National Trust lecture: “Oru” and “Maha Oru” and their techno cultural aspects
View(s):The 50th lecture in the monthly lecture series of the National Trust- Sri Lanka will be held at the HNB auditorium, 22nd Floor, HNB Towers, 479 T.B. Jayah Mawatha, Colombo 10 at 6.30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24 . The lecture will be simultaneously transmitted to the E.L. Senanayake Children’s Library Hall at Kotugodella Veediya, Kandy.
The word oru means a trough – something long, narrow and hollowed out. In the present context it means a water-craft carved out of a single tree-trunk, with its components mainly a heavy wooden out-rigger, sewn or lashed to it. Maha Oru is a very much larger version not carved of a single trunk but constructed of 2” thick planks.
Prof. Vini Vitharana has a PhD from London and Ceylon and has authored seven research works on geography, language/ literature, archaeology and cultural anthropology. . He was a lecturer in Sinhala and later Associate Professor Vidyodaya University ; Professor in Sinhala Ruhunu University and Editor-in- Chief, Sinhala Etymological Dictionary from 2002-05. He is presently a Consultant for publications of the Central Cultural Fund.
Lt Cdr Somasiri Devendra graduated from the University of Ceylon and thereafter pursued a varied career as teacher, Naval officer, Company Director, Chairman, Brokers Association and Founder Director of the Colombo Stock Exchange. In retirement he took up his early interests and introduced the discipline of Maritime Archaeology to Sri Lanka which led him to becoming a founder member of the ICUCH (International Committee on the Underwater Cultural Heritage) which is a scientific committee of ICOMOS. He is currently awaiting publication of his book felicitating Prof. Vini Vitharana titled “ORU – PARU – YATHRA:De-mystifying Sri Lanka’s shipbuilding culture”.
The lecture is open to members and to the public at a nominal fee. Further information could be obtained from the Trust Office at the Postgraduate Institute of Archaeology, 407, Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo 7. Tel: 2682730.
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