Sri Lankan writer from New Zealand

New Zealand is the first country in the world that is kissed by the rays of the sun, when it rises each morning.

The land, that basks in this special solar glory, is renowned for its alluring natural beauty. Many people, right round the globe, know New Zealand as the country overflowing with milk. Some among those Sri Lankans who have migrated to New Zealand, have been inspired to be creative, especially, in the field of literature. Their nostalgia for the mother country, is almost always keep alive.

Outstanding members of the Sri Lankan Diaspora, have earned a name, at times even at international level, for their compelling works of literature. 'Montage' has made it a special point to celebrate the achievements of diasporic Sri Lankans.

Sunil Govinnage, from down under, has acquired a noteworthy international reputation for his literary works, that chronicle the experience of an ultra-sensitive member of the Sri Lankan diaspora, torn away from his original cultural moorings. Montage has made his works, widely available to Sri Lankan readers.

I made my initial reference to New Zealand, as a preamble to a brief and dutiful introduction to a member of the Sri Lankan diaspora, in that land of the first sun.

Nihal Akmeemana

The person, I focus on is Nihal Akmeemana, who has been a New Zealander for the last 18 years. His awakening into the field of creative literature began when he was in his early teens.

He displayed his incipient literary skills, by writing half-a-dozen pieces of fiction. His first-ever published work was 'Mara Pasha' (Death Trap), which provided early glimpses of an emerging creative talent.

His best-known anthology of short stories is titled 'Ektara Katu Satahanak,' (Just a Sketch). He collects twelve of his early stories in this slim volume. In his preface to this series of short fiction, he assures us that they derive from authentic experiences, in his early life.

He feels that although these situations and the men and women who faced them, have now receded to the past, due to the relentless march of time, what they went through is perennial in human experience.

These life experiences will recur, though the personalities may change as days, months and years roll on.

The collection opens with the story titled 'Matusena.' The piece is the record of a tortured self-consciousness of a man of fading youth, who suffers deep pangs at his appearance, which he feels is ungainly.

These thoughts are triggered on, by the sight of his younger brother's wife, whose beauty he senses to be unapproachable to him.

The story ends on a troubling note of intense self-pity.

The title story 'Just a Sketch', is once again a narration of sheer, self-consciousness. The central theme is the first love of a shy and coy young fellow, studying at a university.

His unexpressed love gnaws his heart.

This could perhaps be a common experience of any awkward adolescent, when he is on the threshold of his first love.

What is impressive about the story, though, is the manner he records this keen sensitivity in words.

The anthology, is worth reading as it is, in a way, a verbal record of the gusts of feeling that assail the mind, but are extremely difficult to capture in words.

Nihal Sarathchandra Akmeemana to give his full name, is an architect professionally. His hobby has been the study of Astrology. He was bent on studying Indian Vedic Astrology from 1970 on. He extended his interest into the field of Western Astrology too, later on.

What I am quite appreciative of is his latest commitment to works of literature and the cultural traditions of the mother country. In spite of his long years away from the main stream of the traditions of the mother country, he still cherishes the values he has inherited.

Nihal Akmeemana's creativity is many sided. His regret for those vanished days, is, at times recorded in poetry.

He writes primarily in Sinhala I am quite certain, that, if a worthwhile initiative it will be possible for us to put together the literary works of the diasporic Sri Lankans. This could be done, I feel on an annual basis. Each year, we will be able to bring out a volume of the literary works of the Sri Lankan diaspora, in an authoritative publication.

In the meantime, the Sri Lankans should remind themselves of their inescapable duty to encourage the literary creativity of such members of the diaspora as Nihal Akmeemana.

A prominent diasporic men of letters, of the stature of Sunil Govinnage, could lead such an effort.