'Perth calling'
by Nowell Hanibalsz
The 4th of February, 1948 'Independence Day' marked the emergence of
Sri Lanka as an independent nation after nearly 500 years of colonial
rule, a transition that occurred without the acrimony and violence
experienced by other countries seeking self determination.
On this very day with the National Flag fluttering proudly at Galle
Face Green, Colombo at the stroke of 12 Midnight Mr. and Mrs. George
Pereira and their two daughters beauty queens from Bambalapitiya boarded
the passenger liner "Himaliya" a long sea journey to Perth Australia. It
was indeed a challenge to George and daughters Kathleen and Charmaine
who were on their way in search of green pastures.
Being of Dutch decent they met the Australian White Policy for
immigration. The year 2007 will be the 59th year when Kathleen Henderson
and Charmaine Vanderwall will sit back and have a flashback of the
Island "The pearl of the Ocean - Ceylon" and in doing so will not regret
the bold step they took to come to a new country.
It was by chance that I caught up with these two very special ladies
in February this year while they were enjoying a quiet holiday with a
group of senior Sri Lankans all in the range of fifty to eighty years
old who called themselves "the ever greens".
This happy group of seniors were all in five beautiful selfcontained
units at the "Family Presentation Centre" on Beach Road, Balnarring,
with a rural setting on Western Port Bay in an atmosphere of quiet and
unhurried, just a walk to the Golden Sandy Beach a wonderful place of
enrichment and relaxation.
Kathleen just passed eighty six was an expert stenographer and worked
for many many years with "Harris Scarfe Perth Australia and in 1948 her
take home pay was around $20 per fortnight while Charmaine almost
Seventy Eight worked for the Mental Health Services as a cook and later
joined "Miss Maude" a chain of well-known restaurants of Swiss origin
her take home pay was almost the same namely $20 per fortnight.
Educated in English at Lindsay Girls School Bambalapitiya were both
devout Christians and belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church.
They both in a very loud voice said we have five pastors in our
family born in Ceylon their hearts and roots go back many years and when
also asked whether they miss their rice and curry replied softly "yes"
but today in Perth every possible ingredient hot and spicy is at hand
and we do from time to time invite our friends and neighbours and
prepare some spicy Sri Lankan dishes that tickle their taste buds and at
times cause them to run around the block.
We do pray that sanity will soon prevail and that the people back
home will live in peace and harmony. During our early days we as
Burghers and Christians lived with Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims -
Buddhists and Hindus and together celebrated the various festivals.
It is time that the olive branch will soon wave and that there would
be peace and harmony and prosperity.
We would certainly love to return to the beautiful island and refresh
our very sweet memories. After all we are only a phone call away from
Perth.
Nowell Hanibulsz is a freelance writer based in Australia
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