RASSL forums explore Sri Lankan Social Sciences and Humanities
View(s):By Janaka Perera
The Sinhalese are genetically the most mixed in Sri Lanka according to current genetic research. And remnants of Sri Lanka’s original inhabitants were neither the Sinhalese nor the Tamils but the Veddahs – the true indigenous people of the country. This was revealed in a presentation made by Dr. Ruwan Illeperuma, Senior Scientist, GeneTech at the Sixth Annual Research Conference of the Royal Asiatic Society of Sri Lanka, last month.
The RAS Annual Research Conference has established itself over the last few years as the most significant forum in the country for research presentations in the Social Sciences and Humanities. Out of nearly 400 research papers submitted to the conference, 266 papers were accepted. Examining samples of the country’s population as classified under ‘the cultural categories’ of Sinhalese, Tamils and Veddahs, Dr. Illeperuma concluded that the Veddahs had the least genetic admixtures proving they were descendents of the original inhabitants and had remained isolated.
The Sinhalese on the other hand, had the largest diversity implying that there were gene flows from several communities into them. This was natural since Sri Lanka was an island at the crossroads of the Indian Ocean where people from across the world left their imprint.
Dr. Illeperuma was addressing a Special Symposium on March 28th on the “Genetic Heritage of Sri Lanka” chaired by Dr. Charmalie Nahallage of Jayawardenepura University. The symposium had three components: one on the pre-history of Sri Lanka by Dr. Nimal Perera, Deputy Director General, Dept. of Archaeology, who traced the history of modern human habitation in Sri Lanka from circa 40,000 years ago up to the historic period.
The other two papers used current molecular biology to answer as to who the Sinhalese and others were. The first presentation by K. Chandimal, Lecturer, University of Kelaniya was on the genetic make-up of inhabitants of villages around Sigiriya.On the 29th, a Special Symposium on the “Promotion of Buddhist Cultural Tourism in Sri Lanka” was chaired by Ariyawansa Ranaweera, former Secretary of Culture.
The speakers were the Thai Ambassador in Sri Lanka Poldej Worachat (on the ‘Potential for Thai Tourists in Sri Lanka), Dr. D.S. Jayaweera, Director General, Sri Lanka Tourism Development Authority (on “Shifting of Tourism Traffic towards Asia and its Potential for Sri Lanka”), Prof. Gamini Adikari, Director General, Central Cultural Fund (on “Cultural sites, under the CCF and foreign visitors”), Madubhani Perera, Additional Director, Tourist Promotion Bureau and Dr. Nimal Perera, Deputy Director, Dept. of Archaeology (on “Important Cultural Sites Outside the Cultural Triangle”) and Dr. Hema Goonatilake, (on “Historical Links between Sri Lanka and Asia”).
A highlight of the Inauguration on the 28th was the awarding of the prestigious RAS Medal to Rev. Fr. Dr. Vito Perniola by the Royal Asiatic Society, President Dr. Susantha Goonatilake. Rev. Fr. Dr. Perniola had made major scholarly contributions to academic activities in History and Pali studies in Sri Lanka. Of special significance was his publication of 19 volumes on the history of the Catholic Church in Sri Lanka. The last day’s Special Symposium was on “Street Artists: Their Styles and Clientele” chaired by Prof. Uda Hettige. The speakers were Sampath Karunaratne, Chandana Pradeep Kumara and Sanjaya Seneviratne. In this symposium an extensive discussion ensued on what was art, genuine or otherwise.
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