Our humanity can bind our cultures

by Saybhan Samat

(September 30, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The term culture has wide connotations. Presently it is used in different contexts and new interpretations for the term culture have gained currency. A few terms in vogue are culture of impunity, the culture of nakedness and the nakedness of culture, clash of cultures, hippy culture, mind culture and thuppai culture (of local origin).

It is widely accepted that culture is the integrated sum total of learned behavior and a way of life of a society. Our whole attitudes, behavior patterns and perceptions are conditioned by our culture. Culture will teach us who we are, where we come from, what we are to do and where we are going. Culture has two major components the material culture and the spiritual culture. Symbols, values, beliefs, emotions, laws, attitudes, materials possessions, aspirations, perceptions are the many facets of culture.

When talking about culture, it is important to make clear distinctions about what culture can and cannot do. Generally speaking, there cannot be no single culture, since culture, as generally understood by social scientists today, refers to the way of life a particular people at a particular time and place and how those people make meaning of the world. Culture also the social scientists believe have two dimension. The material dimension and the symbolic dimension. The material dimensions of culture refer to

arti-facts, behaviors and creative works that are passed down over time, often understood in terms of "tradition" or even "folk-lore," although "culture" gives a more inclusive way of talking about all that.

The second dimension of culture and the one that is more complex, is the symbolic dimension. This refers more or less to how people construct meanings of the world, how they interpret events, actions, ideas, this for the most part is present –oriented and complex. One can best apprehend the symbolic dimension of culture by living it more than only observing it.

Sri-Lanka Buddhists have to a great part inherited their culture from their religion Buddhism and to a lesser part from their customs and traditions. This is true of the Hindus, Christians and Muslims of the island too. Hence we are multi-cultural and will be compelled to resort to pluralism in order promote peace and harmony in an island that has suffered intractable war for over two and half decades which has devasted the inhabitants of our island with thousands suffering displacement and injury and 60,000+ dead. Hopefully once the war concludes the concept of pluralism should be promoted island-wide and be introduced in the curriculum of all schools. It should also be made compulsory for students to learn all three languages Sinhalese, Tamil and English. These measures will surely prevent any future cultural and ethnic clashes.

What is most likely to promote multi-culturalism and pluralism is to find our common humanity. Age old values cultivated by human beings if integrated and practiced in all cultures will bond the different cultures of this fair land and enhance all cultures into a sublime culture. May be it will be a step towards the melting- pot of all cultures to some degree at least. This exercise must necessarily be done by clergymen, teachers, political leaders and even ordinary people. This is the only way to prevent any future conflict. It is a challenge for every citizen of this country. We are duty- bound to bring serendipity, tranquility and peace to Sri-Lanka. Enough is enough of war and misery. - Sri Lanka Guardian