A much needed trust
To announce that Sri Lanka has a rich cultural heritage is hardly breaking news. We’re repeatedly taught it during school and any Sri Lankan travel brochure you pick up (very rightly) touts its history and heritage along with adjective laden descriptions of the country’s beaches and mountains. But what happens when you fall into the dreaded development trap where you focus on the future with such blinkered determination and energy that you tend to dismiss the past perhaps a little too easily? It’s an easy and understandable trap to fall into when a country is trying to find its foothold and compete with the rest of the world, but its consequences can be irreversible as our past is an intrinsic part of who we are.
For instance, there are 20 something damsels remaining from the 500 damsels of the original mural of Sigiriya. Once supposed to be one of the largest man-made murals, it is now a mere page torn away from the drawing books of history and a sliver of what it once was. The Northern and Southern parts of the Mirror Walls of Sigiriya collapsed over the years and it is the clay mortar centre which still holds after 1500 years of sun, wind and rain. The Mirror Wall’s significance also lies in the fact that it served as a historical guestbook of sorts – having the handwriting of more than 1000 people who visited during the 6th – 14th centuries. Scholars ascertain that the chronological growth of the Sinhala alphabet and language, the literary skills of yore and the details of people who visited could be discerned in the mass of graffiti.
In the Dambulla rock temple, some Buddha statues contain original plaster and pigment surviving from the 5th century while almost a hundred temples in Galle contain historical artwork worth preserving. Meanwhile wind your way towards Jaffna, where you will find families parting with chariots, old artefacts and relics for a pittance, often unaware of their value. These relics are then transplanted into antique shops in Colombo where these scraps of history are commodified and sold for mildly exorbitant sums.
Every now and then, we need a gentle reminder about the importance of conserving our country’s culture before it is too late. And this is where organizations like The National Trust Sri Lanka are important, in assisting already existing conservation activities and helping promote history. The National Trust serves as the country’s cultural conscience and works to protect and raise public awareness of the cultural and natural heritage (both tangible and intangible) of the island. A not-for-profit association and a member of The International National Trust Organisation, which brings together similar associations form numerous countries, the National Trust Sri Lanka recently completed its tenth year. A branch was also established in Kandy.
Speaking to the Sunday Times, Professor Nimal Perera, President of the National Trust Sri Lanka, underscored the importance of collective responsibility in conserving Sri Lanka’s heritage and the activities undertaken by the National Trust. He explains that the National Trust advises and helps government institutions engaged in conservation, provokes interest among people about their national heritage, attempts to engage with the younger generation and assists in documentation and preservation of history. The National Trust’s monthly lectures are open to the public and are a familiar fixture in Colombo calendars with the Trust completingnearly 100 lectures. The subjects of these lectures have ranged from Sri Lankan history, science and art with topics such as ‘Origins of Drinking & Smoking in Sri Lanka’, ‘Cultural Mathematics’, ‘Language of Coins and Bank Notes in Lanka’ and ‘Facets of our Legal Heritage’ explored by various scholars.
The National Trust is also engaged in several projects with the partnership of numerous benefactors and government institutions. The conservation of Colonial Period forts in Malwana, Jaffna, Pooneryn and Mannar involves the rebuilding of the lost parts and the restoration of the visual integrity of the structure. The Trust is involved in the conservation of photographs of national heritage sites taken by Joseph Lawton between 1867 and 1875 as well as a preparation of an index of artefacts. It is also working on the development of a mediaeval grid city of Jaffna along with the Central Cultural Fund and is involved with the training of conservators from the UDA, the Department of Archaeology and the National Trust by the International Institute of Asian Studies, Netherlands, while exploring the possibility of the conservation of heritage as an economic asset.
The National Trust has also released various publications spanning topics such as Heritage Buildings of Sri Lanka, Birds of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan Painting in the 20th Century and the Maritime Heritage of Lanka authored by experts in the field. Plans are also underway to publish books on Animals of Sri Lanka, Ornamental plants grown in Sri Lanka, Ancient Jewelry in Sri Lanka, Instrumentalists and Singers of Sri Lanka, Dancers of Sri Lanka and Masks of Sri Lanka. More publications are also in the pipeline, looking into the seven arts of Sri Lanka (painting architecture, dance, music, literature, drama and sculpture) and exploring the works of Geoffrey Bawa, Martin Wickramasinghe and Chitrasena.
To be ardent about conservation, it helps to get first-hand knowledge and experience about what needs to be conserved and so, the Trust conducts quarterly tours for its members to heritage sites around the island. These tours are led by an expert on the locations being visited, the most recent tour being conducted in Peradeniya. The Trust also makes attempts to make history accessible by publishing anecdotes and interesting historical details about places and monuments on its Facebook page while publicizing its walks and events.
For Professor Nimal Perera, a country’s heritage is never static. “Heritage is something which has evolved with time and changed with the aspirations and inspirations of the people and the influences received from time to time,” he explains. He hopes that with more people gaining interest in history and promoting awareness about Sri Lanka’s heritage, more can be done to conserve the country’s past.
The National Trust is operated by a board of trustees and volunteers from among its membership of over 350. Membership is open to all for an annual fee. Details are available on its website: http://www.sundaytimes.lk/150628/