Migration out of Ceylon & Sri Lanka – by Michael Roberts in ADELAIDE To those CEYLONESE – term used advisedly to mark time-emphasis – who migrated from the island in the period 1948 to 1970 ….and even in the next two decades … do take the trouble to respond to these questions at whatever length you consider suitable. DEAR I am now 85 years old. I left Sri Lanka with my family in 1977 and was therefore aware of the socio-political currents that prevailed from the 1950s onwards. Some of these developments and currents motivated several Western-educated personnel of middle-class status to migrate. Some of my relatives were among those who moved out to UK, Canada and Australia. That was THEN. But these personnel are presently in the Now …unless they have departed from life on earth. All the survivors will have grey hair …. or none at all. These features ...

Read More →

Good News From Jayam November 15, 2023 Pls Scroll Down 35 items Aruni Boteju’s Ceylon International Film Festival Was a Tremendous Success – Nandasiri Jasentuliyana Nandi and Shanthi Jasentuliya, Aruni Boteju and SLAASC President Niroshan Kahawatte. “An unexpected journey and such a beautiful and wonderful experience. It was an great honor to receive both California State Legislature Certificate of recognition from State Assembly Greg Hart and Senator Monique Limone recognition and proclamation from Mayor Randy Rowse, City of Santa Barbara. Our humble gratitude for giving us this honor the strength and courage to be part of this wonderful community. We are proud to announce all winners and performers of the festival received the certifications from California State Legislature as well.” Aruni Boteju-Chairman, Ceylon International Film Festival The final night of the second annual Ceylon International Film Festival in Santa Barbara, California on October 28th, 2023. The historic Lobero Theater was the venue ...

Read More →

HALL OF FAME – BARCLAY GEORGE ‘BUDDY’ REID A PHENOMENAL SPORTSMAN AND ROLE MODEL – By Ravi Rudra Dr. Buddy Reid’s achievements in Table Tennis, for Ceylon (Sri Lanka) and Australia, are remarkable to say the least. With dedication and a committed work ethic he has established several records, culminating in being recently inducted to Table Tennis Australia’s prestigious Hall of Fame. It is indeed a fitting honour for a sportsman and gentleman of Buddy’s calibre and character. Dedication, discipline, and perseverance have been constant in his approach to sports, work, and life, in general. He is a surgeon and his success in sports and a highly demanding profession are remarkable and inspiring. Former Thomian Buddy, was a Double International, sportsman for Sri Lanka. He also captained Sri Lanka at both Cricket and Table Tennis. Furthermore as a brilliant Table Tennis player he has represented both Ceylon (as a young ...

Read More →

THE DUTCH GOVERNOR AND THE BURGHER ARTIST – By HUGH KARUNANAYAKE GOVERNOR GIDEON LOTEN WATER COLOUR BY DE BEVERE FROM THE LOTEN COLLECTION AT THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM LONDON The following item appeared in a catalogue entitled Bibliotheca Neerlando Indica,  issued sometime in 1883by Martinus Neyhoff a well known bookseller at the Hague. Item: 2299-Fauna of the Indian Archipelago and of the island of Ceylon – a collection of drawings in colour representing birds, mammifers, insects etc of the zindian Archipelago and Ceylon. 144 folio sheets in two part folios – f300 The collection was bought at the auction by  PJ van Houten, Chairman of the Council and Committee of the Colonial Museum at Haarlem. In 1905 Van Houten published a memoir on John Gideon Loten and his Ceylonese artist, Pieter Cornelis de Bevere. Van Houten having bought the De Bevere collection in. 1883 described several water colours by the ...

Read More →

Baila: A Sri Lankan Folk Music – By Randika Jayakody & Jerome Perera source : Qld Sri Lankan Newsletter – Dæhæna – November 2023 Baila was the fortuitous creation bringing together the multicultural communities that existed during the time of Portuguese Ceylon. It famously combined the influences of Afro Rhythms, Portuguese violins and guitars, Malay drums, and the Sinhalese, Tamil, and English languages. Evolving out of Kaffringha, the progenitor of Baila, this musical genre is iconic of Sri Lankan culture. Portuguese arrival in Ceilao (Ceylon) is dated to 1505 and no clear date can be identified when the musical style evolved, but it is safe to say that this means Baila is therefore at least 500 years old.This makes Baila one of the oldest continuous musical styles in Sri Lanka, predating more classical styles of music by centuries. There are several forms of Baila including Papare and Calypso Baila, Waada Baila ...

Read More →

Noteworthy Boxing History of St. Anthony’s College, Kandy – By A J M Mushtaq Source :  Antonian Newsletter – September 2023 Boxing was introduced to the schools in Ceylon during the first decade of the 20th century. Two Old boys, Messrs. Cyril E. S. Perera (later Queen’s Counsel & MP for Colombo North) and M. J. Taylor, were instrumental in bringing the game to St. Anthony’s College, Kandy, inspired by Mr. L. Mc D. Robinson, a lecturer at the Government Training College. St. Anthony’s was fortunate to obtain the services of the famed boxing trainer, Mr. John Gaye. Boxing had become so popular that it was hard to decide which of the two games, cricket or boxing, was more popular, with a large number of athletes taking up the sport. In the STUBBS SHIELD tournament, which started in 1914, St. Anthony’s participated for the first time in 1918 and became ...

Read More →

UNIQUE SRI LANKA LIBRARY An unique library on Sri Lanka, perhaps the only one of its kind overseas, exists in Melbourne, Australia. This library was begun by Victor Melder in 1968, when he migrated to Australia. Victor, who had only one book with him then, has today accumulated over 7,00 books, 2000 magazines and journals  and a collection of video and audio tapes all on Sri Lanka. Victor, who grew up in a village in Peradeniya, states he has savoured village life to its fullest and attributes this to be the cause of his unpretentious love for his motherland. This love, admiration and respect for this beautiful island is something he wishes to share with everyone alike in Australia. This is what gave birth to the ‘Victor Melder Sri Lanka Library’, which today is used by many Australiawide, as a primary source of reference on Sri Lanka. In 1968, Victor ...

Read More →

An appreciation of Harry de Sayrah, OAM – By Ivor Novello We would like today to pay tribute to a dear friend who has left us far too soon. It is with heavy hearts that we remember Harry de Sayrah, who touched our lives in ways that words can hardly describe. While we mourn the loss of a beloved companion, husband, father and grand-father, we also celebrate the beautiful and lasting impact Harry had on each of us. Harry was not just a friend; he was a beacon of light in our lives. He possessed a rare combination of qualities that endeared him to all who had the privilege of knowing him. He always kept in contact with his classmates, even after more than sixty years and continued to bring together those classmates who had lost touch with each other. One such example was myself, as I had lost contact ...

Read More →

SRI LANKA NEWS (AUGUST  2023) Compiled by Victor Melder. Inflation has decreased to 6.3 percent in July compared to 12 percent in June, said State Finance Minister Shehan Semasinghe. Semasinghe in a tweet added that Food Inflation decreased to -1.4 percent in July from 4.1 percent in June. “Non Food Inflation came down to 10.5 percent in July from 16.2 percent in June. We are regaining stability,” he added. The Department of Census and Statistics yesterday added that Sri Lanka’s Headline Inflation, as measured by the change in the Colombo Consumer Price Index (CCPI), has further decreased to 6.3 percent in July, compared to the previous month. The CCPI-based Inflation was calculated as 12.0 percent for the month of June 2023. “The inflation of Food Group dropped to -1.4 percent in July from 4.1 percent in June 2023, the Department added. (Daily News, 1.8.2023) The Ports, Shipping and Aviation Ministry ...

Read More →

Israeli tourism groups have commended the gastronomic offerings of Sri Lanka. – By Dr harold Gunatillake Website: www.Doctorharold.com The people who give you their food give you their heart. – Cesar Chavez A majestic island boasting eight UNESCO World Heritage sites, herds of roaming  elephants, pristine tea plantations and idyllic sun-kissed beaches, Sri Lanka or As it was once known, Ceylon has so much to offer the discerning traveler. It is the perfect destination to take in the rich historical sites, go on game drives and combine with some relaxation on the glorious beaches. This is an extract from OASIS the Travel. Experiences. Sri Lanka welcomed over 120,000 tourists for the first 27 days of July, surpassing the 100,000-arrival milestone for the sixth time in the first seven months of the year. SLTDA data showed that from 1 to 27 July, One hundred twenty-three thousand five hundred-eight international visitors entered ...

Read More →