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| Sunday, 14 November 2004 |
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Why a cultural policy? Speech delivered by Dr. S. G. Samarasinghe at the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Sinhala Institute of Culture
Culture is not easily defined, nor are exact definitions required or desirable. However it is agreed that culture embodies the shared product of life and human experience in living, learning, creativity, social cohesion and the belief system. These attributes are universally common to all nations. It is therefore indisputable that mutual respect for national culture is a sine-quo-non for amity, social order, economics and international cooperation. The cultural issues, therefore are interrelated with the social order and fantastic development of the knowledge system inclusive of the scientific and technological disciplines even leading up to space travel. It is in this context that the role of culture has to be evaluated in the new world order. Despite the onset of these new innovations, the traditional wisdom and its norms transcends the confines of such modernisation, the latest being globalisation, the last link so far preceded by political colonialism and technological colonialism. No man barring an atheist could possibly divorce himself from his own belief system. Even an astronaut at the NASA would not walk through a ladder or reside in a Room No. 13 both related to Jesus Christ namely Father, Son and the Holy spirit and the last supper. Thus, every man inherits his belief a reticent facet of culture. Culture with all its ramifications as an ingenious component determines the future of a nation in all its manifestations and aspirations. It is in this context that the Sri Lankan Culture has to be examined and evolve a Cultural Policy taking into consideration, the ethnic and religious heterogeneity, traditional wisdom, the creativity arts and the global reciprocity. Heterogeneity Recognition of the heterogeneous composition of the people - Sinhala, Sri Lankan Tamil, Indian Tamil, Sri Lankan Moor, Burgher and the Malay in every activity executed by a Cultural Policy. All these national cultures should be a component of an all inclusive Sri Lankan Heritage subject to the retention of the cultural identity of each nationality and religion, dispelling the notion that one group is higher than the other group. It is pertinent to record that we have had an indeterminate Cultural Policy since the inception of the arrival of Vijaya in 543 B.C. Its determinate configuration was established with Tissa the Beloved of the Gods (Devanampiya tissa) in 307 B.C. with the introduction of Buddhism by Mahinda and his sister Sanghamitta. Its period of efflorescence with Dutugemunu (161-137 B.C.) and later Parakrama Bahu 1 (1153 A.D.) had its uninterrupted impact (of course with ups and downs) up to 1517 with the Portuguese establishing themselves in Colombo. The traditional wisdom arts and crafts, the artefacts, the language and the literature, sculpture and painting, monuments and their consistency was eroded. The entrenched political domination of the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British nullified the basic foundation of our indigenous cultural tradition. The reasoning of the British for such a strategy can be summed up in the following words of Lord McCauley's minute in instituting English as the medium of instruction in British India in 1835 A.D. 'We must at present do our best to form a class who may be interpreters between us and the millions we govern; a class of persons, Indian in blood and colour but English in tastes, in opinion, in morals and intellect". It was Piyadasa Sirisena, Anagarika Dharmapala, Migettuwatte Gunananda and the other patriots, in the initial phase and later Martin Wickramasinghe, Munidasa Cumaratunga to mention a few who braved to rescue us from this mire. It was Ananda Coomaraswamy, the savant who analysed the existing situation, vis-a-vis the disintegration of religion and the society. Now, however the old spirit has departed and though the unspoilt villager is still a man worth knowing well, the 'educated' classes are sadly degenerate and denationalized (Medieval Sinhalese Art: p.15). So we have to redeem ourselves at least now from this disintegration. That should be our Cultural Policy. The 1948 Independence did not make way for any reformation but followed McCauly's admonition to the very letter. We embraced the living modalities of the British hierarchy in totality. Allegiance to the Queen continued. The new generation toppled this hierarchy in 1956 with the resurgence of a new government. Martin Wickramasinghe characteristically described this transformation as the 'Demise of the Brahmin Caste' (Bamunu Kulaye Binda Vetima). The people aspired for a revolutionary change in their mode of living culture, literature, language and the national identity. True enough a new Constitution was promulgated: Sinhala was made the official language followed by a reasonable use of Tamil and subsequently Tamil too as an official language. As for Buddhism and other religions provision was made in the Constitution. (Sections 9, 10, 14 (1). However the aspired political metamorphosis was not forthcoming. We were still in the world of Lord McCauley. The result was the 1971 Rebellion. This was suppressed, but as long as there is always a new generation forthcoming the momentum was latent until such time the opportunities were crystal clear. The present unison in authority is an ideal situation to innovate such action at least now to discard the aspirations of Lord McCauley and initiate a cultural reawakening. This will have to be achieved within the context of the on going demands of the terrorists, and if acquired to their demands, that will be the doom day of our national culture. Traditional wisdom The incessant continuity of the invaders to suppress our traditional wisdom was only partly successful. Despite their oppression, we inherited the wisdom bequeathed to us by our past generations which is explicit in our ancient monuments, folklore, literature, artistic pursuits and the living it self. The Cultural Policy should therefore identify the lapses and take action to revive the nation's vitality. Creative Arts An ideal environment for creative activity has to be stabilised. It has been accepted that every generation with patriotism, the wisdom of the past and the inherited vision, engage in such cultural activities promoting the creative arts and a cultural vision. It will be necessary to evaluate the present situation and identify the areas needing State and NGO patronage. There are in the first place several State Institutions, academies and schools of arts dedicated to the furtherance of such cultural activities. The State Institutions in fact have a legitimate duty to teach, train and foster the arts and crafts, dancing, music, art, painting, etc. The NGOO on the other hand are funded either locally or internationally on the basis of their project proposals seeking financial support and to that extent they are ethically bound to promote such cultural activities. The literary field is wider in scope and there are already State and Private Organisations. The ideal situation would be to evolve a mechanism to coordinate these for a better output through mutual consultations. Globalisation It is accepted by every country that there should be international cooperation in cultural enterprises. Such cooperation opens new vistas for research and mutual understanding between the nations. The UNESCO is one such world organisation by which we have been very much benefited. We should be alert about their activities and search for other organisations where our artists can have exchange of ideas particularly on the new trends of creative arts. The developing countries need a constant dialogue with the world cultures of course retaining their own identities for them to keep pace with the advancing techniques of culture. This a never ending process demanding the collaboration of our integral overall planning, so that it will be a permanent feature despite the changes in political administration. Conclusion I have made an attempt to identify certain perceptible factors involved in a Cultural Policy. I should mention here that the Ministry of Cultural Affairs (now Cultural Affairs and Heritage) in the past had appointed three Committees to report on this vital subject and draw a Policy in terms of the Preamble (intangible heritage) to the Constitution of Sri Lanka. The first was by H. H. Bandara and the second was by a Committee chaired by Dr. H. A. P. Abeyawardena. The third report was by a Committee chaired by the writer in 1995. Thus there are three reports with abundance of thought and proposals matched by a dismal and pathetic paucity of action. People are hopeful and awaiting to see that the new Ministry will enact a pervasive Cultural Policy in consonance with the ideals and the aspirations of the Sri Lankan Nation. |
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