SEMINAR FROM POSTCOLONIAL THEATRES

MODULE 2 ASIA

SRILANKA: THE LAND OF OUR PARENTS, PLAY BY KUZHANTHAI M. SHANMUGALINGAM

ABOUT THE PLAY:-

The Land of our Parents is a play written in Tamil language by Sri Lankan Tamil playwright Kuzhanthai M. Shanmugalingam. The play sketches
the miserable life of Sri Lankan Tamil community in the midst of Sri Lankan Civil war. The play shows the life of three neighboring families in
Jaffna (northern part of Sri Lanka). The play depicts the life of a group of parents who left behind in Jaffna by their children who have migrated
to the west. The parents eagerly wait for their children’s arrival, their letters but they never come back. So the parents in the first two families
pass every day with disappointment and grief. The first character, in the first family dies at the end of the play without fulfilling his dream of
seeing his elder son and his funeral is done by his neighbors and not his children. The play subtly shows the pathetic image of Sri Lanka and the
impact of colonial imperialism in Sri Lanka.

ABOUT THE PLAYWRIGHT:-

*Sri Lankan Tamil playwright and director of Tamil Theatre in Sri Lanka

*Born in 1931 in Jaffna, Sri Lanka

*Wrote several plays in Tamil language and most important plays are: - Velvithee, Man Swmantha Meniyar and Enthayum Thayum (the land of
our parents).

COLONIAL HISTORY OF SRI LANKA:-

It is the Island country of South Asia. Formerly the land was known as Ceylon and gained its present name in 1972. The colonizers of the land
are Portuguese, Dutch and British. The historic period of Sri Lanka began in 3rd century according to the Pali chronicles, historic record of Sri
Lanka). The first Sri Lankan ruler was Pandu Kabhaya. He was the ruler of Anuradhapura kingdom. Sri Lanka was primarily divided into
numerous kingdoms. Buddhism was also introduced in the third century and the native Sri Lankan people followed Buddhism and other Tamil
people who followed Hinduism. Portuguese conquered the land in between 1567 and 1658. After their rule Dutch ruled the land and as a
result of Kandyan wars (it was the period of warfare between the British colonial forces and native people of Kandy, one of the kingdoms of Sri
Lanka) British conquered the land. The native people of Sri Lanka gradually started their resistance against this colonial forces in the forms of
some rebellions. They were, Armed Uprising, Uva Rebellion and Matale Rebellion. These all movements are against the British colonial rules.
These rebellions eventually resulted their way of independence. So, in 1948 the land became independent but still had influences from British
colonial rule. Later in 1972, the land got complete freedom and in 1978 a constitution was formed.

SRI LANKAN CIVIL WAR (1983-2009):-

*Sri Lankan Civil War was began in 1983 and ended in 2009.

*It was a long war between Sri Lankan native people (Sinhalese people) and Tamil minority.

*Sri Lanka is a land consisted of two kinds of people. One is its natives, Sinhalese (people who speak Sinhala Language) and Tamil group of
people, they are came to Sri Lanka as a part of trade and commerce before centuries. 75% of the population in Sri Lanka is covered by this
Sinhala people. Tamil people are only 12%
*During the colonial rule (pre independence) British authorities supported Tamil minority. Because of their close relations with Tamil people in
trade and this Tamil community existed in several other British colonies like Singapore, India, and South Africa etc.

* British colonial authorities often placed English language schools in predominantly Tamil areas, providing more opportunities for Tamil
people. This pattern of Tamil favoritism left Sinhalese people feeling isolated and oppressed.

* In 1948 the land got independence 1972 it became republic and followed democratic rule

*As a result of this democratic rule the Sinhalese majority ruled and negated the rights of Tamil minority.

*Sri Lankan government opted Sinhala as the national language.

*Several policies came after that. Sinhala Only Act in 1956 and Standardization are the important policies put forward by the Sri Lankan
government. Sinhala Only Act – a bill in 1956 that made Sinhala the only official language of Sri Lanka. This bill also created some barriers for
Tamil people who are trying to access government services. Standardization – a policy which aimed at providing more educational
opportunities for Tamil pupil. As a result of this policy the Tamil students need high marks to get admission with the Sinhalese students. So,
this act took opportunities from Tamil students.

*As a result of these discriminations against Tamil people, a new group was formed with the aim of a new land only for Tamil speaking
community. It was called Liberation Tigers of Tamil Elam (LTTE). They followed violence and their head was Velupillai Prabhakaran. This conflict
for a land took place in between Sri Lankan Tamil people and Sinhala people is what we called Sri Lankan Civil War. It lasted long thirty years.

CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY

*FIRST FAMILY

Sangarapillai (Periaiyah) – 75 year retired Shroff, widower and father of 11 children. Living alone, all of his children have migrated to
foreign countries.
*SECOND FAMILY

1.Selvaratnam- 65 year old retired government servant. Father of three children who are settled in the west.
2.Maheswary- Selvaratnam’s wife. 60 year old retired school teacher.
*THIRD FAMILY

Aiyathurai- 50 year old farmer, widower, father of two children; Vasanthi (25) and Kannan(20)

SUMMARY OF THE PLAY: -

The play is set in the aftermath of Sri Lankan civil war. In the very beginning we see the picture of three families. The houses of the first two
families shows exquisite furniture. The third family on the left side of the stage is a poor family of a farmer Aiyathurai. The play begins and end
with a song, which serves as a background music for the play. The lines of the song praise the native land of Sri Lanka. The first character
Sangarapillai, is both physically and mentally feeble because he is in his old age. He is the father of eleven children who have migrated to the
west. Now he is alone in his house and all his basic needs are conduct by his neighbors- Aiyathurai’s family. He keeps a friendly relationship
with Aiyathurai. Whoever comes to his house he calls his elder son Mohan’s name. he wants to meet his children but he cannot due to the
current situation in Jaffna. In the play we see he is very much concerning about his children. He said to Aiyathurai to go to the temple for
conducting pooja in the name of the birth star of one of his sons on his birthday. In the second family, Selvaratnam and his wife Maheswary
are also concerning about their three children who also have migrated. They find solace from their children’s past letters. They are not
receiving their letters recently because of the outbreak of civil war. Road transportation was not possible during that time. If the parents who
want to phone their children they must go to Colombo. Colombo is situated in the west part of Sri Lanka, so things were not that much difficult
there. Jaffna is the northern part of Sri Lanka and the organization (LTTE) was concentrated there, because it was a Tamil populated area. In
the play Selvaratnam and Maheswary talk about the story of some parents who have died during their journey to Colombo to phone their
children. Travelling expenses are very huge during the time and also the old parents may die due to some health issues as a result of the long
ship journey. In the play, these characters witness the signs of war and its effects when they hear the sound of helicopter. The third family is
comparatively leading a normal way of living because Aiyathurai never sends his children abroad and they are together in their house. Kannan,
son of Aiyyathurai passes comments sarcastically about the parents who are intentionally send their children abroad for a better way of living.
He says that Sangarapillai is the general manager of a multinational companies and when he dies eleven flags of eleven countries will flawn in
his house. Because he sent his eleven children to eleven coumtries. When the play ends we see Sangarapillai dies and the neighbors waited for
his children for a week but they never come and his funeral is conducted by his neighbors.

THEMES AND POST COLONIAL ANALYSIS:-

1. LOVE AND GRIEF :- Parental love is one of the theme in the play. From the beginning to the end we see their concern for their
children and the second family finds comfort by reading their children’s past letters. Sangarapillai, even in his old age he remembers
his son’s birthday and conducts pooja for three deities in the name of his son. But the result of their love is grief. They pass every day
with disappointments.

2. WAITING:- It is another theme in the play. The parents are waiting for their children’s arrival, they are waiting for their letters etc. At
the end of the play Aiyathurai waited for Sangarapillai’s children but they never come.

3. MIGRATION:- Migration is another theme. Thousands of people have migrated to other parts of the world in order to escape from
the violence of civil war. Many Sri Lankan Tamil people have gone missing during this voyage, where others have been caught by the
authorities and are imprisoned. Many people escaped from government refugee camp set up during the civil war and those people
had no options but to leave the country.

4. INFLUENCE OF COLONIALISM :- In the play some characters are influenced by colonial rule. For example, the members of the first
two families. They sent their children abroad and in the play we see the character Sangarapillai says to Aiyathurai that if he wants
money then sends his daughter abroad.

POSTCOLONIAL ELEMENTS:- The background song of the play serves the beauty of the land. The song we see in the beginning and
end of the play and it glorifies the native land of Sri Lanka. It is one of the most important characteristics of postcolonial writings.
That means, by using the colonial language the writer criticizes colonizers and glorifies the native land. The changing and
questioning mentality of recent generations are also suggest this postcolonial theme. Kannan is the youngest of all the characters
and he criticizes those parents support their children’s migration. Aiyathurai is the youngest of all the heads of the three families and
he doesn’t interest to send his children abroad. Surviving mental set is another postcolonial aspect in the play.The northern part of
Sri Lanka was very much affected by the effects of civil war. But the characters are surviving. Their only grief is the absence of their
children. Otherwise they are surviving. This is also one of the characteristics of post colonialism. The colonized people could live and
survive whatever happens in their land. That means they have the power of survival and resistance.