Y e s t e r d a y  a n d  T o d a y  -  S r i  L a n k a n  W o m e n

G r a c e  B.  &  S u s i m a  W.

S e c t i o n  A 2

     The role Sri Lankan women has changed throughout time, but many traditional values still remain.  This conflict between traditional and modern is occuring more rapidally because of globalization and the changing role of women today.  This blog will define the conflict and how traditonal and modern values are shown today and in the past.  The reason that we picked this topic is because of Susima's Sri Lankan heritage and the fact that we are both women.

 Sri Lankan women attending the 5th annual National Congress of Women for Development Alternative Movement.  They talked about women in need that were in the farming, fishing, and plantation types of labor.

Sri Lankan employees (all women) rolls bark dust around incense sticks.

Dialouge: Traditonal Sri Lankan Dancer vs. Sri Lankan Woman working for Microsoft

Dancer: Hello, I am a traditonal Sri Lankan dancer and I just wanted to bring up the issue of the threat of the traditional role of women in Sri Lankan socitey because of their education and employmnet outside of the home.

Worker: I understand your concern, but the world is becoming a global community.  Without women like myself working alongside men in the workforce, we will never be able to reach our full potentional as a country.

Dancer: That's all fine and dandy, but when we loose our tradition, we loose our values and heritage, thus loosing a part of ourselves which our ancestors worked so hard to achieve.  So, what is the worth of our country's full potenital when the people of the country are lost with no values?

Worker: Who says there aren't values in working in a globalizied community?  Just because they aren't the exact values of our heritage doesn't mean they aren't still good values.  And who said we had to give up our values even after we all become technologically advanced?  We need to be able to catch up now to the world, and as the world becomes more globalizied, we need to make sure that we become a part of that, too.

Dancer: Our values are based on women staying at home and taking care of the children and family. It is our duty to uphold the honor of the family and help raise children with good values. When women are working outside of the home, enstilling these values becomes a muh harder task and in a globalized community there are many more risks and threats.

Worker: But if the women all stay home to uphold these values, what will become of their good ideas and work ethic to contribute to the economy?  What will come out of these values besides just upholding a tradition?  You say that there are many risks and threats, and that I cannot argue with, but since you cannot stop the globalization wouldn't just sheltering these women in the house make it harder for them to appose the threats?

Dancer: This is why it is nessescary for balance between the traditional and modern because the values we grow up with are important to give more cultural importane and a sense of unity, peace, love.

Worker: You're right- if we can combine many of these traditionals to keep our identity but still make sure that we make our own contributations to the economy we can have a perfect and fufilling balance.  But, some people just aren't going to let themeselves find a balance of the two, correct?

Dancer: Correct since people can be stupid sometimes, but I believe as time goes on and we change what we think is normal then people will eventually adjust according.

Worker: I really hope you're right, because by finding a middle point we will be able to develop faster and in the best way.

WORKS CITED

Dugast, Jean L. Incense Manufacturing. 1986. Sri Lanka. Corbis: Photography, Rights, Motion. 2 May 2008 <http://www.corbis.com>.

Kumara, Pushpa. Sri Lanka - Traditional Dancers - Microsoft Vista 2007 Launch. 2007. Colombo. Corbis: Photography, Rights, Motion. 2 May 2008 <http://www.corbis.com>.

 "The 5th Annual National Congress of the Savisthri (Women for Development Alternative) Movement." Savisthri. 2 Apr. 2008. 6 May 2008 <http://savisthri.blogspot.com/>.

 Create your own educational wiki!HelpPublic, not yet premium Privacy Policy RSS