On the day Nagalingam Ethirveerasingam soared to win Sri Lanka’s first-ever gold medal at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, communal riots were erupting in Colombo. “I felt I am not there, and here I am putting Sri Lanka in the sports headlines,” he reflects—caught between personal triumph and national turmoil. A pioneering Tamil high jumper, Ethirveerasingam represented Ceylon at the 1952 Helsinki and 1956 Melbourne Olympics, carving a place for himself in the country’s athletic history.

His portrait traces not only a trailblazing international sports career, but also his later role as a quiet interlocutor—navigating between warring factions during a fragile peace between the state and the separatist Tamil Tigers.

During a recent visit to the island nation in 2023, Ethir made a quiet pilgrimage to the former LTTE cemetery site in Kopay—some of those buried there were individuals he had worked with during the ceasefire. Though the cemetery was razed by the military in the mid-1990s and has since been subject to ongoing erasure—any efforts by local Tamils to restore or memorialise the site have been blocked or dismantled—it continues to be tenderly cared for by Tamil families. Surveillance and militarisation have continued, with even commemorative acts—such as lighting lamps on remembrance day or Maaveerar Naal—often monitored or restricted. Despite this, the memory of the fallen endures quietly. Ethir’s visit was a gesture of remembrance—quiet but resolute—emblematic of his deep empathy for those caught on all sides of the conflict.

Mary Akka, a seettu collector from Chunnakam, Jaffna, reflects on a life shaped by resilience and the pursuit of identity. A trans woman, her experiences of gender and selfhood were forged in the 1980s and 90s, during the de facto Tamil Eelam. In a context marked by societal rejection, Mary Akka’s journey was one of survival and carving out a space for herself in a world that offered few avenues for self-affirmation.

Mary Akka recalls a simple moment—preparing a meal as she reflects on her life. “I knew. This is the way I am,” she says, asserting her truth despite the rejection she faced. From a young age, she was aware of her gender identity, but societal pressure and ridicule forced her into isolation. At 13, she realised she was meant to be a woman, though this realisation was met with punishment and exclusion. Her actions, like growing her hair long and dressing in a way that felt right, were constantly scrutinised.

Her story is one of endurance, defiance, and an unwavering commitment to self-identity.

The poet and writer, Dominic Jeeva, talks about growing up with caste, and why, despite its many flaws, he’s still proud to be a Jaffna man. 

Esan has been driving passengers around Jaffna in his trusty Morris Oxford for nearly twenty years. He remembers the times of scarcity following government embargoes on fuel and the need to adapt to survive. 

Sri Nagulesawara Kurrukkal, the chief priest at the Nagulesawaran temple at Keeramalai, talks about the impact of the war on the temple and the changes brought about since the end of hostilities.

The 105-year-old Veerakathy is very likely the oldest man in Jaffna. The tobacco farmer from Velanai has already outlived six of his sons. He talks about a Jaffna way of life that has helped him live a very long life.

T. Arasanayagam, poet and English teacher, talks about his childhood in Jaffna and his discovery of “the other”. He also reflects on his experiences of violence up close in Kandy. 

Dr Sivarajah is an expert in community medicine and a lecturer at the University of Jaffna. He reflects on the last thirty years of living in Jaffna and how the challenges keep him on the peninsula.

Sister Pushpam Gnanapragasam reflects on the Jaffna identity. And when the first French missionaries arrived in Jaffna and the role the nuns played during the last months of the war.

Poet and teacher, Somasundramoillai Pathmanathan, or “Sopa”, remembers the days when the baker in Jaffna was Sinhalese and the tailor was Muslim. He reflects on the hardships people of Jaffna faced over decades or war.

Bala Tampoe has been the head of the Ceylon Mercantile Industrial and General Workers Union for over fifty years. He talks about the psychology behind a successful strike and his identity as a workers’ leader. (Interview recorded in Colombo.)

Mohammed Yassin was expelled along with over five thousand other Muslim families from the Jaffna peninsula. He talks about the day that changed his life and his return to his hometown.

Mrs Subramanium is the personal assistant to the head of one of Jaffna’s most popular newspapers. She reflects on her approach to life and death and why, despite the constant pleas from her diasporan family, she refuses to leave Jaffna.