Cultural Construction of the 'Sinhala Woman' and Women's Lives in Post-Independence Sri Lanka Janaki Jayawardena Ph.D. University Of York Centre for Women's Studies October 2002 2 You are dOing this (research) because there is a reason for it. Otherwise you could have stayed at home surrounded by your family. But you left them and are doing this work because it will do good to someone. I hope I may have a chance to read the book (thesis) you write. Podi (Age 54, Badulla) 3 Abstract This thesis examines the lives of Sinhala women in postcolonial Sri Lanka, particularly the cultural construction of the 'Sinhala woman' as an aspect of the 'invented tradition' during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In order to historicise gender and culture I examine the pre - colonial and colonial period and also focus my attention on a set of informal restrictions working to constrain women's equal participation in economic, social and political activities, which the Sinhala community identifies as a part and parcel of the 'culture and tradition'. This thesis uses life histories of sixty-four women and life cycle and life course approaches to analyse the data. The first chapter sets the context of the study. The second chapter discusses childhood in order to examine how girls come to understand that they are different from boys. The third chapter discusses an important milestone in Sinhala women's lives, attaining puberty, where the 'traditions' they learn become meaningful and reinforce gender differences. The fourth chapter discusses how and why the 'tradition' was invented. The fifth chapter explores the impact of the cultural construction of the 'Sinhala woman' has on adult women's education, paid work, political participation and family. The sixth chapter focus attention on ageing women, a subject that has previously received little attention. My study concludes that 'culture and tradition' transcend social, economic and urban/rural boundaries and impede Sinhala women's progress, constrain them by maintaining and reinforcing existing gender differences and prevent them enjoying equal rights and equal respect. However, the life histories also show that women's experiences of subjugation differ from each other according to social, economic and geographical differences. Therefore, the interplay between the cultural construction of the 'Sinhala woman' and the socio economic material conditions which has a profound impact upon women's lives. Acknowledgements I would like to thank: The Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, the United Kingdom for offering me the Commonwealth scholarship for academics and providing me an opportunity to study for a PhD. at the University of York. Professor Stevi Jackson, Centre for Women's Studies, and Dr. Joanna de Groot, Dept. of History, for your support and guidance in supervising my thesis and for always taking care of my personal needs. Dr. Arjuna Parakrama, former Dean/Arts, University of Colombo, for your outstanding support from the beginning of applying to the Commonwealth Scholarship and leaving to study in Britain. Professor Gamini Keerawella, Dept. of History, University of Peradeniya, Dhamma Dissanayaka, Dept. of Political Science, University of Colombo and his family, Anula Jayasundara and Seneviratna aiyya and their family, Badulla, My mother in law Nora Jayawardena, Kohuwela, Mr. P. Hevavitarana, Sarvodaya, Matara branch, Mr. W. G. Vidyaratna and Miss Daya, Sarvodaya, Hambantota branch, Mrs. M. T. Kanthilatha, Hambantota, Director of the World University Service Canada, Hambantota branch, Director of the National Youth Service Centre, 5 Hambantota, Miss Rita Peris, vocational training Centre, Hambantota: for helping me to meet interviewees. My friend Bill Soden and Malcolm Wren, The Language Centre, University of York and Ali Neilson, for proof reading. Anne Fairbanks for the wonderful friendship, easing my stress, and helping me with proof reading and discussing mutual ideas on our studies. All the staff and students of the Women's Studies Centre for the support given to me and making my stay in York a happy and memorable expenence. Nira Wickramasinghe and Gameela Samarasinghe for the help you both gave me. The libraries and staffs of the University of York, The British Library, School of Oriental and African Studies, UK, Centre for Women's Research, Sri Lanka and the National Archives of Sri Lanka. My husband Hemantha for proof reading/commenting and for the interest and respect showed for my study 6 My parents, my mother in law and my family for creating a network of support to make it possible for me to come to UK to study. All the principals, teachers and the women police officers whom I met at the schools and Police Stations I visited and the Grama Seva Niladhari of Neluwa. Finally, my life long gratitude and thanks to all the interviewees because without you, this study wouldn't have been a reality. 7 Table of Contents Chapter One: The context of the study ................................ 10 Gender history and tradition .............................................................. 14 A general description of Sri Lanka .................................................... 23 Contemporary literature on women ................................................... 27 Education ......... ~ ................................................................................. 28 Paid work ............................................................................................ 31 Family/sexuality .................................................................................. 33 Methodology ........................................................................................ 36 Research process ............................................................................... 40 IfltE!r1IiE!w!; ............................................................................................. 4~ Selecting areas: .................................................................................. 42 Setting u~ inte~iews and inte~iewing ................................................ 4~ Transcribing I translation ................................................................... 59 Using statistical data .......................................................................... 64 Chapter organisation .......................................................................... 65 Chapter Two: Boys are boys, girls are mothers and 69 wives Understanding of the family ............................................................... 71 Changes in the family and girls' situation ......................................... 84 111 !;c:t1()()I ....................................................•...........••...............•............. IIIJ The world outside the family .............................................................. ~3 c:lJltlJrE! ....••..•.••..•...•.••.••.••.•.••.••.•.•..•.•..•...•.••..•.....•••...•••••.••••.••.••.•......•.•.• ~!; Conclusion ......................................................................................... 101 Chapter Three: Being a 'Big girl' ......................................... 104 Different anthropological interpretations ........................................ 108 Killa (Pollution) .................................................................................. 118 The puberty ceremony ...................................................................... 122 Social meani ng of puberty ................................................................ 123 " A llig girl" ........................................................................................ 1:!E; From asexual to sexual ..................................................................... 128 Feeling important .............................................................................. 137 'fJCI~~i"E! girl!;' .................................................................................... 14:1 Conclusion ......................................................................................... 148 Chapter Four: 'We are not born but constructed' ............. 151 Tradition' reinvented ......................................................................... 151 Part I: Pre-colonial period ................................................................. 153 Part II: The colonial period ............................................................... 165 Colonialism ....................................................................................... 165 Nationalism ....................................................................................... 183 Part III: The debate on the rights of women .................................... 204 Women's ~Iace ................................................................................. 204 8 Conclusion ............................................................................•............ 221 Chapter Five: I live for others .............................................. 223 E:<JLJC:Clti()11 ...................•....................................•.................................. :!:!~ Education and aspirations ................................................................ 233 Women an<J employment ..............................•...........•....................... 238 W()mefl Cln<J p()litic:~ .......................................................................... :!~IJ F=Clmi1lf ................................................................................................. 2!i~ Conclusion ........................................................................................