SRI LANKA-OUR OWN- OUR NATIVE LAND? – By Oscar E V Fernando
“Breathes there the man, with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This is my own, my native land”
The above lines of Sir Walter Scott may titillate the hearts of some Sri Lankans, especially the so called minorities, who are within and without our shores!
“Minorities” of different communities, with ‘souls so dead’ left our shores not many years ago and some of them still continue to leave or hope to leave-if things continue the way it does in this country: they leave disgruntled!
Of the so called minorities, this writer will pen a few words on the Sinhala Catholics of this country who are dubbed a minority. The other Catholics and ethnic minorities will have their own piece to say.
A religion, that originated in the East and found its way to Europe, was introduced to this country by the Europeans. It followed then that the molding and education of students in Catholic schools were more bent in the European style and form-speaking English language as a compulsion and singing the British anthem before any school activity.
Generations of urban Catholics brought up their progeny to suite the Western Style-some even deploring our own native birth and land: by continuing this lifestyle, these Catholics, to some extent, earned the epithet of being called a minority!
Catholics should pause to think that in addition to their being heirs to a rich religious heritage, coming down from the Old Testament Bible-as old as the Hills, or perhaps older, they are also heirs to the rich culture and civilization of their native land, as the forefathers of these Catholics were Sinhala Buddhists!
The fact that a certain section of people at that time embraced a different religion does not follow that overnight they become a minority-in which case those among this majority who have become followers of venerated Sai Baba or even worship Hindu Gods should be dubbed a minority!
Apart from the fact that Catholics themselves earned this epithet of minority, history would show other political reasons for this;
We know that Lourenco de Almeida landed in Ceylon in 1505 and this was followed by Portugal’s invasion of the country. The writer will leave history at that point-but go on to its repercussions. The then citizens of this country obviously resented this invasion. We must not forget that among those that resented would have been forefathers of the present day Catholics, who later embraced the faith through conviction or for favors: this resentment has survived to the present day!
The present progeny of those that converted to Catholicism are therefore termed a minority, with a veneer of politics in it!
During this period of history, the then foreign governments favored English speaking citizens for jobs. This perhaps made more people become Catholics-to win favors of the Powers that Be, or through conviction and Faith.
There was simmering resentment by the major community firstly for the invasion and secondly because those peoples speaking English were among the favored lot at that time. This resentment broke loose after Independence and it was vented on all such minorities-with the Mercantile Sector being nationalized and those who manned these being displaced by Corporation/Statutory Board employees. Corruption and Nepotism soon bred in these establishments and these entities have become White Elephants today-not because of the inefficiency of the then new recruits, but because these government bodies lacked strict profit motivation of the mercantile sector-nor did they have the military coercion of a communist regime!
Thus a thriving economy that was the cynosure of the world, gradually over the years arrived into the present indebtedness to the world!
The nation may now have a second look at its economy: it is also this writer’s opinion that Catholics whilst fully retaining their deep faith and rich religious heritage, must also appreciate more closely their rich native heritage for which they too are heirs-as their forefathers, no doubt were Sinhala Buddhists-which is well evidenced by the Sinhala name they still carry from days of yore, on their registered birth certificate: the writer can only conjecture that the Portuguese nom deplume-also on the birth certificate- was given to the Catholics on embracing the Faith, and leave it at that, as history is an opinionated and a dicey subject-that can be viciously interpreted by the biased !
Though Catholicism with a European flavor entered the country it was later given an Oriental flavor by Fr Gonsalves from Goa who in association with Buddhist Prelates of the Malwatta Chapter in Kandy, learnt the oriental language and culture and influenced the practice of Catholic rituals in many non-urban areas of the country. Those interested may read more on the internet.
It is also apt to realize that Catholics of this country, who are Asian in origin are well suited to Christianity even more than Europeans who were and are influenced by materialism of the west-consequent upon the industrial revolution!
At a time when a Grand Reconciliation of the major and minor communities is attempted, Catholics must cooperate and also walk the extra mile to appreciate more the culture/civilization of the native land-to which they are heirs.
Thought must be given to those who left the shores with deadened souls, and experiencing travails abroad, and work for their return to this Serendipity-when things get better: feelings of most of those minorities abroad are best described by the remaining lines of Sir Walter Scott;
“High though his titles, proud his name,
Boundless his wealth as wish can claim-
Despite those titles, power, and pelf,
The wretch, concentered all in self,
Living, shall forfeit fair renown,
And, doubly dying, shall go down
To the vile dust, from whence he sprung,
Unwept, un honored, and unsung”
As long as disgruntled souls of the so called minorities, within and without, roam the globe-wielding world opinion, it would appear that this country will remain stagnant as it has done from the Fifties; this can only change with unity among all Communities both Major and Minor and not just by indulging in the triumphalism of the major!
Oscar E V Fernando
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