The waves of Mirissa had prepared a lesson for me.
As I waded alone into the current churning against the island’s boarder, I was given an insight to the Sri Lankan people. I had already observed they are proud of and quite connected to their land, but it was then I realized just how much they reflect the nature of their surroundings.
After three weeks touring the country, I had chosen the word “fluid” to describe the lifestyle and mindset of the Sri Lankan culture.
Fluid not only because of the sway of women’s skirts or the dancing palm trees but even the flow of traffic and groups of people on the street seem to drift as one. Fluid because of the thousands of stories and cultures weaved in and out of this island’s history. Fluid in the sense there is constant change yet the people adapt to whatever streams toward them.
I reflected on a lecture by author and historian Sinharaja Tammita-Delgoda who said people’s worldviews are molded by their landscape. The geography in which they live shapes the frame of mind in which they think.
For example, those who live in vast plane areas reach for far horizons and are limitless in where they can go or what they can achieve. People who live surrounded by mountains may have guarded or narrowed vision, because they are accustomed to walls protecting everything they need in their place.
As the waves lapped over me one after another, I used Tammita-Delgoda’s model to unwrap Sri Lanka.
Even people who live in the hill country or the central districts can still relate to the repetitive drumming of waves against the country’s outline since the beginning of its time.
These currents have ushered in multiple outsiders who influenced the nation greatly. As each new wave of people, religions, conquerors or visitors filter in, the people of Sri Lanka have adapted to and internalized in their own way.
Like their surrounding coastline, they have sustained endless monsoons in their history and remain as steadfast and beautiful as ever.
With each new day I live in this breathtaking country, I notice the unshakable walls of culture that protect this nation.
Tammita-Delgoda said geography persists even as the world keeps changing.
I believe Sri Lankans persist with the change just as strong and bold as their own land has endured for thousands of years against floods, both of water and of outsiders.
As I waded alone into the current churning against the island’s boarder, I was given an insight to the Sri Lankan people. I had already observed they are proud of and quite connected to their land, but it was then I realized just how much they reflect the nature of their surroundings.
After three weeks touring the country, I had chosen the word “fluid” to describe the lifestyle and mindset of the Sri Lankan culture.
Fluid not only because of the sway of women’s skirts or the dancing palm trees but even the flow of traffic and groups of people on the street seem to drift as one. Fluid because of the thousands of stories and cultures weaved in and out of this island’s history. Fluid in the sense there is constant change yet the people adapt to whatever streams toward them.
I reflected on a lecture by author and historian Sinharaja Tammita-Delgoda who said people’s worldviews are molded by their landscape. The geography in which they live shapes the frame of mind in which they think.
For example, those who live in vast plane areas reach for far horizons and are limitless in where they can go or what they can achieve. People who live surrounded by mountains may have guarded or narrowed vision, because they are accustomed to walls protecting everything they need in their place.
As the waves lapped over me one after another, I used Tammita-Delgoda’s model to unwrap Sri Lanka.
Even people who live in the hill country or the central districts can still relate to the repetitive drumming of waves against the country’s outline since the beginning of its time.
These currents have ushered in multiple outsiders who influenced the nation greatly. As each new wave of people, religions, conquerors or visitors filter in, the people of Sri Lanka have adapted to and internalized in their own way.
Like their surrounding coastline, they have sustained endless monsoons in their history and remain as steadfast and beautiful as ever.
With each new day I live in this breathtaking country, I notice the unshakable walls of culture that protect this nation.
Tammita-Delgoda said geography persists even as the world keeps changing.
I believe Sri Lankans persist with the change just as strong and bold as their own land has endured for thousands of years against floods, both of water and of outsiders.
RSS Feed
