22 February- Navam Poya Day

Poya Day

This morning I woke to the chanting and ceremonies of another Poya day.

Sri Lanka’s population are 69% Buddhist, 15% Hindu, 8% Christian, and 7% Muslim. (From the back of my A-Z Street guide with important facts of Sri Lanka) With my quick math skills, I guess that leaves only one percent of us to be none religious. The streets, normally filled with cleaners, sellers, stall owners, travellers (on foot, bike, trishaw, car motorcycles and bus…) and children in white uniforms making their way to school; are very quiet today.

Here is some information from a web page on Poya days:

The average Sri Lanka Buddhist visits the pansala (temple) four times a month on poya days, which equate to the phases of the moon. The full-moon day is most important and a monthly national holiday in the Buddhist tradition of this island nation -- a day of reverence for the faithful and a relaxing day away from work for those of other faiths. A tray of flowers is offered at each of the three places of worship, small oil lamps are lit (to represent wisdom and enlightenment), and incense is burned (to symbolize purity).
Poya day ceremonies are conducted from dawn until dusk at all temples. This includes Dharma sermons, meditation classes, pujas (offerings), administration of the precepts, and pirit-chanting of protective suttas (discourses).
Merit-making (punya karma) is considered to be the cornerstone of lay Buddhism. By following the Dharma and the precepts, by striving for compassion, equanimity and wisdom, and by performing meritorious deeds -- such as dana (almsgiving), pilgrimage and worship, and paying homage to elders -- one can assure oneself a more advanced rebirth on the spiritual ladder toward nibbana.

It was on a Navam Full Moon Poya Day that Lord Buddha appeared before the ascetic Deeghanakha at the cave named Sukarakathalena in the vicinity of Mount Gijjakuta:

“Easy to do are things that are hard and not beneficial to oneself;
But very, very difficult indeed to do is that which is beneficial and good.”
Dhammapada: 163

The influences of Buddhist tradition are significant and interesting to me. The Buddhism that so many have learned about through the books of the Dali Lama is different from what is practiced here. (As there are so many different practices of the other religions as well. It is hard to see a similarity between a Christian Quaker and an evangelical Baptist, I expect.)

I have been working with training trainers in resilience and trauma and there is no regularly used word for trauma in Sinhalese or Tamil language. It is more about difficult times, and resilience is more about overcoming difficult times and feeling happy again. I remember of the wonderful variations of language in Ojibwa. Also, holidays are more about natural phenomena. I remember speaking with a young boy in Chabogamou (Northern Quebec- First Nations community) and he was telling me about ‘Goose Days’ when they would have time off school, and I asked him which date that was (calendar thinking me). He looked confused by my question for a minute, then replied, ‘Miss, it is when the geese fly back from the south.’ The first to spot the geese, tells others. I guess the geese do not use a calendar!

Some of you have asked for more personal update on this blog as well. On Monday, I enjoyed a wonderful concert with Susheela Raman (music sharers will remember her Salt Rain) and the whole thing was a wonder, as the moon rose behind the stage (late start as British Council equipment had problems) and the phenomenal musicians with her. Carlos Djanuno, can that man sing! And guitar and percussion! Samuel Landell Mills (guitarist), Hilaire Hega Penda (bass guitarist), and Aref Durvesh (tabla player). The music, the heat, the moon, the audience, it was all so wonderful. (and it was a benefit for tsunami too.) They are laying down tracks for a new cd, and one song, ‘the same song’ (or something like that?)… anyway…it was awesome.

I saw Malcolm X (Spike Lee film) at a free series to recognize black heritage week in the US. Such a film, and I found myself missing others to talk about it with.

Ok, it sounds like I am just totally involved in entertainment? Well, I have finally moved into my own flat so major cleaning underway. (I will spare you the details, but for those of you following the past, I now have shower (it is so bloody hot here, I shower three times a day!) but still nothing that flushes!)

It looks like we will be going back to the East to provide training trainers work in trauma and resilience in the next month. It is not only the tsunami impact that produces traumatic events. Imagine losing one’s family, boat, home… and living in a camp. Many are turning to gambling and drinking in the camps in boredom. (With little relief- home-livelihood in sight.) and some of the young (some very young) females are raped and molested in the tight living spaces with no safe place to be. (and perhaps no one to protect them.)

Sri Lanka’s IDP (Internally Displaced Persons) camps had the highest suicide rates in the world, particularly during the war. Sri Lankan’s have such skills, capacity and compassion; they are working hard to provide for basic needs of safety, food, and shelter. It is less about restoring safety, for many it is safety for the first time…

Take a quiet moment on this full moon time, where ever on earth you are, and reflect on loving kindness. And tonight if you sleep in a safe place, with full tummy and clean water to drink, be grateful to be so blessed.

‘I wept because I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet.’

Gratefully,
Martha

Dawn comes exuberantly upon the land

14 February

This morning I woke before dawn and instead of opening my eyes to sunrise, I let my ears take it all in. I have watched and heard a rainstorm move across Lake Nydia in North Western Ontario, with the light rain, wind, birds calling, and finally a growing crescendo. The dawn this morning could be heard a ways off, and so many birds, insects and animals announced the dawn. I could hear way off in the distance the hum of birds, all, gathering in volume as the sound grew louder, and the individual sounds became distinguishable.

And so dawn comes on quickly and in an increasing volume, with the only people sounds, a call to prayer. Finally people noises, sweeping, trishaws, coconuts breaking, fill the din of Colombo morning active with children off to school, people to work and the normal array of big city noises.

Sunset is very sudden. Between the time the tip of the sun hits the water, until it is disappeared, is only seven minutes. Angie and I stood at Galle Face to watch the sun go down and it is much as in Kenya, close to the Equator and moving from day to night to day very quickly. I am remembering my time in the far north, where I tried to stay awake until the sun had completely set in Alaska. When finally I gave up and went to bed at 3 am, the light was still visible on the horizon.

Buddhist be-ing here with out doing seems to be my experience in this moment. I have read 8 books, purchased and distributed notebooks, pens and school supplies, and other personal supplies, and travelled through-out this country in my time here. Over the month’s time, I have met many people in the middle of a tumultuous time. Over 30,000 people lost their lives in a day, while 62,000 people lost their lives in a war over 20 years. The extent of loss and change to affect families, communities, livelihood, environment, government are experienced in psycho/social, spiritual, economic, educational and political realms.

Today’s paper describes 18 bodies found 2 kilometres in land from the Southern location where a train was derailed at Hikkaduwa. And so recovery, reconstruction and healing are happening while the traumatic events continue. As much as there is a profound sense of good will and support, a rush to build temporary housing, relocate communities, and address trauma, needs to take a deep breathe, and listen to people as they say what they need.

AHIMSA has been invited in to work in the South with psycho/social community needs and we will look forward to supporting this community’s resilient capacity to move ahead and create its own future.

8 February-

Sri Lanka- a national holiday of independence

The Independence Day celebrations (last Friday) were less about celebration and more about marking a countries commitment to mourning its losses and momentum for a strong recovery. How will this work? I have real fear that the world may arrive to create a future, which might have little resemblance to Sri Lankan’s hopes for its own future.

Picture a small village on the coast. In December there were two NGO’s working with community capacity. One month later, there are 53 (International None Governmental Organizations (INGOs) from 18+ nations. In Ampara, people are falling over themselves to find housing, vehicles, food, and such a huge outpouring of good will, perhaps enough to overwhelm the community?

What I fear are getting missed are local groups, such as AHIMSA, who sit in a meeting with others discussing psycho/social work with children who experienced trauma. The California facilitator could easily be replaced with Monica who has lots of experience and training and with Sri Lankan children. She does not need to ask, “What is the equivalent of a hamburger and fries in Sri Lanka?” as she lives this life, these are her people. A large INGO is funding a new program in ADR. They bring in a trainer who begins with discussions of “What is conflict?” Monica and AHIMSA produced such training and had it published, funded by this same INGO, in 2003. Why is the training not provided by AHIMSA?

Well the answer to that is that this INGO amalgamated with another organization under the same larger INGO, with upheaval of staff, projects and organization. Now, 7 more organizations are coming on board. 180 new staff will mean focus on peace education and conflict transformation will take a back seat to relief. What happens to Peace and Conflict Transformation in the overwhelming out pouring of funding for relief?


I wrote of our visit to Batticoloa last weekend. We saw wild elephants, monkeys, eagles, egrets, king fishers and storks and this is a beautiful land, striving to grow and integrate the diversity of its people, landscape, livelihoods, economic conditions and environmental challenges. This moment of time when the world is focused on Sri Lanka and other Tsunami damaged countries, can Sri Lanka hold on to its vision of a future, its possibilities and options and not let others take over?

I have been asked several times, which groups are being helpful and effective in contributing to the countries well being and recovery? I have been told three times about Disaster Assistance Response Team (DART) the Canadian military’s program, which has the capacity of making fresh water for countless villages and communities. So I will highlight them. On a smaller scale, I know AHIMSA as a group who work together with communities on the ground to provide real support to children and families.

In the East, there is the fear that children may be taken as child soldiers, and those who recruit them, can easily make the point that there is nothing there for the children. Perhaps a back pack with notebooks, pens, mathematical sets and school supplies will not be enough, but it is a concrete example of a real need being met, in real time. And it is the beginning of longer term community building toward a deeper relationship and peace and conflict transformation skills.

Several of you have tried to connect with the blog and asked for an email address. Please email me at marthamcmanus@hotmail.com I look forward to hearing from you.
The wonderful world of three-wheelers and flying around holes in the road and squeezing between trucks, white relief vehicles and buses is increasing challenges with more traffic. Also for those of you who were here before when I was in 2003, the hotels we stayed at for 35$US last time are now 95-120$US/night. (Out of reach in rupees, US dollars and forget Canadian conversion!) I went with three VSO staff to a bar and listened to a lovely voice, sounding just like Ella Fitzgerald, and band. The singer was a short pony tailed young Sri Lankan man, with a wonderful voice. I look forward to more nights of Lion beer and this amazing voice plays unplugged on Mondays!

Batticaloa

We have just returned from Batticaloa which is a city on the East Coast of Sri Lanka. When I expand my blog skills I will try to include a map.

I have described trips to the South and Hikkaduwa which was very severly damaged by the Tsunami. It seems that one of the reasons they were so badly hit was because of their work. Many people in the community were involved in breaking corral, and so most of the corral reefs have been destroyed. Any hope that nature had of protecting the shores with the reefs is not possible around Hikkaduwa with the corral breaking. The industry is gone, the shores were too exposed and the area is extensively damaged.

Batticaloa is a largely Tamil community with mainly Hindu and Christian faiths in Batticaloa and communities primarily Muslim just south of Batti.

People tell of the snakes that gathered in large groups under the singing fish bridge. (Singing fish, like dolphins are said to be seen in the area, hense the name of the bridge.) The snakes had massed in such large numbers that crouds came to see them and there were beacons into the water so the mass of snakes could be seen at night. Again the snakes appear to forshaddow the Tsunami.

The first waves stuck the community as many were going off to places of worship. It seems that the second and third waves did the most damage and people tell stories of heroism as soldiers (previously unwelcome LTTE) going into the water to save people, and the family member watching then as the soldier lost his life in the water.

One couple got married this Sunday. They had their engagement party on the 26th and of the 23 family members gathered, only 11 survived. The couple got married with less than half their families, no dowery or special clothes, but a strong commitment to celebrating the marriage as they mourn together as well.

Batti seems a very strong community as they do not appear to wait for government support or funding. This is not likely to come with any great speed, or past record as the sinhalese government does not have much presence in LTTE areas such as this. The communities have formed their own neighborhood action commitees and have a strong voice.

They speak of building real homes, to replace those destroyed, not the rows of tin houses with no windows and which function more to roast those who dwell there as opposed to providing a home. The community speak about the bigger picture. 'We each had different homes, and we will have different needs now too.'The fisherman speak in practicalities,'How can I live so far from my boat?' and other fisherman do not wish to return to the sea just yet, and it seems there is little market for fish with the locals.

What AHIMSA is concerned about is encouraging children to return to school. It is easy to bring people into child soldiering when it appears that there is nothing. We are doing a double effort as we are bringing notebooks and school supplies and also making notebook covers which have peace quotes from various faiths. We have also added ideas on anger (STARR) perception (the blind wise men & the Elephant) and also cartoons about conflict resolution with interests and options.

We are translating all these sections to include english Tamil and Sinhalese.

It is important for us at AHIMSA to work with all the populations of the island, and it is long term work to help children get back to schools (and even first those who are homeless must leave the schools where they live now in Batti.) We are creating relationships in communities from which peace work and resilience will follow.

Thank you to all of you who have supported our eforts and I appreciate your interest. I hope you have had a chance to read about Sri Lanka else where on the web, and even seen a map. I am now getting eaten alive by mosquitos so i will close now until next week.

Peacefully, and bitten,
Martha




“A man finds no justice if he carries a dispute to violence. No, he who knows right from wrong, who is learned and guides othe rs- not by violence, but by the same law, being a guardian of the law, who shows intelligence: He is called just.”

The Dhammapada- Buddhist scriptures

“If you want to see the brave, look at those who can forgive. If you want to see the heroic, look at those who love in return for hatred.”
The Bhatagavad-Gita - Hindu scriptures

“Blessed are the Peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.”
The Gospel of Matthew- Christian scriptures

“Shall I not tell you what is better than prayers and fasting and giving alms to the poor? It is making peace between one another: enmity and malice destroy all virtues.”

Words of Muhammad- Islamic Tradition