• New Year - across the generations
• Wowing the Aussies
• It's 2001!
• YOU'RE going to drive???
• 

New Year - across the generations

By Ruhanie Perera and Uthpala Gunethilake

2001 -
Lishan de Alwis

Last 31st night I was at Trans Asia Hotel. As a person of the new generation the 31st is a night when I get together with friends, let my hair down and basically have a good time. 

Come 31st night, I just have to go out. My parents always go out as well and as I used to join them, it's sort of like a practice. Added to that my job is such that I'm cooped up in office, especially during the last few days of the year, so going out is a breath of fresh air. Now I'm not some wild party animal, I have a good time but I don't go over the top.

For me going out really has more to do with meeting up with old friends. It's just a time to reunite and see another New Year in together. I don't go out because it's a fad. Anyway I don't think that going out is an 'in' thing as such. How you celebrate the New Year is really up to the individual. Some see the turn of the Year in front of the TV, some with relations, others go to church. There is no hard and fast rule as to how to celebrate - anything goes as long as you have fun.

1991 -
Dilip Seneviratne

I was in my late teens at that time and I used to join up with bands playing the keyboards for 31st nights. So naturally most of my 31st nights were away from home. It was a lot of fun because we played till morning and then I would go straight to church for morning mass - and play there as well. The music was 'slightly' different, but that never was a problem to me. Of course as a result of the all-night playing most of my January firsts were spent sleeping it off. 

I think people went out more then, mainly because the tickets weren't so pricey. Now lots of people opt to stay at home. Lately I've not been going out so much either. When I'm not out on the 31st I go for mass in the night instead. 

Over the years the places where I spend 31st night may have changed but most of the time I'm playing at the dawn of each New Year. And that's what I really enjoy. How I celebrate New Year now is immaterial. As long as I'm enjoying myself the spirit behind the celebrations never changes. 

1971 -
Mrs. K. Fernando (name changed)

I was 19 years old. This was the time of the JVP insurgency, really not a time to celebrate anything. The economy was faltering and it was the age of the queues. No exports were allowed in the market , and you could buy only what was manufactured here. That also was rationed. Even if you had money there was nothing in the shops to be bought - no fancy clothes and gift items and food. And anyway you could only invite a limited number of guests for any occasion.

Also, the insurgency claimed so many young lives that there wasn't a spirit of celebration on December 31 or at any other time. The youth were in danger and parents were not keen to send them out. Schools were closed, some universities were detention centres. Apart from being with the family and may be having a small gathering of close friends, we did nothing elaborate. 

However, fashion was high. This was the time of mini dresses and maxies, batik clothes, bell sleeves and bell bottoms for both men and women. The sari was very fashionably worn, in the 'hipster' style. The sari blouse, with the "U" neck, was short and the sleeves were long.

Side burns were in vogue and men rarely wore short-sleeved shirts. Women wore their hair quite low. Nobody knew much about make-up. It was only a matter of dabbing some lipstick and patting some powder. No mascara or blusher or anything else, no moisturisers and cleansers. Only people like actresses used these things.

1956 - 
Mrs. L. Fonseka (name changed)

I was around 21, married and had children but it was a time when there were very reliable servants with whom you could leave the children and go anywhere. My husband had a group of lawyer friends and their habit was to celebrate the new year in a hotel. So they gathered at the Galle Face Hotel and wined, dined and danced away to the wee hours of the morning. For me it was thrilling because it was something new and I was young. Of course there were things I didn't like. For instance, though I liked dancing, I didn't like dancing in those crowded halls with drunk men!

But there were no brawls and quarrels in the halls, and at midnight everybody held hands and sang 'Auld Lang Syne'. There was a beautiful spirit of unity and hope for the future, with the uplifting sight of the harbour lights and ships at dawn. 

Of course times were much different. We used to go to these parties very late but you could be on the streets at any time, there was no danger. And there wasn't so much cracker-lighting. 

I never saw any teenagers at any of these new year's eve gatherings. Of course they had their own parties but were supposed to be home by about seven or eight in the night, and were always escorted. They didn't 'go out' in groups at night like they do now. 

The sari was very much in vogue, both the Indian and Kandyan, and it was worn elegantly, not exposing very much. Not many people had short hair. The western dress was also very popular among some people: very elegant dresses, but no mini dresses and not many women wore trousers.

I don't know why people want to light so many crackers these days: in my time it was not so. May be now it is the tension we live in. It's as if people want to do whatever they want as fast as possible because there's no other time do it. You light as many crackers as possible in one night, regardless of how disturbing the noise is.

Wowing the Aussies

By Ruhanie Perera 

Mathisha Panagoda, who lives in Australia with his family, made a name for himself Down Under when he performed solo for the opening of Stadium Australia during the National Rugby League season in March 1999. Backed by the Sydney Children's Choir, Mathisha sang 'One Voice' before an audience of 105,000 screaming football fans. Just 12 then, was he nervous? "Pretty much", but as always once he got lost in the music he was on a roll.

From that point onwards just like his music, Mathisha's life flowed and he recounts 1999 to be his happiest and most fulfilling year. "Singing at Stadium Australia opened up a lot of opportunities for me," says Mathisha who has since performed solo and as a member of different choirs at many other occasions, toured many countries and recorded CDs for artistes. In September 2000, he was a member of the Sydney Children's Choir at the Sydney Olympic Opening Ceremony.

"I love to play, I love to listen to music; it's the feeling you get from it that I love," says Mathisha who comes from a musical family and as a result took to music at a very young age. "I started on the cello since that was the instrument my brother played when I was just four." Imagining the rather large instrument, I surveyed him skeptically. He must have noticed for he added "the instrument was just a little bigger than me." That little four-year-old sure has come a long way for he sits for his diploma exam next year. 

Although Mathisha's 'forte' seems to be the cello, it's not his favourite instrument; in fact he doesn't have a favourite. "I can't decide on anything," he says finally after thinking long and hard. "I love playing the flute and the piano, just as much as the cello." His favourite is Baroque Music and naturally the music of the masters of the period, Bach and Handel, are the closest to his heart and his fingertips. "That was the music I first played, so it's very special."

A strong believer in 'practice makes perfect', Mathisha doesn't seem the type of kid you'll find lazing around. But just how does he manage to practice everyday, complete his schoolwork and still have time for his other interests like swimming and athletics? " That's the hard part," he says grinning. "I've got to always be organised, finish my school work on time or early if possible and when I do miss a practice I try to get up early and catch it up the next day." He makes it sound so easy. 

"It can get tough and sometimes I find it hard to cope but I'm not alone. I get a lot of support - especially from my parents. They are my driving force." Family support can also mean having to be the one who plays or sings at a family function or gathering. "I get that a lot. Every time I go anywhere I'm asked to play or sing." But that doesn't seem to bother him, in fact he seems to enjoy it. 

Mathisha has no doubts about his future. "I'm going to be a musician someday and I'm really glad I started young because I still have time to work harder and to improve. Working towards the goal of becoming a great musician someday helps me to keep on achieving," he says. And with each achievement Mathisha gets one step closer to his dream. 

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