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12 Jun 2018

Sri Lankan Maternal Lineage


Our most wonderful visit to Sri Lanka has come to an end.  So many experiences and memories remain. I was blown away the attention to detail in the tourism and hospitality industries. Street food was a whole another experience for someone like me, who does not eat curries or spiced food.  Once again, I tried but did not prevail.

The last week in Sri Lanka provided an unexpected set of circumstances. Firstly, while speaking with our tour guide Oscar Perera a National Tourist Guide Lecturer. I asked him if his wife worked?  After further discussion and my sharing with him the work that I have been involved with in Nepal we arranged to meet his wife Dishna who had established a small business called, Green Grass Garden at their home in Negombo, Sri Lanka. 

 If you travel to Sri Lanka you just may wish to experience this opportunity.

Contact details: Dishna Perera: 031-2225966 / 076-7170672 / 077-5483866
No: 119/C1, Nugawela Road, Katuwapitiya, Negombo, Sri Lanka
Email: Oscarperera@me.com


On arrival it was a delight to meet Dishna and Oscar’s extended family, who assist with the cooking classes on making traditional Sri Lankan meals. The area that this takes place is the front building which was previously Dishna's mother's home. Oscar and Dishna have retained the foundations of the original home which now hosts their guests and cooking classes. In Sri Lankan tradition the mother’s house is known as the Grand House and very symbolic.

I could not help but reflect on the stark contrast to the maternal side of my father’s ascendants. Here I was enjoying the company of this maternal lineage of women whose motivation is to contribute to their new home currently being built behind their enterprise. 

On the other hand, if I was to include in this instance my mother’s English maternal lineage I had experienced similar when my parents bought the seven-day a week corner store in Taumarunui. Mother and Gran ran the shop 6 days a week and I ran it on a Sunday while at High School so they could have a day off. 

Nicla (Dishna's daughter) Mercy Dishna's Mother, Dishna and I.


What a pleasure to meet Oscar's family whose daughter Nicla is undertaking Economic Studies at university. Nicla added that she was particularly interested in the business side of her course. The fourth and previously eldest member of this maternal lineage of Sri Lankan women, Rosaline, passed away in late 2017, not that long ago. 

How poignant to hear how these four women had spent so much time together over four (4) generations. This is in such contrast with the manuscript I am currently working with my father’s maternal lineage of Maori Tupuna Wahines. While sitting amongst this lineage of women it was evident the respect they have for one another.  Communication was undertaken through translation and English and I was left with a sense, that everyone contributions, formed  parts of the whole.  

Dishna’s 2nd business venture, along with four (4) other women, who are members of a Corporation (30 members) provides a platform to understand the ‘needs’ of its membership. One recent example was a proposal put forward by their Office Bearers, on their behalf, to approach the relevant Political Minister for roadside huts (pop ups) next to one another - for five (5) consecutive days a month. Previously they had been selling in a temporary building. These entrepreneurial women were informed the day before we met, that they had been successful. What a special note to end this post on.

 I have one more connection to Sri Lanka that I will share in my next post. In the mean time it is back to my manuscript. Not as easy as I had anticipated after 6 weeks of being disconnected.  It has taken me a few hours to gather what were my rhythms before I went away.

Winter is upon us.
Take care
Viti 


 


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