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Life Onboard |
LAST UPDATE
July 12, 2005
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| site design imagesparkle.com |
| June 3, 2005 |
Welcome to Sri Lanka – Toshiyo Shibuya |
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| Professor Toshio Shibuya, a Sri Lankan specialist, came aboard Peace Boat from Singapore to Sri Lanka to introduce lectures about Sri Lanka |
If anyone can point out the similarities between Japan and Sri Lanka, it would be Mr. Toshio Shibuya. The professor has been studying Sri Lanka for 25 years, since being captivated by the area as a student traveler. Initially intrigued that Sri Lankans tended to know many things about Japan, he aimed to do further research on Sri Lanka. |
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| Poster advertising Mr. Shibuya’s lecture about connections between Sri Lankans and Japanese |
Before Sri Lanka was devastated by the recent tsunami, it was nurturing a delicate period of calm after a long civil war between the Sinhalese majority and minority Tamil separatists. Although the country was formerly occupied by the Portuguese, Dutch and British, it became independent as Ceylon in 1948, changing its name to Sri Lanka in 1972. In 1983, civil war erupted between the Sinhalese and Tamil factions, and tens of thousands were killed until a ceasefire was brokered in February 2002. |
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| Fluent in the Sinhalese language, Professor Shibuya will also teach Sinhalese lessons aboard Peace Boat |
The demography of Sri Lanka is multicultural composition of Sinhalese, Tamil, Muslims, Burghers, Malay and Vedda. At 74% of the population (Tamils make up the second largest group at 18%), the Sinhalese majority nurtured the revival of Buddhism in the once Christian-dominated society. Mr. Shibuya explained the connection between Sri Lanka and Japan began from Buddhist roots, when Japanese monks traveled to Sri Lanka to learn early Buddhist script during Japan’s Meiji era in the late 19th century. For its part, Japan influenced Buddhism in Sri Lanka by introducing festival paper lanterns, which have been adapted from the traditional Japanese/Chinese form into a unique colorful paper lantern that is distinct to the Buddhist festivals in the country. |
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Culturally, Mr. Shibuya’s research revealed Sri Lankans admire Japan’s ability to balance Buddhism with independence and modernization. He pointed out examples where Japanese culture is revealed in Sri Lankan popular culture, from art, proverbs, songs and products. He even learned that the term “Japanese doll” is used to denote beauty, and many proverbs compare cleverness to being Japanese. However, Mr. Shibuya noticed that the Japanese are not as familiar with Sri Lanka, except as a center for tea and jewels. He hoped the Japanese participants would appreciate and further educate themselves about Sri Lanka, and he pointed to a well-known quote from a Sri Lankan politician who, at the San Francisco Charter conference, saw Japan’s potential as a peaceful country: “Hate cannot be extinguished by hatred; it can only be extinguished by love.” |
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