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Sunday, 10 November 2013

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Cultural identity of the Sinhalese

Things Sinhala
Author: Hemachandra Senaratne

Hemachandra Senaratne, journalist, author and teacher has launched his book Things Sinhala, after a careful and detailed compilation of age-old cultural intricacies of the Sinhala people. The identity of a group of people always rests on the beliefs and customs of its people. Hence the collection of practices, beliefs and rituals common to a group of people comprises their cultural identity.

Many races lose the traditional practices and valued with time due to interchange of ideas with different cultures and modernisation. The Sinhala culture is no exception. The age-old beliefs have been replaced by modern scientific explanations. The time consuming but pleasant practices of the early Sinhala people have been replaced by practices to suit the busy urban lifestyles of the modern society. Through his book Senaratne has documented disappearing beliefs and practices.

He recognises and highlights the intrusions from the outside cultures but also commends the efforts taken by the people to preserve the remaining values and practices in spite of many foreign invasions.

The book takes the reader on a journey exposing him to the cultural practices of the Sinhala people from birth to death emphasising the important events. Many beliefs and practices associated with the day-to-day activities of the people such as marriage, child birth, puberty, cultivating paddy, and buying and selling are also highlighted.

Moreover, the book documents in detail the vanishing practices such as bathgediya when visiting relatives and friends and marriages between cousins. An elaborate account of the elephants, is also included in the book. Interestingly, the author has tried to describe the animals and the environment as the way the Sinhala people see through their eyes.

The author tries to bring some rationale to the many superstitions associated with the Sinhala people such as carrying a piece of charcoal along with the food taken out of the house, abstaining from performing certain acts on particular days of the week. The rules of popular games they played and methods of settling the disputes are also vividly described. He uses a simple language to keep the reader at ease and to grasp the underlying meanings of the practices. Born and raised as a villager Senaratne has lived and experienced some of the cultural practices that the describes in the book.

The author does not praise nor criticise the cultural practices of the Sinhala people but he emphasises that he only reports them for the benefit of the future generation. Especially the younger generation who has no time and opportunity to be part of the culture of their ancestors.

The book has covered many aspects of the Sinhala culture including the myths, sports, superstitions, environment and festivities. May people are now migrating to foreign lands for various reasons. Some of the children who are born in foreign lands will want to search their roots to claim their identities. For that purpose Things Sinhala will be a useful book.

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