activities during this period.
However, this view in itself is inherently flawed. It bases itself on the preconceived notion that only those rich enough to pay for their education will make proper use of it and the logical progression from that point onwards is that those who cannot afford such education, are uncivilized pigs being handed pearls on a platter.
The elitist mentality behind this view is unbelievable. Some of the biggest thugs around the Colombo night scene are the sons of ministers supposedly well educated at the best international schools. Consider the Royal Park murder as a prime example of this. Yet many people continue to make the point about how education needs to be limited.
It is also not very easy to compare a private education with a public one. The biggest difference this writer sees is that while there is very little exposure to the wider spectrum of society in a private education the public education system provides for a great diversity in class and views. This is especially apparent in the Universities. By limiting education only to those who have the ability to pay for this one’s obviously blinkered view of society is merely promoted rather than stripped away.
A free education also provides for those who do not have the ability to afford education. Many of them benefit through the grade 5 scholarship program. Yet this call for limited education notable excludes at least 80% percent of the population (on the basis that 20% of Sri Lanka’s population consume 80% of its products). Would this limiting of education better the situation.
Given a best case scenario Sri Lanka would then be reduced to a literacy rate of around 40-50%. This would no doubt have adverse effects. Despite the high literacy rate Sri Lanka has a high crime rate, a high number of teenage preganancies and a very high suicide rate. This is not to say that those issues are based solely on education but rather than education goes a long way in curbing those numbers. It would also be a serious drain on the country’s economy.
So why then this passionate cry for limited education. The issue is that Sri Lankan youth have continually proven to lack the understanding of the responsibility that comes with free education. There are very few who believe that they are being handed a gift meant to handled responsibly.
There is a definite assumption that the Government should provide everything ‘free’. This writer cannot comprehend why graduates are a.) finding it so difficult to find jobs and b.) why the government has to provide them with these jobs. The fact that each presidential candidate keeps making these promises to graduates without jobs does not help the situation. If one has received a free education right through to tertiary education the onus is firmly on the beneficiary to give back to the system or at the very least not be a burden to the system.
It is this writer’s view that free primary and secondary education should continue and I doubt many arguing with this stance. However I call for a change to the free Tertiary education system in that the university education be tied to a period of service to the government similar to the Singapore University Scholarship system which requires a beneficiary to stay and work in Singapore for two years. By bringing a sense of responsibility to the state through the means of making a period of service compulsory would bring about a sense of responsibility especially to the university system. A period of service of teaching in a government school for example would be a good starting point as well as address the dirth of teachers.
It is this kind of change that would enable people to view their education as being more than a free lunch. Not the parroting of elitist views of limited education. Sri Lanka needs education and that education must continue to be free. But let us never never forget that Free Education is not just a right but is more importantly our greatest responsibility.
And Royal Went Phut… Again
When this writer observed Ah Royal! How the mighty have fallen even he did not think that Royal had fallen so badly.
But then came the one day and it was plain to see that the Royalists had gone so far as to shock themselves.
This game of cricket is indeed a funny one. And seeing the formidable Thomian batting line up decimated boded well for the outcome of the match. Not that I wanted Royal to win just that as a human being I was kind of wanting them to save a bit of face… Kind of. But as I mentioned on Parthi’s Blog I am left to wonder if the Royalists “rise” at all.
What of spirit and grit and saving face? What of courage and commitment? What of driving the nails in to the coffin?
As a Thomian supporter I feel really let down that Royal did not put up a proper fight and at least get close to wining properly. I mean when you have 150 to score to win and you are 50 for 2?
So basically Mowjood and co are now getting their knickers untwisted by the pool attendants and the Thomians are celebrating the great escape.
And following this year’s showing even Thomians are left to wonder…Ah Royal wherefore art thou Royal?
Questioning Neosexism
“A man is a man, is a man, is a man, is a man.”
Reading Sach’s post on her experiences at the hands of “male chauvinists” was thought provoking. Even in the pro-feminist era men are still to come to terms with the fact that women are their equals and not their sex objects.
Centuries of conditioning doesn’t help either. In this light it is pertinent to examine the issue of sexism in today’s context.
This post does a lot to examine the idea of male chauvinism. However, there appears to be a perception that male chauvinism is about “getting some”. This in itself is an inherently sexist notion that stereotype men in general. This is not to say that men are not like that but rather to point out that chauvinism need not necessarily be limited to that. The simple view that women are inferior to men is the starting point of this type of chauvinism and may manifest itself in many different ways. For example one need not have sex permanently on their minds to be sexist.
Women no doubt will have a lot to say about the above assessment.
But then life in the pro-feminist era is heavily complicated. Simple statements are easily misconstrued. Its the era of Reverse Sexism.
While appreciating the value of the feminist movement it is also important that women use this tool with commonsense. There is little use of being feminist in a non-feminist situation. For example, at the forum theater at Checkpoint (last year) this writer was amused to find women clamoring to hear the wives speak as it was patently obvious that the resolution of the drama lay with the men. That was a shortcoming of the stock scene but my point is that while feminism is appreciated it must be used with commonsense.
Failing to do so would result in a loss of credibility for the movement. Women have to deal with many issues as a result of their sex and this type of unnecessary promotion of feminism will only further this divide.
This is not to say that Feminism is bad but rather to point out that any kind of position of power must be used with commonsense for that position to be maintained.
Where then do men stand on this? It is this writer’s firm belief that men need to move on with the time. We are no longer the uncivilized Neanderthal and times do change. Failing to appreciate this fact will only serve to widen the divide between the sexes.
At the same time however it is important to establish the principle of equal rights. This is what the feminist movement based itself on.
But then after centuries being the “traditional woman” is being “equal” to man good enough?
Critiquing Creative Writing in Sri Lanka
The shortlist for this year’s Gratiaen Prize has been announced and the readership of Colombo eagerly awaits the final decision come March 24th.
As such it would indeed be a good time to examine the state of creative writing in Sri Lanka at present.
The fact that SL has a flourishing publishing industry is painstakingly obvious. One merely needs to browse through the book racks of Vijitha Yapa to note the growing number of relatively little known writers among the likes of Carl Muller, Yasmine Gooneratne and Nihal De Silva to name a few.
While appreciating the growing industry, it is important that Sri Lankans do not forget that creative writing requires certain standards and talent. Having read Lal Maddawattegedera’s The Window Cleaner’s Soul which was shortlisted for the Gratiaen a few years back has left this writer to seriously question the ability of the Gratiaen Prize to set the right kind of benchmark for Sri Lankan literature.
Having gone through the horror of a couple of really putrid books by authors I have thankfully forgotten it is indeed with a deep sense of regret that I wonder why Creative Writing in Sri Lanka has never really been able to attain a greater global audience. If one leaves out Michael Ondaatje, Romesh Gunesekera and Shyam Selvadurai, simply for the fact that they are more “foreign” writers, Sri Lankan literature looks rather bare.
This is not to say that Sri Lanka is incapable of producing writers of the caliber of Kiran Desai or Arundhati Roy. Nihal De Silva and Carl Muller as well as Jean Arasanayagam have all been great proponents of Sri Lankan Creative Writing in English.
My point however is that homegrown writing in English is woefully below standard at present.
This is why the Gratiaen Prize becomes imperative to the future development of creative writing in Sri Lanka. It serves to set a benchmark for what should be achieved and in that sense it should do its best to attain a high standard. Perhaps even going so far as to not award the prize if there is no work that should be awarded a prize.
This writer also firmly believes that there is an urgent need for the educational authorities to institute creative writing as part of the curriculum in secondary and tertiary education. The ability of writers need to be developed in a more formal environment as well. This is not to suggest that structures and theories be imposed on students but rather that in a formal educational environment space for creativity be provided for those seeking such guidance. It could take the form of the informal Inklings of Oxford lest this writer be accused of being pedantic.
Furthermore the staging of such events as the Galle Literary Festival is a step in the right direction. However, the benefits accrued by the Sri Lankan readership needs to filter down to the writer as well. While exposure to the writers of international standards are useful and workshops at the festival no doubt come in handy is there any possible means of sustaining that good work throughout the year?
This writer does not wish to seems as though he has all the answers. However it is time that Creative English writing in Sri Lanka get the boost it has long been in need of. Yes lets encourage young writers and yes lets give them the publicity they deserve. But never never let us compromise on quality.
Which is why this year’s Gratiaen Prize will be eagerly looked forward to. So it is hoped that the Gratiaen prize will do its best to set a benchmark for the future of Sri Lankan writing in English. I have not had the opportunity to read any of the books shortlisted for the prize. But it is my hope that when I do I will be encouraged to continue looking forward to the arrival of the next Michael Ondaatje who is Sri Lankan in every sense of the word.
The Paths of Glory
Reading the Sunday Times Defense Column and then D.B.S. Jeyaraj’s article on the state of a society dealing with the dark side of war preparations, an all out war appears to be inescapably imminent.
It would be rather sanguine to view what has taken place thus far as being an all out war as the GOSL Army did not really faced a long drawn out battle for either Sampur or Vakarai. Which then allows for the conclusion that the LTTE was conserving itself for battle on a later date. The fact that Colonel Karuna has been to the East to obviously boost morale suggests that the drums of war are steadily growing stronger.
I also found it quite interesting that Col. Karuna in his interview partially blames Tamil leadership for the on going war. Plaudits to Col. Karuna for at least being one of the few Tamil leaders to see the need for both parties to identify and accept their mistakes.However, his almost simultaneous promotion of negotiation as the way to resolution can only be viewed as laudable comment by the severely retarded. In the murky waters of battle preparation and spin doctoring the sacrifice of integrity is indeed lamentable.
It is indeed interesting to question the absence of such principles of glory and honor in terms of the Greeks and the Japanese in what is quite obviously now a theater of war in Sri Lanka. Or is that really the case? Perhaps with the changing face of modern warfare the idea of honor and glory have evolved to mean something more than the archaic values of Homeric epics.
The ideals of courage is now defined by what a person is willing to say and in what forums they will say it. Thus it is not merely a speaking out that defines courage. It is the context in which the speaker speaks out. And like being in a physical battle “courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important” (Ambrose Redmoon).
The new swing to the ancient concepts of glory and honor is indeed an interesting phenomena. It brings in to focus where exactly the true war takes place. So while the GOSL, LTTE, TMVP and everyone else ready their guns and sharpen their knives to have a go at each other for the millionth time the search for a new Richard de Zoysa, Rajini Thirangama or a Neelan Tiruchelvam intensifies.
Allow me to finish the above extract though…
“The paths of glory lead but to the grave”
… what of our judgment then?
The Ides of March Came Early
“There are events which are so great that if a writer has participated in them his obligation is to write truly rather than assume the presumption of altering them with invention.”
Ernest Hemingway
Ah Royal! Oh how the mighty have fallen.
Speaking to the Royal Deputy Head Prefect before the match he assured me that there would be some kind of result at this year’s Big Match. I don’t think even he was expecting this kind of a result.
As a friend of mine summarizes it …. “[H]igh Score, [A]ll Out, [F]ollow On – pwned”
As we watched the first and second days play unfold the memories of last year slowly drifted away washed away with the exhilarating euphoria of what can only be described as “pure pwnage”. As Ashan and the rest of the team recover from last nights shenanigans, let us spare a thought for Mowjood and co languishing in the arms of the minor staff of Royal somewhere.
Perhaps what annoys me the most is the fact that Royal did not make a fight or a match out of it and the only truly commendable achievement was that they dragged the match out till the last day.
At the end of the day Royal have only themselves to blame for what must rate as one of their worst performances in recent times. The toss aside, the amount of spilled chances (inclusive of both Ashan and Mazhair in the space of one ball) the silly dismissals and the amazing number of run outs leaves this writer truly astonished.
The way the third day played itself out – two run outs mind you one brilliant the other a gift seriously questions the mind set of the Royalists in this match. Its fine to go down fighting but silly capitulation is something totally different.
But ravings against the Royalists aside, hats off to the Thomians… Played like true masters. And the Thomian Souvenir with the Phoenix as its cover photograph best describes the Thomian mindset. They came out fighting and fought all the way.
Looking back on this match we will all be extra proud to have waved our flags, screamed ourselves hoarse and cheered you guys on. You deserved this. And whatever the detractors may say let us never never think that this was a result of some shamans magic. Going through some pictures of last years match when STC fought hard for the match, it can only be said “oh how the mighty have fallen”.
But in the best spirits of the Royal Thomian let me hope that next year will be different. That next year there will be a Match.
But for now allow me the luxury of basking in the happiness of exulting in pride and of living on a continuous rush of Blue, Black and Blue. For this year the Ides of March Came Early.
Ah the Memories of March
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers;
For he to-day that sheds his blood with me
Shall be my brother…and people now-a-bed
Shall think themselves accursed they were not here.
Leaving College on a high note will always be one of those reasons I look back on College and say ‘this was meant to be’. As we sang the College song and walked out of the Main Gate for the last time, in our hearts we knew that we were leaving a part of ourselves behind. We were leaving our innocence, we were leaving our sheltered life, we were leaving our youth behind.
Ah the Memories of March.
The papare bands – well in our case the DJ playing Papare as the administration refused permission for papare bands. The neat white uniforms, straw/wicker hats, ties and badges. The souvenirs and the tent, the house cops and the old boys. Those were the days of absolute bliss and satisfaction.
What’s that you said – you can’t understand a word? That’s probably because you’re not a Thomian or God forbid during this time a Royalist. (and I say that with the full knowledge that someone somewhere is saying exactly the opposite) No one else would understand ‘it’. Describe it – Sorry we can’t and we won’t. It’s a part of us we will not share with the uninitiated and the best you can do is guess at it.
So go Thora… Ashan another one for before you leave. You’ve been through all the shit (Yes some of us still remember) and you deserve this. Mowjood I hope you find most of your testicle and give the Thomian’s a good fight for the rest of the match. Play up man and you should have learned by now how not to make excuses. If you haven’t you can always depart.
Anyway with much nostalgia, hopes for the match and cheers to the team I will sign off.
Before I do go though a shout out to my friends who were part of “the Match”.
“For the good times shared that will never be forgotten; For never failing to lift me up when things seemed to be going bad; I cannot thank you enough”
- Our Souvenir
Moderately on the Fence
I don’t like to commit myself about heaven and hell – you see, I have friends in both places.
- Mark Twain
With many apologies for my brief hiatus I wish to examine the way identity is subjected to strict polarization.
As a University student of a very much politics driven University the issue of identity had for a long time been a predetermined one. Either for or against, arts or science, rag or anti rag and based on that friend or foe.
This polarization is almost rigid to some, strictly observed by others and almost never considered fluid. Which places a moderate in a very tricky situation to choose or not to choose. And neutrality itself then becomes fluid. For unless one wishes to completely isolate one’s self from the society there seems to be a very limited number of options available to the moderate.
Perhaps the issue was common to Kadirgama, Rajini Thirangama, Richard de Zoysa and now seen in more moderate voices on the Tamil issue such as Aadhavan and Aacharya. The issue of being a moderate by definition isolates one from the those who are radical in their views.
Sri Lanka seems to thrive on a strict polarization of identity. The attacks by both the Government as well as the LTTE on what is undoubtedly a moderate voice of reason exemplifies this.
But is the moderate misplaced? Perhaps he or she is wrong to see issues in shades of grey and not in a polarized black and white. Why further muddy up the muddy waters?
Is it that a moderate agrees partially with a concept but not with the promoter of it? Or is it the person who approves of the ideal bit opposes how it is implemented? And what of the person who refuses to accept such polarities? At the end of the day moderation in itself is fluid and determined by the person holding these views.
The willingness of society to examine itself under the magnifying glass of objectivity is best measured by her reaction to moderates. In the case of some communities the presence of moderates is in itself such a measure.
So to place this in a personal context. This is to let the world know that i am now ‘friendly’ with a student union. In case you missed that particular newsflash for further clarification please contact my friends at the university.
What people fail to understand is that being someone’s friend does not necessarily ensure that one agrees completely with their actions. Friendly with members of the union note not agreeable with all their policies. I see weaknesses and i have seen failings and my position as a friend has also given me the ability to discuss my views openly with people who can make a change in policy. I see this as a result of this friendship.
However some of my friends see this as me going ‘down the wrong path’; ‘mixing up with the wrong people’; ‘being blind’ and in general discarding any iota of commonsense i formally possessed. So to apply my experiences with a broader perspective does this mean that moderate opinions should remain merely opinions?
Examine the reaction to Aadhavan on Ravana’s blog. Not just from the Sinhalese but especially from the Tamils involved in the discussion. Is Aadhavan too expected to keep his opinions to himself as they do not agree with the more hardline stance?
The issue as i see it is not so much in the views but in their expression. People are very much aware that the more radical you are in your beliefs the more likely you are to actively pursue at least 50% of your diatribe.
Moderates are never taken seriously because come on your on the fence and that is not a very strong position to be in. After all too many people on the fence and the fence will break wouldn’t it.
Perhaps there should be less fences to sit on… And perhaps there should be only two colors – black and white… And perhaps life should be so simple…
