Regi Siriwardena
Encyclopedia
Regi Siriwardena was a Sri Lanka
n academic, journalist, poet, writer, playwright and writer of screenplays.
suburb of Ratmalana to middle-class Sinhalese
Buddhist parents. His Macaulay
-quoting father sent him for his schooling first to St Thomas', Mt Lavinia where he found the Anglican elite
colonial
atmosphere uncomfortable. In his poem 'Colonial Cameo', he remembers the day his mother, who only spoke Sinhala, took him to school and said 'goodbye' in that tongue, to the amusement of his English
-speaking classmates:
He later went to Ananda College
, where he felt rather more at home in an atmosphere that combined his father's Western classical erudition with the home-grown culture of his mother.
He was awarded a scholarship to University College, Colombo, and read English under E.F.C. Ludowyck and Doric de Souza, graduating with a University of London
degree.
(LSSP). He became part of the underground leadership of the LSSP under the pseudonym 'Hamid' and attracted the attention of the British
authorities as an anti-colonial activist. One of his tasks was arranging a safe house for Dr Colvin R de Silva after the latter's escape from prison on 5 April 1942.
After the war, he became critical of the LSSP's evolution from its loose pre-war socialist ideology towards a more anti-Stalinist, orthodox Trotskyist stand, leaving it in 1946.
conservative
, recruited Siriwardena as a journalist on the Ceylon Daily News, part of the Lake House
Group of Wickremesinghe’s father-in-law, D. R. Wijewardena
. Here he worked among fellow left or leftish intellectuals such as Herbert Keuneman, Bonny Fernando and Jeanne Hoban
, who had been head-hunted by the shrewd Wickremasinghe.
In the early 1960s, the closeness of Lake House to the right-wing United National Party
caused Siriwardena to leave journalism, the specific instance being a cartoon by Aubrey Collette showing Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike
and Dr. N.M. Perera together in a vulgar embrace, which he considered to be in poor taste. He then founded the English Department at a former Buddhist seat of higher learning, Vidyalankara University (now University of Kelaniya
).
He worked with Lester James Peries
on his ground-breaking Sinhala films, Gamperaliya
and Golu Hadawatha
. He was one of those who worked for the creation of a National Film Corporation for Sri Lanka, which was established in 1971.
In the mid 1970s, at the Curriculum Development Centre of the Ministry of Eductation, Siriwardena collaborated in the introduction of a controversial new English literature syllabus for the Advanced Level which, to the consternation of the conservatives, included the lyrics of Bob Dylan
's Blowin in the Wind, which replaced Shakespeare.
In the 1970s, Siriwardena became founder-secretary of the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka, a non-governmental organisation for human rights
.
In the 1980s, he was sought out by the liberal-left intelligentsia who founded the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) in Colombo, where he edited its journal.
In 1988, at a seminar organised by the British Council
, Colombo Siriwardena debunked the reputation of TS Eliot, arguing that the technical mastery in his poetry concealed a poverty of experience and a narrow range of sympathies; that in his work creative powers are expanded on negative emotions of repulsion and disgust, springing from personal malaise (snobbery, misogyny and anti-Semitism); and that he was a great literary engineer rather than a great poet. This caused some ripples in the literary circles of Sri Lanka, which had idolised Eliot.
In 1995 Siriwardena won the Gratien Prize, the Sri Lankan literary award for the best writer in English.
In September 2004 he was conferred the Distinguished Service Award for his contribution to English letters at the State Literature Festival, which had to be accepted in absentia.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n academic, journalist, poet, writer, playwright and writer of screenplays.
Early life & education
Reginald Siriwardena (known as 'Reggie' until the 1980s) was born in the ColomboColombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
suburb of Ratmalana to middle-class Sinhalese
Sinhalese people
The Sinhalese are an Indo-Aryan ethnic group,forming the majority of Sri Lanka,constituting 74% of the Sri Lankan population.They number approximately 15 million worldwide.The Sinhalese identity is based on language, heritage and religion. The Sinhalese speak Sinhala, an Indo-Aryan language and the...
Buddhist parents. His Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay
Thomas Babington Macaulay, 1st Baron Macaulay PC was a British poet, historian and Whig politician. He wrote extensively as an essayist and reviewer, and on British history...
-quoting father sent him for his schooling first to St Thomas', Mt Lavinia where he found the Anglican elite
Elite
Elite refers to an exceptional or privileged group that wields considerable power within its sphere of influence...
colonial
Colonialism
Colonialism is the establishment, maintenance, acquisition and expansion of colonies in one territory by people from another territory. It is a process whereby the metropole claims sovereignty over the colony and the social structure, government, and economics of the colony are changed by...
atmosphere uncomfortable. In his poem 'Colonial Cameo', he remembers the day his mother, who only spoke Sinhala, took him to school and said 'goodbye' in that tongue, to the amusement of his English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
-speaking classmates:
- My mother pretended not to hear that insult.
- The snobbish little bastards! But how can I blame
- them? That day I was deeply ashamed of my mother.
- Now, whenever I remember, I am ashamed of my shame.
-
-
-
-
-
-
- - Regi Siriwardena, Colonial Cameo
-
-
-
-
-
He later went to Ananda College
Ananda College
Ananda College , Colombo which is considered as the leading National school in Sri Lanka, was established on November 1, 1886, by the Buddhist Theosophical Society led by Colonel Henry Steel Olcott...
, where he felt rather more at home in an atmosphere that combined his father's Western classical erudition with the home-grown culture of his mother.
He was awarded a scholarship to University College, Colombo, and read English under E.F.C. Ludowyck and Doric de Souza, graduating with a University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
degree.
Student activism
While at university during the Second World War, he joined the Lanka Sama Samaja PartyLanka Sama Samaja Party
The Lanka Sama Samaja Party is a Trotskyist political party in Sri Lanka....
(LSSP). He became part of the underground leadership of the LSSP under the pseudonym 'Hamid' and attracted the attention of the British
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
authorities as an anti-colonial activist. One of his tasks was arranging a safe house for Dr Colvin R de Silva after the latter's escape from prison on 5 April 1942.
After the war, he became critical of the LSSP's evolution from its loose pre-war socialist ideology towards a more anti-Stalinist, orthodox Trotskyist stand, leaving it in 1946.
Teaching & journalism career
After graduating he taught English at Ananda College and at Royal College, Colombo. A few years later, the former LSSP member Esmond Wickremesinghe, by then a Cold WarCold War
The Cold War was the continuing state from roughly 1946 to 1991 of political conflict, military tension, proxy wars, and economic competition between the Communist World—primarily the Soviet Union and its satellite states and allies—and the powers of the Western world, primarily the United States...
conservative
Conservatism
Conservatism is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and supports, at the most, minimal and gradual change in society. Some conservatives seek to preserve things as they are, emphasizing stability and continuity, while others oppose modernism...
, recruited Siriwardena as a journalist on the Ceylon Daily News, part of the Lake House
Lake House
Lake House is an Elizabethan country house dating from 1578, in Wilsford-cum-Lake in Wiltshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building. The gardens are Grade II listed in the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest....
Group of Wickremesinghe’s father-in-law, D. R. Wijewardena
D. R. Wijewardena
Don Richard Wijewardena was a Sri Lankan press baron who was a leader in the Sri Lankan independence movement. A successful entrepreneur, he established the Lake House newspapers and played major role in the independence movement.-Family:D. R...
. Here he worked among fellow left or leftish intellectuals such as Herbert Keuneman, Bonny Fernando and Jeanne Hoban
Jeanne Hoban
Jeanne Hoban , known after her marriage as Jeanne Moonesinghe, was a British Trotskyist who became active in trade unionism and politics in Sri Lanka. She was one of the handful of European Radicals in Sri Lanka.- Early years :She was born in Gillingham, Kent...
, who had been head-hunted by the shrewd Wickremasinghe.
In the early 1960s, the closeness of Lake House to the right-wing United National Party
United National Party
The United National Party, often referred to as the UNP ), , is a political party in Sri Lanka. It currently is the main opposition party in Sri Lanka and is headed by Ranil Wickremesinghe...
caused Siriwardena to leave journalism, the specific instance being a cartoon by Aubrey Collette showing Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike was a Sri Lankan politician and the world's first female head of government...
and Dr. N.M. Perera together in a vulgar embrace, which he considered to be in poor taste. He then founded the English Department at a former Buddhist seat of higher learning, Vidyalankara University (now University of Kelaniya
University of Kelaniya
The University of Kelaniya is a state university of Sri Lanka. Situated just outside the municipal limits of Colombo, in the ancient and historic city of Kelaniya, the University has two major campuses, seven locations, six faculties and four institutions....
).
He worked with Lester James Peries
Lester James Peries
Sri Lankabhimanya Lester James Peries is an internationally acclaimed Sri Lankan film director, screenwriter, and film producer. An active filmmaker since 1949, Peries has been involved in over 28 films, including shorts and documentaries...
on his ground-breaking Sinhala films, Gamperaliya
Gamperaliya (film)
Gamperaliya is a 1964 Sri Lankan drama film directed by Lester James Peries; it was adapted from the seminal novel Gamperaliya by Martin Wickramasinghe. The movie was groundbreaking in Sinhala cinema shot entirely outside of a studio using one lamp and hand held lights for lighting...
and Golu Hadawatha
Golu Hadawatha
Golu Hadawatha was a popular 1969 Sinhalese language romance film directed by maestro Lester James Peiris. The film stars Wickrema Bogoda and Anula Karunathilake in the lead roles. Based on a novel by Karunasena Jayalath, its screenplay was written by Regi Siriwardena. Music was by Premasiri...
. He was one of those who worked for the creation of a National Film Corporation for Sri Lanka, which was established in 1971.
In the mid 1970s, at the Curriculum Development Centre of the Ministry of Eductation, Siriwardena collaborated in the introduction of a controversial new English literature syllabus for the Advanced Level which, to the consternation of the conservatives, included the lyrics of Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan
Bob Dylan is an American singer-songwriter, musician, poet, film director and painter. He has been a major and profoundly influential figure in popular music and culture for five decades. Much of his most celebrated work dates from the 1960s when he was an informal chronicler and a seemingly...
's Blowin in the Wind, which replaced Shakespeare.
In the 1970s, Siriwardena became founder-secretary of the Civil Rights Movement of Sri Lanka, a non-governmental organisation for human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
.
In the 1980s, he was sought out by the liberal-left intelligentsia who founded the International Centre for Ethnic Studies (ICES) in Colombo, where he edited its journal.
In 1988, at a seminar organised by the British Council
British Council
The British Council is a United Kingdom-based organisation specialising in international educational and cultural opportunities. It is registered as a charity both in England and Wales, and in Scotland...
, Colombo Siriwardena debunked the reputation of TS Eliot, arguing that the technical mastery in his poetry concealed a poverty of experience and a narrow range of sympathies; that in his work creative powers are expanded on negative emotions of repulsion and disgust, springing from personal malaise (snobbery, misogyny and anti-Semitism); and that he was a great literary engineer rather than a great poet. This caused some ripples in the literary circles of Sri Lanka, which had idolised Eliot.
In 1995 Siriwardena won the Gratien Prize, the Sri Lankan literary award for the best writer in English.
In September 2004 he was conferred the Distinguished Service Award for his contribution to English letters at the State Literature Festival, which had to be accepted in absentia.
Books
- Waiting for the Soldier (1989)
- To the Muse of Insomnia (1990)
- Poems and Selected Translations (1993)
- Octet: Collected Plays (1995)
- The Lost Lenore (1996)
- Among My Souvenirs (1997)
- Working Underground: The LSSP in Wartime (1999)
- The Pure Water of Poetry (1999)
Screenplays
- Gamperaliya (1965) (as Reggie Siriwardena)
- Golu Hadawatha (1969) (as Reggie Siriwardena)
Scholarly work
- MA de Silva & Reggie Siriwardena, Communication Policies in Sri Lanka: a Study, Paris: Unesco, 1977.
- Reggie Siriwardena, K. Indrapala, Sunil Bastian & Sepali Kottegoda, School Text Books and Communal Relations in Sri Lanka, Council for Communal Harmony Through the Media, Colombo. excerpts
- Reggie Siriwardena, Equality and the religious traditions of Asia, New York: St Martin's Press, 1987.
External links
- Regi Siriwardena on-line memorial forum
- Lines: Regi Siriwardena Memorial Online forum for Language, Culture and Society
- http://www.imdb.com/name/nm1182475/Reggie Siriwardena at Internet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie DatabaseInternet Movie Database is an online database of information related to movies, television shows, actors, production crew personnel, video games and fictional characters featured in visual entertainment media. It is one of the most popular online entertainment destinations, with over 100 million...
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