Christy Mihindukulasooriya was the first person to portray Jesus Christ in the Duwa Passion Play. Before that the role had been represented only by statues. He reflects on the long history of the Passion Play and recalls performing the role for forty years.

Lejmal Hussein reflects on the vicissitudes of working as a migrant labourer in Saudi Arabia for nineteen years, away from his family.

Gerald Fonseka speaks about his late father, known locally as Rathu Mudalali. His father’s ethical treatment of workers on the family’s coconut plantations and fibre mills in the 1950s inspired the son to follow the same example.

A member of Negombo’s Bharatha community, Selvam Croos Moraes reflects on discovering an archival photograph of the Donoughmore Commission in which his father appears among the staff. He speaks about his distinctive community and the challenges he faced in having the photograph recognised as part of Sri Lanka’s history.

Justinus Lawrence’s father came to Negombo sixty years ago to start his own garage. Full of laughter, Lawrence speaks about taking over the business and the challenges of running it today.

One hundred and fifty years ago, Lawrence Saravanamuttu’s grandfather, Soosaipillai, came to Negombo from his hometown of Jaffna to open the shop that would become famous for selling Jaffna cigars. The shop still sells cigars, but as Saravanamuttu explains, they are no longer from Jaffna.