Features

Snippets from Leonard Woolf’s Growing, with comments

Published

4 months ago

2024/08/11

Leonard and Virginia Woolf.

I have been immersed and absorbed in the second volume of Leonard Sydney Woolf’s six volume autobiography from the first sentence onwards. Second time of reading but now with more discernment. Discussing this matter with Leelananda de Silva from whom I borrowed the book, I said I wonder whether it is because I admire this man and am a believer that British colonialism conferred more benefits to Ceylon than what we materially lost, unlike in India, or whether it is purely the writing skill of Woolf. Leelananda, who is of like opinion regards Brit governance of us, opined it was both.

It is apt to remember Woolf and his years as a British Civil Servant in Ceylon because he died on August 14, 1969, and we are now in the month of August. He was born November 25, 1880, to Jewish parents, his father being a barrister and Queens Counsel. Leonard is listed as political theorist, author, civil servant, publisher (his and Virginia’s Hogarth Press). He was of the Labour Party and Fabian Society. Studied in St Paul’s School and graduated from Trinity College, Cambridge.

After six years as an administrator of the British colony of Ceylon from 1905-11, he left the civil service, disillusioned by the way the British Raj governed its colony – Ceylon. He married Virginia Stephen who was a rising author in 1912 and last resided in Monk’s House, Rodmell, East Sussex, where she committed suicide in 1941.(Google Beautiful Simplicity and enjoy views of house and garden now within the National Trust). He was nominated Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature in 1965 but refused a Queen’s birthday honour.

To me, next to this marriage, in interest is the Bloomsbury Group of which he became a member. It was a gathering of writers, artistes and intelligent people formalized in 1905; meeting in the home of Vanessa, Virginia and brother Thoby Stephen, in Gordon Square, Bloomsbury. They shared ideas, supported each other’s creative activities and formed close friendships, even marriages as Vanessa married Clive Bell in 1907 and five years later Virginia. Woolf visited Sri Lanka in 1960 and expressed surprise and delight at the warm reception he received, and that he was remembered. It would have been then that he was invited as chief guest to the Trinity College, Kandy, prize giving.

Woolf has 19 publications to his credit: political treaties, journal articles, addresses and fiction – Village in the Jungle published 1913, which for long was considered the best novel in English of Ceylon/Sri Lanka. I mean here to only list the titles of the six volumes of his autobiography. Sowing (pub. 1960) which covers the period 1880 (birth) to 1904; Growing (1961) 1904 to 1911- his years in Ceylon; Diaries in Ceylon (1963) 1908 to 1911; Beginning Again (1964) 1911 to 1918; Downhill All the Way (1967) 1919 to 1939; and The Journey not the Arrival Matters (1969) 1939 to 1969.

Quotes and Comments from Growing

Woolf set sail in the P&O ship Syria in October 1904, at age 24: “I can remember the precise moment of my second birth. The umbilical cord by which I had been attached to my family, to St Paul’s, to Cambridge and Trinity was cut when, leaning over the ship’s taffrail, I watched… mother and sister waving goodbye …” The journey from Tilbury Docks to Colombo took three weeks. He describes other passengers and comments: “…we developed from a fortuitous concourse of isolated human atoms into a complex community with an elaborate system of castes and classes. The initial suspicions and reserve had soon given place to intimate friendships, intrigues, affairs, passionate loves and hates.”

He spent a fortnight in Colombo and on January 1, 1905, now a Cadet in the Ceylon Civil Service, was sent to Jaffna with a Sinhalese servant, his dog James brought over from UK and a wooden crate with his volumes of Voltaire, to Anuradhapura by train and then in a bullock cart called the ‘mail coach’ to Jaffna. This tedious stretch took two days and was through unending jungle. He began to love the solitude of the jungle. “One of the charms of the island is its infinite variety. In the north, east and south-east you get the flat, dry, hot low country … It is a land of silent, sinister scrub jungle or of great stretches of sand. Many dislike the arid sterility of this kind of Asiatic low country. But I lived in it for most of my time in Ceylon and it got into my heart and my bones, its austere beauty, its immobility and unchangeableness except of minute modulations of light and colour beneath the uncompromising sun; the silence, the emptiness, the melancholia, and so the purging of the passions by complete solitude.”

Writing about the people of his time he assesses them thus: “They (Tamils of Jaffna) have to work hard and they do work extraordinarily hard to make a living out of a stony, unsmiling and hot, not fertile soil. I came to like them and their country, though never as much as I like the lazy, smiling, well-mannered lovely Kandyans in their lovely mountain villages or the infinite variety of types among the Low Country Sinhalese in their large, flourishing villages or the poverty and starvation stricken villages in the jungle.”

He managed to catch the essence of the general personalities of the people who lived in the three major divisions of the country: northern peninsular and below, moving down the east coast to Hambantota; the Hill Country; and the western and southern wet zones. About the Kandyans he has nailed their characteristics; I would add naivete too! Not foolishness; though in my time in Kandy there was a village – Thumpané – known for its people’s imprudence or idiocy. Wasn’t the Mahadenamutta and/or his golayas from this village?

The Civil Service and Administration of then

The island was divided administratively to nine Provinces and each was divided into Districts, the number varying. Jaffna had two – Mannar and Mullaitivu. Each Province had its Government Agent – GA – very senior official with at least 20 years’ service. The head official in each district was the AGA, counting anything from six to 20 years. The GA had two directly under him: the Office Assistant and Cadet. In the main city of a Province the officers were divided into: administrative and judicial – Police Magistrate and District Judge, the former posts considered more prestigious. The GA reported to the Secretariat in Colombo which had the Second Assistant Colonial Secretary, the Second and the Principal Assistant Colonial Secy, all below the Colonial Secretary who reported to London.

I remember the structure was this in the 1940s when my brother was a first batch Divisional Revenue Officer, DRO, them having replaced the Rate Mahathayas. The DRO reported to the AGA of the District while being the administrative head of a Pathu. My brother wore many hats, even that of the police in the Demala Hath Pathu with his reporting Kachcheri in Puttalam. In Anamaduwa at that time the public servants were the DRO, Engineer and District Medical Officer – DMO. The system changed with independence and Parliament and Cabinet of Ministers. In 1957 though the nine Provinces remained as such, 21 Districts had GAs who reported to the Home Minister. The Ceylon/S L Administrative Service was established in 1962 replacing the Civil Service and saw the last of DROs.

People of then

In Growing, Woolf writes about the ‘imperialists’ in Jaffna; generalizing and also creating accurate word pictures of most. “Our society was exclusively white. In the conversations on the Jaffna tennis courts there was the same incongruous mixture of public school toughness, sentimentality and melancholy… Colonial government servants were displaced persons. People whose lives had suddenly been torn up by the roots, and, in a foreign country, had therefore become unreal, artificial, temporary and alien.” The officers in these Provinces had a daily routine of work, tennis, drinks (whiskey soda) and dinner at the club, or socially, mostly at the GA’s Residency or in their homes. A few succumbed to tuberculosis; many had warts in personality. But all had hard lives of privation. Woolf was rare in that he appreciated the country and its people, while most white administrators were disdainful and uncaring of the locals.

Speaking of the people who came to the kachcheri for various purposes, he writes: “I too, like everyone else, was at first irritated and contemptuous. But gradually these feelings began to evaporate.” He became fascinated watching the streams of locals walking along the corridors of kachcheries in Jaffna and Hambantota. He felt they were closer to primitive man. “They live so close to the jungle they retain something of the litheness and beauty of jungle animals. The Sinhalese seem to have subtle and supple minds. They do not conceal their individuality. Lastly, when you get to know them, you find beneath the surface in almost everyone a profound melancholy and fatalism which I find beautiful and sympathetic, extremely fascinating so that few things have ever given me greater pleasure than, when I had learned to speak Sinhala, sitting under a tree in a village or on the bund of a tank, discussing with them their interminable problems, disputes, grievances.”

Leonard Woolf was one white civil servant who empathized and even liked the locals he had to deal with officially. And thus his disillusionment of how the British ruled the colony Ceylon that grew and finally had him not return after his first furlough back home.

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Features

Stage set for heightening East-West tensions

Published

24 hours ago

2024/12/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

A billboard in Tel Aviv, Israel, shows President-elect Donald Trump after he won the US presidential election last month [File: Oded Balilty/AP Photo]

Domestic political compulsions rather than those stemming from foreign policy considerations probably account for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s decision to clamp ‘emergency martial law’ on his country but recent developments in the East Asian theatre could very well have impacted the decision as well. For instance, a few thousand North Korean soldiers are reportedly in the Ukraine, fighting alongside Russian state troops.

Thus has the Cold War atmosphere in the region heightened greatly besides aggravating already strained relations between the two Koreas. Regardless of which set of factors has mattered more to the South Korean President, there is no disputing that increasing moves on the part of North Korea in the external policy sphere, that could be seen as hostile by the South, have progressively driven South and North Korea apart over the past few years.

Reports of inducting North Korean troops into the Ukraine to help in fighting President Putin’s war, if substantiated, raise the spectre of heightening proxy wars which were a defining feature of the Cold War confrontation between the US and the USSR. Accordingly, considering that South Korea has been a firm ally of the US in the post-World War Two international order, the commentator cannot be faulted for observing that as far as East Asia is concerned we are, to some extent, having a replay of Cold War politics. But as to whether external threat perceptions have mattered decisively in the South Korean President’s decision, only the future would fully tell.

Meanwhile, if US President-elect Donald Trump’s recent pronouncements are anything to go by, the world in the next few months would be an increasingly tense place to live in. ‘There will be hell to pay if captives in the Gaza are not released’, he reportedly fierily warned recently in the lead up to his installation as President on January 20th, 2025.

However, Trump has not indicated which group of captives he has in mind when he bellows in this fashion: Is it the Israeli hostages held by Hamas, the Palestinian captives in the hands of the Israeli state or both? Besides, what means would he be adopting to meet these ends; military or diplomatic? Thus, the world is kept in ‘the dark’ as to the true import of the President-elect’s words.

If Trump intends to help free the captives by diplomatic means, he would need to exercise considerable pressure on the Netanyahu regime in the process. Is he prepared to do this in the face of the possibility of earning the disfavor of pro-Netanyahu and staunchly pro-Israeli sections at home? Would he be prepared to compromise traditional US policy on Israel in these efforts? These and many more matters remain open questions at the moment.

On the other hand, a decision by the incoming Trump administration to deal with the issue militarily would in all probability prove disastrous for the US. Such moves would be met with fierce resistance by Palestinian militant groups and their foreign backers and pave the way for a prolonged military quagmire in the region for the US. Moreover, the Middle East conflict would be further compounded and we would see a vast escalation in anti-US sentiment in particularly the South.

Besides, the US would not be having the backing of China and Russia in its efforts to resolve the hostage crisis militarily. The West has thus far not prevailed over Russia and China on a number of contemporary issues relating to international law and order in the UN Security Council and the commentator cannot see an overcoming of these divisions in the foreseeable future. The issues pertaining to Ukraine are cases in point. As a result, the world would need to come to terms with the possibility that it would be having international instability on its hands indefinitely.

The US President-elect’s recent statements on matters relating to international economic policy are added proof that, going forward, the world is likely to be an increasingly unstable place to live in. There is, for instance, Trump’s threat that he would be clamping a 100 percent tariff increase on goods and services coming into the US from countries that are seen as attempting to divert from the US dollar in world trade. This is seen as an oblique reference to the perceived threat emanating from the BRICS countries to the US’s dominant position in the international economy.

If Trump’s words are taken at face value, the inference is inescapable that the stage is also being set for renewed trade wars between the US and China in particular. Such battles bode ill for the rest of the world since US-origin products and services would, generally, prove more costly for it. Besides, Chinese exports to the world would come at exorbitant prices, to consider just two possible consequences of these trade wars.

The South, in particular, would be badly hit in such trade strife. The developing world could opt for closer economic links in these circumstances with the BRICS grouping but such ventures are of a long term duration, if at all they prove feasible. In the short and medium terms, there could be no relief for the South. Moreover, the BRICS is yet to consolidate fully into a predominant economic grouping that could face-off with the West.

As pointed out in this column often, the safest course for the South at present is for the latter to strengthen intra-group solidarity in the economic and political spheres. It would need to ensure that it would not come under the suzerainty of either the East or the West. The empowerment of their peoples should be the uppermost consideration for the political and economic decision makers of the South. It would be simplistic to assume that the latter aim could be arrived at through mere formal alignments with the major powers and their alliances.

While we are witnessing trends in global politics at present that are similar to those that arose in the immediate post World War Two decades, in that they are suggestive of Cold War politics to a degree, the current international situation should also be seen as far more complex and unpredictable than the world of those times. Consequently, going forward, the developing world would need the services of perceptive political leaders and economists, besides other relevant personnel.

Features

National Costume or Most Creative Costume?

Published

24 hours ago

2024/12/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

That’s the subject being discussed at the moment, and for good reasons, as well.

When one talks about National Costume the reference is obviously to clothing that represents a country’s culture, history, and people. It can also reflect a country’s industry, beauty, and character.

National costumes, traditionally worn by people from a particular country, especially on special occasions, or for formal ceremonies, can be a source of national pride and can provide clues about a country’s heritage, geography, and history.

However, the National Costume section, in these beauty pageants, for both men and women, has given a new meaning to this attire, and many are of the opinion that it would be appropriate to rename this section as Most Creative Costume.

According to Google, the usage of the term ‘costume’ is more limited to unusual or out-of-date clothing and attire intended to evoke a change in identity, such as theatrical, Halloween, and mascot costumes…and, I would add, a fancy dress parade or, in our part of the world, perhaps even a devil dancing ceremony!

And the weight of some of these costumes, where even the contestant finds it difficult to move about freely, trying to keep the headgear and other accessories from falling apart, does take its toll on the wearer, and it happened at the recent Mr. World 2024 contest held in Vietnam, when Vietnam’s representative collapsed backstage and required assistance from his team to remove the costume he was wearing for the National Costume segment.

What’s more, beauty pageants are popping up like mushrooms here and quite a few of them are unheard-of. What a waste of money, time and energy.

I’ve also been told that some of the local winners have to fork out quite a tidy sum to go for the international event.

I believe local beauty pageants should have some level of centralization and coordination, laws, regulations and industry standards.

Of course, there are local pageants that are well organised, and done in a very professional way, and kudos to the people responsible for such pageants.

What also caught my attention, on social media, was a visual referring to child modelling.

Kids need to be in school, LEARNING, and not being groomed, at this tender age, to be a model.

What are the Education authorities doing, and also the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, and the National Child Protection Authority?

Let’s hope the new setup will move into action before it’s…yes, what comes to mind is the late Desmond Kelly’s ‘Too Late for Regrets.’

Features

Eye, Neck and Hand Wrinkles

Published

24 hours ago

2024/12/5

Sahan Weerasooriya

I had a good response from readers to my Beauty Tips column, last week, dealing with Fine Lines and Wrinkles.

With my readers in mind, I thought this week, too, I should tackle this wrinkle problem.

The following natural methods could help reduce Wrinkles Around the Neck…

* Olive Oil:

Olive oil is rich in antioxidants and vitamin E that can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the neck. Massage a small amount of olive oil into your neck before bed and leave it on overnight.

* Lemon Juice:

Lemon juice is a natural astringent that can help tighten the skin on your neck and reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Mix equal parts lemon juice and water and apply to your neck with a cotton ball. Leave on for 10 minutes before rinsing off.

* Honey:

Honey is a natural humectant that can help keep your skin hydrated and reduce wrinkles on the neck. Apply a thin layer of honey to your neck and leave on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off.

This is for those concerned about Wrinkles Around the Eyes…

* Cucumber: Cucumber is a natural anti-inflammatory that can help reduce the appearance of wrinkles around the eyes. Cut a cucumber into slices and place them over your closed eyes for 15-20 minutes.

* Green Tea Bags:

Green tea is rich in antioxidants that can help reduce wrinkles around the eyes. Simply steep a couple of green tea bags in hot water, let them cool, and then place them over your closed eyes for 15-20 minutes.

* Almond Oil: Almond oil is rich in vitamins A and E that can help reduce wrinkles around the eyes. Simply apply a small amount of almond oil to the skin around your eyes before bed and leave it on overnight.

And this is for Wrinkles on the Hands…

* Sugar:

Sugar is a natural exfoliant that can help reduce wrinkles on the hands. Mix equal parts sugar and olive oil and massage into your hands for 2-3 minutes. Rinse off with warm water.

* Banana:

Banana is rich in potassium, vitamins A and E that can help reduce wrinkles on the hands. Mash up a banana and apply it to your hands, leave it on for 15-20 minutes before rinsing off.