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i am is a narratives project exploring Sri Lanka's regional identity in sound and image

Helga de Silva Blow Perera

Helga talks about her home and "anti-hotel", the sumptuous "Helga's Folly".

26,067 views

11
Haniah Sultanbawa

The history teacher talks about the challenges she faced in becoming the first Muslim woman from Galle to graduate from university.

18,735 views

12
Harendranath Dunuwille

The Kandyan lawyer recalls how the southern insurrection affected his chances of political office and why he belongs in Kandy.

10,186 views

5
V.S. Alagan

The cemetery keeper talks about digging graves of different faiths and how he overcame his initial occupational fears and hazards.

11,307 views

5
Dominic Jeeva

The activist talks about growing up with caste, and why, despite its flaws, he's still proud to be a Jaffna man.

27,271 views

22
Sister Pushpam Gnanapragasam

The senior nun reflects on why Jaffna people describe themselves as "our people".

8,660 views

3
Lejmal Hussein

The migrant worker reflects on the highs and lows of working in Saudi Arabia for nineteen years away from his family and hometown of Negombo.

4,461 views

2
Edwin Ariyadasa

The veteran journalist looks back on 64 years with Lake House as a reporter and editor.

3,690 views

0
Dushyanthi Nugawela Wijeyawardena

The Kandyan remembers how, with her father's Buddhist roots and mother's Christian faith, her parents raised the family to observe both.

14,494 views

9
K. C. Kodituwakku

The retired bank manager remembers Jaffna past and present.

9,138 views

6
Mohammed Yassin

The businessman talks about his expulsion from his hometown of Jaffna.

16,167 views

10
Samarakone Bandara

The ritualist talks about his connection to the spirit world and why he came to Kandy.

4,707 views

1
Dr Lester James Peries

The filmmaker talks about his love for cinema and his groundbreaking early films.

8,744 views

2
Dr. Sivarajah

The community doctor reflects on his years of living in Jaffna and how these challenges keep him on the peninsula.

9,215 views

4
Mrs. Rasheed

The homemaker remembers how she coped after the death of her husband to raise five children alone.

8,172 views

5
Justinus Lawrence

Justinus took over the garage in Negombo from his grandfather. He talks about the challenges he faces in running it today.

1,794 views

0
Mrs Sui-King Chang

Mrs Sui-King Chang left Hong Kong in the 1950s and today is one of the last surviving first generation Chinese migrants.

7,052 views

0
Father Vito Perniola

The one hundred year old priest came to Ceylon in 1936. As a linguist, he learnt Pali and even taught the ancient language to monks and nuns.

3,801 views

2
Mrs Kandiah

The English teacher had never even been to England but through poems she could travel to the English countryside.

6,634 views

7
Margaret Outschoorn

The Portuguese Burgher matriarch from Batticaloa talks about displacement and loss, and how she still misses her old life in the Dutch Bar.

17,634 views

16
Father Harry Miller S.J.

The Jesuit priest from Louisiana explains why Batticaloa is the only home he knows.

18,230 views

11
Mrs. Subramanium

”Simplicity is the mark of genius”: the 82 year old explains why she refuses to leave Jaffna.

30,055 views

18
C.K. Sankarakumaran

The guarantee shroff reflects on his connections to his two homes of Kandy and Jaffna.

11,500 views

7
Jean Arasanayagam

The writer reflects on her Burger identity and her marriage to an atypical Jaffna man.

25,386 views

15
Seenithamby

The fisherman talks about the changes to his way of life and his father who taught him to fish.

11,686 views

5
Lawrence Saravanamuttu

Lawrence Saravanamuttu's shop is over 150 years old and famous for selling cigars. He talks about the Jaffna cigar popular among Negombo fishermen.

3,997 views

1
T. Arasanayagam

The English teacher talks about his childhood memories of Jaffna and his discovery of "the other".

7,118 views

2
Inayet Akbarally

The trader tells the story of his great grandfather and how he became the first member of the Dawoodi Bohra community to set foot in Ceylon.

5,067 views

2

Portraits of Sri Lanka's elders in sound and image

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About

i am is a narratives project exploring Sri Lanka's regional identity in sound and image

Helga de Silva Blow Perera

Haniah Sultanbawa

Harendranath Dunuwille

V.S. Alagan

Dominic Jeeva

Sister Pushpam Gnanapragasam

Lejmal Hussein

Edwin Ariyadasa

Dushyanthi Nugawela Wijeyawardena

K. C. Kodituwakku

Mohammed Yassin

Samarakone Bandara

Dr Lester James Peries

Dr. Sivarajah

Mrs. Rasheed

Justinus Lawrence

Mrs Sui-King Chang

Father Vito Perniola

Mrs Kandiah

Margaret Outschoorn

Father Harry Miller S.J.

Mrs. Subramanium

C.K. Sankarakumaran

Jean Arasanayagam

Seenithamby

Lawrence Saravanamuttu

T. Arasanayagam

Inayet Akbarally