COULD MULTICULTURALISM CREAT A
SUSTAINABLE CULTURE
It is seen from time immemorial that each culture is nurtured mutually and society existence happens through multiculturalism . It is important to analyzing that multicultural characteristics have enriched each culture . Oxford dictionary defines culture “ as a refine understanding for appreciation of arts,customs,and institution of a nations of group”. There fore the key role of culture is to understand society or building the necessary relationship among the people live in society. Once man became civilized we see that the arts and the style of life developed by them migrated along with them. This resulted in a varies cultures coming together. Therefore the society thus formed could be identified as of one culture. In a tribal society we see that the culture of the powerful tribe comes up suppressing the culture of weaker tribe and the culture of the wining tribe is foist upon them. At present society has developed from a tribal society to civil society. In a civil society varies culture are nurtured mutually and builds understanding among people. A civil society needs a multiculturalism for this end.
CREATION OF CONFLICT
In the tribal society as well as civil society conflicts are common. Normally conflicts occur between two or many groups in a society when there is mutual misunderstanding or when others views are not accepted. When considering the conflicts between two groups the main reason we see is polarization or the tribal instinct making headway. We see that many conflicts are created by the strong culture foisting their dynamics one the other groups. When examine in detail the context of a conflict for power and when a nation tries to come up that nation tries to grab the economic power from the others, or suppress them . The rise of that culture this is situation is seen in many forms in the world . When we examine the conflicts that had a reason in the world in conflicts based on religious factors ,conflicts created on land factors or conflicts created on economic factors in each case we see that the refusal to accept multiculturalism or the effort that to sublimate. One culture had been the reason when analyzing the ethnic conflict from a multiculturalism approach . We see that the conflict was created because the Sinhala and Tamil societies had not been able to tolerate the different cultures of the people living in society. When examine this situation historically the cultural renaissance before independence was important water shade . The first debate for independence gained ground in Sri Lankan society during the cultural renascence . Specially the founder of the Hindu religious cultural movement Armiger Nawalar categorically to create a pure Hindu Tamil society to safe guard the Hindus from European cultural impact on religion language and customs . A movement for buddist cultural revival spearhead by Sri Sumangala thero , Muslim revival spearhead by Siddi Lebbey gained ground simultaneously.
Although these cultural revivals made a considerable impact on the different cultural groups it was unable to keep this momentum till the wining of independence , which was the final goal,due to the intolerance of the other cultures and the drive to sublimate once own culture. There was polarization in society due to the cast system within each culture. The final result was that there was intense social polarization and the final aim of gaining independence was not possible as other cultures were not tolerated. When examining the ethnic conflict that came up again and again in Sri Lanka it is seen that the non acceptance of cultural pluralism and cultural practices as well as the ability to control emotion led to these holocausts. As an example we could take the Sinhala Muslim conflict of 1915, which was caused due to the intolerance of muslim cultural traditions & the Sinhala cultural tradition by the Muslims. Later the conflicts of 50,60,70,80, decades were all caused due to the facts that the religion language and customs of the ethnic group that lived along with one was not appreciated nor tolerated. Since it is quite common to have conflicts of this nature in society it is very important that such conflict should be resolved by controlling conflict stresses.
How far have the Sinhala society understood the cultural aspirations of the Tamils,& how can Sinhala society tolerate the cultural aspirations of the tamils is some thing to be considered when resolving the two decade long conflict in Sri lanka. The sublimation of the Sinhala cultural heritage has come to appoint where other cultural heritages are not accepted. The Sinhalees believe that the inheritance of Sri Lanka is for them and to no other ethnic group. In the same manner they do not accept Lankan Tamil or Muslim inheritance . Therefore due to this mutual mistrust prevalent among these groups they feel they have no other alternative other than arms.
MULTICULTURALISM CHARACTORSTICS
If we analyze the cultures of Sinhala tamils and Muslims we see that these cultures were nurtured through a multicultural approach. We see an Indo Arryan on the origins of the Sinhala language. The pre historic letters of the sinhasla language latter evolved with the Dravidian influence and developed . We see letter (f) was developed after the advent of Europeans. Also the Sinhala treatise on gramer sidat sangara was based on a south Indian Tamil treatise on gramer named Sarajathi Mali
It is seen that Sinhala culture was enriched by the multicultural characteristics & words absorbed in to it. Many words in the Sinhala language were formed after the advent of the Portuguese Dutch & the English, through the absorption of their culture & customs . Multiculturalism is seen in food beverages religion customs folklore. We who live in a global village at present need this multicultural approach to be one with the world. It is seen as the most fruitful approach. It is possible to build a relationship with various nations living in a global village & also the enriched by varies cultures only by respecting & tolerating other cultures. The world would be a colorful place through a multicultural approach rather than by a mono cultural supremacy. Each culture would benefit and there would be cultural harmony only if there is room for a multicultural approach in society.
We who live in a very complex society cannot be confined to one culture. It is more important to understand that tolerance of multiculturalism and the benefit of its positive characteristics are necessary for the sustenance of a culture. What happened in history what happens at present and what would happen in a future is that each culture would merge into a multicultural space.
Written By - Ruwan Thilina Samarasinghe
Date 19-01-2007
SUSTAINABLE CULTURE
It is seen from time immemorial that each culture is nurtured mutually and society existence happens through multiculturalism . It is important to analyzing that multicultural characteristics have enriched each culture . Oxford dictionary defines culture “ as a refine understanding for appreciation of arts,customs,and institution of a nations of group”. There fore the key role of culture is to understand society or building the necessary relationship among the people live in society. Once man became civilized we see that the arts and the style of life developed by them migrated along with them. This resulted in a varies cultures coming together. Therefore the society thus formed could be identified as of one culture. In a tribal society we see that the culture of the powerful tribe comes up suppressing the culture of weaker tribe and the culture of the wining tribe is foist upon them. At present society has developed from a tribal society to civil society. In a civil society varies culture are nurtured mutually and builds understanding among people. A civil society needs a multiculturalism for this end.
CREATION OF CONFLICT
In the tribal society as well as civil society conflicts are common. Normally conflicts occur between two or many groups in a society when there is mutual misunderstanding or when others views are not accepted. When considering the conflicts between two groups the main reason we see is polarization or the tribal instinct making headway. We see that many conflicts are created by the strong culture foisting their dynamics one the other groups. When examine in detail the context of a conflict for power and when a nation tries to come up that nation tries to grab the economic power from the others, or suppress them . The rise of that culture this is situation is seen in many forms in the world . When we examine the conflicts that had a reason in the world in conflicts based on religious factors ,conflicts created on land factors or conflicts created on economic factors in each case we see that the refusal to accept multiculturalism or the effort that to sublimate. One culture had been the reason when analyzing the ethnic conflict from a multiculturalism approach . We see that the conflict was created because the Sinhala and Tamil societies had not been able to tolerate the different cultures of the people living in society. When examine this situation historically the cultural renaissance before independence was important water shade . The first debate for independence gained ground in Sri Lankan society during the cultural renascence . Specially the founder of the Hindu religious cultural movement Armiger Nawalar categorically to create a pure Hindu Tamil society to safe guard the Hindus from European cultural impact on religion language and customs . A movement for buddist cultural revival spearhead by Sri Sumangala thero , Muslim revival spearhead by Siddi Lebbey gained ground simultaneously.
Although these cultural revivals made a considerable impact on the different cultural groups it was unable to keep this momentum till the wining of independence , which was the final goal,due to the intolerance of the other cultures and the drive to sublimate once own culture. There was polarization in society due to the cast system within each culture. The final result was that there was intense social polarization and the final aim of gaining independence was not possible as other cultures were not tolerated. When examining the ethnic conflict that came up again and again in Sri Lanka it is seen that the non acceptance of cultural pluralism and cultural practices as well as the ability to control emotion led to these holocausts. As an example we could take the Sinhala Muslim conflict of 1915, which was caused due to the intolerance of muslim cultural traditions & the Sinhala cultural tradition by the Muslims. Later the conflicts of 50,60,70,80, decades were all caused due to the facts that the religion language and customs of the ethnic group that lived along with one was not appreciated nor tolerated. Since it is quite common to have conflicts of this nature in society it is very important that such conflict should be resolved by controlling conflict stresses.
How far have the Sinhala society understood the cultural aspirations of the Tamils,& how can Sinhala society tolerate the cultural aspirations of the tamils is some thing to be considered when resolving the two decade long conflict in Sri lanka. The sublimation of the Sinhala cultural heritage has come to appoint where other cultural heritages are not accepted. The Sinhalees believe that the inheritance of Sri Lanka is for them and to no other ethnic group. In the same manner they do not accept Lankan Tamil or Muslim inheritance . Therefore due to this mutual mistrust prevalent among these groups they feel they have no other alternative other than arms.
MULTICULTURALISM CHARACTORSTICS
If we analyze the cultures of Sinhala tamils and Muslims we see that these cultures were nurtured through a multicultural approach. We see an Indo Arryan on the origins of the Sinhala language. The pre historic letters of the sinhasla language latter evolved with the Dravidian influence and developed . We see letter (f) was developed after the advent of Europeans. Also the Sinhala treatise on gramer sidat sangara was based on a south Indian Tamil treatise on gramer named Sarajathi Mali
It is seen that Sinhala culture was enriched by the multicultural characteristics & words absorbed in to it. Many words in the Sinhala language were formed after the advent of the Portuguese Dutch & the English, through the absorption of their culture & customs . Multiculturalism is seen in food beverages religion customs folklore. We who live in a global village at present need this multicultural approach to be one with the world. It is seen as the most fruitful approach. It is possible to build a relationship with various nations living in a global village & also the enriched by varies cultures only by respecting & tolerating other cultures. The world would be a colorful place through a multicultural approach rather than by a mono cultural supremacy. Each culture would benefit and there would be cultural harmony only if there is room for a multicultural approach in society.
We who live in a very complex society cannot be confined to one culture. It is more important to understand that tolerance of multiculturalism and the benefit of its positive characteristics are necessary for the sustenance of a culture. What happened in history what happens at present and what would happen in a future is that each culture would merge into a multicultural space.
Written By - Ruwan Thilina Samarasinghe
Date 19-01-2007
