InAsia

Our Stories: Lessons from the Lives of Our Elders

September 01, 2021 The Asia Foundation
InAsia
Our Stories: Lessons from the Lives of Our Elders
Show Notes Transcript

In diverse and often divided Sri Lanka, where memory still lingers of the long and bitter civil war, the “Our Stories” project—part art, part oral history—is working to build a more empathetic future. 

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (00:03):

Younger people taking these stories of elders and interpreting it in their way. So it does push them to really understand these stories in a way that maybe just a conversation might not have.

John Rieger (00:16):

Preserving and interpreting the collective memory of Sri Lanka's elders. This week on InAsia, from the Asia Foundation, I'm John Reger.

Tracie Yang (00:24):

I'm Tracie Yang. Storytelling isn't the usual development fair, but in diverse and often divided Sri Lanka where memory still lingers of the long and bitter civil war. The Our Stories Project, part art, part oral history is working to build a more empathetic future.

John Rieger (00:42):

Joining us now to talk about our stories are the Asia Foundation's Kanniya Pieris, Zahara Dawoodbhoy and artist Thisath Thoradeniya of the Theertha International Artists' Collective. Kanniya, Zahara, and Thisath. Welcome to InAsia.

Kanniya, Zahara, and Thisath (00:56):

Thanks John. Thanks. It's great to be here.

John Rieger (01:00):

Before we start talking about The Our Stories Project. I want to read a little bit from the ancient text of the Ramayana. This is a story about King Vishvamitra. Vishvamitra was a king who attained sainthood through terrible austerities. He had long ago exhibited his spiritual powers by starting to create a rival universe. He'd gone as far as the creation of new constellations, but was prevailed upon to stop by the entreaties of the alarmed Gods. Vishvamitra, while he was King, once went out with his army and chanced to visit Vasishta's Ashrama. The Rishi cordially welcomed his Royal guests and his huge entourage and extended to them all hospitality, so sumptuous, that the King wondered where all the rich abundance came from in a forest Hermitage. Questioned by him, Vasishta called his cow Sabala and explained that she was the fountain of unfailing plenty. Expressing gratitude to the Sage, King Vishvamitra said, "You must give me this cow as she would be more useful with me than you, such things of power and wealth, by right, belong to the King." Now Vasishta could not part with the divine cow. He gave many reasons and ask the King not to press his request, but the more unwilling Vasishta was to give the cow, the more eager the King became to possess her. It sounds to me like Vishvamitra is a kind of a young and impetuous King.

Kanniya Pieris (02:29):

Yes, very much so.

John Rieger (02:31):

Whereas Vasistha is an old Sage.

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (02:34):

Yeah, I think the two characters of Vishvamitra and Vasishta represent youth and old age, like wisdom versus rashness.

John Rieger (02:46):

It does seem a bit rash to just go out and create a parallel universe. Tell us, Zahara, a little bit about the Ramayana woods.

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (02:55):

It's an ancient epic, it's very long. It's an Indian text, but it's very much present in Sri Lankan culture. You'll see reenactments of the Ramayana happening almost every year in different areas and things like that.

John Rieger (03:09):

Although it's an ancient text, it still has a kind of a living interpretive tradition.

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (03:14):

Yeah, definitely. I remember when I was young, I would go for all these shows and dances and all kinds of things that draw from the Ramayana, particularly.

Tracie Yang (03:24):

Let's turn to some more contemporary tales. Tell us about The Our Stories Project.

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (03:30):

Our Stories Is part of a wider program that falls under what we refer to as shared spaces. What we're trying to do is create a space or a platform upon which senior citizens can share life experiences and their memories basically.

John Rieger (03:46):

An oral history project in effect. Is that right?

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (03:50):

I think we thought about it as a memorialization project. We were not necessarily trying to collect stories from the war, but many of the stories refer to incidents that are quite traumatic for them, but there were so many insight stories of strength and resilience. We wanted to share that with others, especially young people.

Tracie Yang (04:10):

I think it's fascinating that this project focuses on recollecting Sri Lankan history, but instead of historians, you've offered these stories to a group of artists from the younger generation to interpret in your words. How does that work?

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (04:26):

So we have collected stories from elders, 60 of them, and we're sharing them with artists that have been selected for the project. We've been lucky to have Thisath and four other mentors with us. So these artists actually pick a story that resonates best with them and the mentors guide them on how to transform it into art. So we have a whole range of artists, visual and performing artists, and at the end of the process we're hoping to showcase all of this through a website that will hopefully be up and running in October. The added aspect of that is that it's younger people in society that are taking these stories of elders and they're interpreting it in their way. So it does push them to really understand these stories because in order to make an art piece or to create an art piece out of it, you have to really understand the emotions behind this person. You have to really get into a frame of mind where you can empathize with the person telling the story and almost embody them in some way. It's a very meaningful way of interacting with a different generation in a way that maybe just a conversation might not have.

Thisath Thoradeniya (05:42):

These are like living stories.

John Rieger (05:43):

Thisath Thoradeniya, you are one of the mentors to the young artists who are working with these oral histories. Why, why is this body of law important?

Thisath Thoradeniya (05:52):

The importance of passing these stories to the next generation is because all these epics like Ramayana. Politically, these are used to suppress minorities, mostly.

John Rieger (06:04):

A sort of an ethno nationalist sense.

Thisath Thoradeniya (06:06):

Yes, exactly. To marginalize the other. So these stories are actually like living stories. These people still live and it's important for us to pass these stories into the future generations.

Tracie Yang (06:20):

Is there a moment in any of these stories that's really stuck with you?

Thisath Thoradeniya (06:24):

There was this guy from the Eastern part of the country, which was also affected by the law. He said he had this school uniform, blue trousers and a white shirt, which he wore for every occasion. To go to school, for weddings, to go to the mosque, he had only this one single trouser and a shirt. So this is a story I remember still from that bookshop. And we had many like that.

John Rieger (06:53):

The civil war was, what, 20 years? Was it 30 years?

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (06:57):

Almost 30.

John Rieger (06:58):

Almost 30 and it would not be right to say that the war ended in a moment of national reconciliation. Do you see this project as, in part, as a way to heal the fractures that were left behind by the conflict?

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (07:13):

We're trying to make it as inclusive as possible. This is a multicultural Monte. It is a very pluralistic society. So I think it's a very important aspect.

Tracie Yang (07:24):

So let's talk about that a little bit more because oftentimes historical memory branches off into different narratives that are used to justify the marginalization of groups of people and perpetuate division. How do you prevent that? How do you get people to agree to a collective story?

Kanniya Pieris (07:47):

Historical sources can often promote negative things and that's partly because these ancient texts and historical texts are usually written from a one-sided perspective. So it's one group of people that's telling the history. The difference here is that it's inclusive of everyone. And it's inclusive of everyone from different backgrounds and nationalities and ethnicities.

John Rieger (08:11):

Why do you think these people were so eager to participate?

Zahara Dawoodbhoy (08:14):

I think they're happy to tell their story to somebody who will listen. That's actually why the interviews went on for as long as they did. That's why the stories were as lengthy as they were, especially because we made it quite clear what our purpose was. That it was for the younger generations and in some instances, I think in some of the stories they do specifically leave a message for the younger generation

John Rieger (08:39):

Kanniya Pieris and Zahara Dawoodbhoy of The Asia foundation and Thisath Thoradeniya of The Theertha International Artists' Collective. Thank you for joining us.

Kanniya, Zahara, and Thisath (08:49):

Thank you very much. Thanks, John and Tracie, thanks so much for having us.

Tracie Yang (08:53):

And that's our show. Zahara has written more about The Our Stories Project in this week's blog. While you're there be sure to subscribe to our podcast. Of course we can't sign off without finishing the story.

John Rieger (09:07):

Failing in his efforts to tempt or persuade the Sage to part with the cow, Vishvamitra became angry and ordered his men to seize the cow by force. Sabala could not understand why she was being roughly handled. She was unwilling to go away from the Sage and his Ashrama. The cow easily put to flight the soldiers and sought refuge at the feet of the Sage, moved by the piteous appeal of his beloved cow. The Sage said, "Bring four soldiers to resist Vishvamitra's men." Sabala instantaneously did so, and the aggressors were soon bested. Wild with rag, Vishvamitra got into his chariot and taking up his bow, reigned arrows on the soldiers brought forth by the cow, but their strength was inexhaustible and the Royal forces suffered utter defeat. See you next time. Bye.