In order to commemorate the above historic cultural event at the
domestic level, an exhibition titled Picasso 1907 – Les Demoiselles
d’Avignon (Young Ladies of Avignon), And The Birth of Cubism
with large reproductions of related paintings of Picasso and Sri
Lankan artists will be held under the auspices of the Alliance Française de Kandy from October 27 to November 5 at its auditorium at No. 642, Peradeniya Road, Kandy.

This exhibition will be opened by Cultural Attaché, French Embassy,Yves-Alain Corporeau on Friday, October 26 at 6.30 p.m.

An art workshop for selected students from 11 schools in Kandy and the region will be organised on October 27 and 28 as a parallel discipline.

An evening of poetry and music titled Apollinaire And Picasso will take place on Friday, November 2 at 6.30 p.m.

— Thilak Palliyaguruge

Book Review: By Latheef Farook

Sarandib – An Ethnological Study of the Muslims of Sri Lanka is a book worth reading by both Muslims and non-Muslims, academics as well as general readers who would like to know all about the country’s Muslims.

What is particularly noteworthy about this work is that the author has not only dealt with the ethnicity and culture of the country’s major Muslim group, the Moors, but has also given due attention to the other Muslim groups such as the Malays, Memons and other groups of Indian origin such as the Sammankarar, Faqirs and Osta.

As renowned scholar Dr.M.A.M.Shukri observes in a foreword to the work: "It is by far the most comprehensive multi-disciplinary study of the country’s Muslim community undertaken to date encompassing physical anthropology, linguistics, social organisation, cultural traditions and religious and folk beliefs."

Hussein must be commended for having undertaken the extremely valuable and time consuming task of gathering rare information from diverse sources which involved a number of field visits and interviews, particularly with elderly folk who still preserve memories of their former lifestyle and traditions, some of which no longer exist. He has also undertaken an extensive survey of old records such as the Dutch tombos preserved at the National archives and other institutions which relate to the social and economic life of local Muslims centuries ago.

Thanks to his efforts, much valuable information about the past social, economic, cultural and traditional life of the country’s Muslims which would have otherwise disappeared unrecorded have been saved for posterity. Thus Hussein’s study should help preserve the colourful cultural life and rich heritage of the island’s Muslims, particularly in the context of a fast changing social life as a result of the rat race for survival under the current globalised open economic set-up.

The work is illustrated with 32 colour plates including some rare photographs such as old photos of the different Muslim groups, Arabic inscriptions found in graveyards, an old Arabu-Tamil newspaper titled Kashfur raan an qalbil jaan, a surattu toppi formerly worn by Moor gentlemen, antique jewellery including a rare savadi necklace and even some kris knives used by the Malays of old.

Movie Review

Six years after the fateful day of September 11, where the Americans still bleed from their wounds after the attack on the twin towers, many movies have been released to inform viewers on what’s missing today.

Reign Over Me is one of those movies that cuts the cake immediately and eats it in less than 10 minutes. This movie is enough to bruise a viewer’s heart, with its well meaning script and the tears shed by each character, which portrays the black and blue therapeutic drama with its high intentions. The story that stars comedian Adam Sandler plays Charlie Fineman, once a successful dentist but now an emotional wreck, with hair that suits a bird’s nest and a gray face to advertise the world his distress. Fineman mourns the death of his family that died in one of the planes that crashed into the World Trade Centre that vicious sunny morning. However, an old friend and college roommate starred by Don Cheadle (Alan Johnson) approaches Fineman who accordingly comes to his rescue and changes his life throughout the film.

Johnson resides at the other end of misery having trouble trying to balance his work and being a family man at the same time. The roommates accordingly shape each other’s lives while helping each other build more self-confidence. Whether or not Reign Over Me is successful, I have come to admire the artistic sophistication of Sandler’s choice in projects, particularly when he taps into the adult rage by forgetting himself as a doofus in many of his other comedic projects. This movie is certainly a must watch, being based on true events the audience is bound to be left with a tear or two.

• Arts ROUNDUP

There are those inevitable and at times philosophical questions about destiny that your mind has played host to at one point or the other. Ever found yourself wondering, where you fit in the scheme of the world? What is the purpose of life? Where you will be in 10 years from now?

Well wonder no more. The Youth Calvary Centre, Ja-Ela, has organised an evening of song, dance and theatre, which promises to reveal the answers to these questions.

It will be an extraordinary evening filled with toe-tapping music, amazing dance numbers and a side-splitting play.

Make your own destiny and head over to the Calvary Centre, Ja-Ela, today, October 21 at 5.30 p.m.

Vision 21— Uncovering Sri Lankan talent

As much as we would hate to admit it, Sri Lanka is an obscure island. Most people across the world would not have so much as a clue as to where on the globe the little island lies.

True, we did gain some form of recognition in 1996 when we won the Cricket World Cup tournament, but that was only among the cricketing nations. It is time we stepped out of the shadows and showed the world that there is more to Sri Lanka than just sandy beaches and tea.

And that is exactly what Vision 21 intends on doing. Vision 21 is an entertainment magazine that is dedicated to promoting Sri Lankan originality. Each issue features artists and events held in Sri Lanka, bringing into light the unique and unadulterated talent that has been waiting to be unleashed. The magazine is distributed in Sri Lanka as well as the United Kingdom and Maldives, and it is to reach several other countries in the near future.

In attempts to unearth hidden talent, the magazine will be featuring a lyrics page. The best contributions will be published in the magazine. A winner will be selected in each issue and they will receive CDs as prizes; they may also stand a chance in having popular bands play their songs. The magazine further plans to have a concert on a grand scale in which an over- all winner will be chosen. If you have the makings of a lyrist in you, mail your lyrics to megara.tegal@gmail.com, you could be the next Don Black.

A DVD on famous Sri Lankan film and theatre actor, Henry Jayasena’s experience with cancer, called Mage Kathawa which was done to aid and encourage other patients and their care givers, was formally handed over to the National Cancer Institute, Maharagama on October 19.

The DVD is produced by Mithuruwela, the Cancer Support Network, a registered non-profit organisation involved in bringing greater awareness and understanding of cancer, its early detection, and treatment to people living with cancer, and their caregivers.

Although the third largest cause of death in this country is cancer, there is a serious dearth of information on this disease — particularly in the national languages, Sinhala and Tamil. A group of cancer survivors and friends have responded to this need for information and support by forming Mithuruwela —the cancer support network. The network was launched in January 2005 in Colombo and aims to reach across the country to all Sri Lankans — particularly the disadvantaged and marginalised who are most in need of help.

Mithuruwela is a network of volunteers committed to providing a better understanding of cancer—causes, prevention, early detection, treatment regimes and services, and other aspects like coping mechanisms—by sharing experiences and knowledge. It aims to help patients and care givers make informed decisions about dealing with cancer so that they can look beyond the diagnosis and deal positively with the treatment and its after effects.

The network is working with a multi-disciplinary group of health professionals to set in motion a comprehensive plan of action. Activities will be implemented in several phases: forming key activity groups, producing and disseminating print and audiovisual information material in all three national languages, creating a network of trained ‘befrienders,’ setting up a cancer hotline, and initiating advocacy work on cancer.

Debut performance of Nuova Vitae

Nuova Vitae (New Life), an ensemble of past choristers of S. Thomas’ College Mount Lavinia made their debut choral performance on October 19 and 20. The much anticipated choral group finally put together by past choristers who have left school in the last decade, held the concert in aid of the chapel renovation project and the enthusiastic group is happy to have done so as they all cherish the chapel.

Canto Perpetua, was an evening rich in traditional music interspersed with a touch of modern music. The director of the performance was Vinodh Senadeera. On piano was Shannon Jacob and Pankaja Dissanayaka, on drums was Elmo Shanmugam, on violon was Harith de Mel and Shenal Pathirana and on flute was Jurinesz Shadrach.