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Alastair Roosmale-Cocq: Appreciations & Memories-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis VALE ONE by Jeremy Ludowyke My name is Jeremy Ludowyke and I’d like to tell you something of Alistair’s life before he came to Australia in 1969. Like Alistair, I was born in Sri Lanka, then known as Ceylon, of Dutch heritage and ancestry. The first Roosmale Cocq arrived in Ceylon from the Netherlands in 1763 and many were Magistrates or Judges in the first Dutch then British colony. Perhaps this is where Alistair inherited his magisterial bearing. The Roosmale Cocq motto is Am Omni Re Paratus, meaning I am ready for anything. A creed Alistair could be said to have lived his life by. And he would have loved the fact that I have just inveigled a Latin phrase into his eulogy. Alistair was the eldest son of Jamie and Marguerite. His father was a formidable and highly-respected man who rose through ...

Apr 22, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Jeremy Ludowyke, Sri Lankan schools and Universities

Fidel & Danny ‘String Together’ Melodious Accounts of Day One at the Galle Test Match-by Michael Robert Source:Thuppahis Andrew Fidel Fernando, in ESPNcricinfo, 16 April 2023, Dimuth Karunaratne struck an assured 179, Kusal Mendis amassed 140, and Sri Lanka took firm grip of the Test, as that pair’s 281-run partnership for the second wicket formed the centrepiece of the hosts’ dominant day one. Not only were Karunaratne and Mendis largely untroubled by the Ireland bowlers on a flat Galle deck, they also ensured that their progress was brisk, hitting 33 fours and a six between them. Sri Lanka lost those batters, plus Angelo Mathews (playing his 100th Test), late in the day. Nevertheless, they finished 386 for 4 – poised for a massive total, with plenty of batting still to come and the track yet to take serious turn. Having lost the toss, then having claimed just one wicket in the first ...

Apr 18, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Dimuth Karunaratne, Kusal Mendis, Nishan Madushka

Ireland’s Prospects vs Sri Lanka at Galle appraised by A Soccer Fan-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Daniel Byrne, whose chosen title is “The Irish arrive in Galle; A preview of the Test Series“+ When you have spent the previous four months following the fortunes of Queens Park Rangers no idea when your team may chalk up the next victory. Hence, my decision to come to Sri LFootball Club, two wins from 26 games, there comes a time when you simply have anka to follow the Test Series between Ireland and the hosts. There may even be a better chance of Ireland winning a game in th.e next two weeks than QPR. played four Tests to date and have lost them all. They have never been humiliated though and at times they have performed exceptionally well. England were bowled out before lunch on the first day at Lords. Pakistan was left with a tricky ...

Apr 16, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Kasun Rajitha, Lasith Embuldeniya, Prabath Jayasuriya

A Thrilling Triumph for Sri Lankan Cricketers at Auckland-by Michael Roberts Kusal Mendis scoops one behind for a six•Getty Images Source:Thuppahis A NOTE by Michael Roberts, the Thuppahi, 2 April 2023 Given the likelihood of seaming conditions in New Zealand, I did not hold high expectations from Sri Lanka’s cricket squad in their series there. Indeed, I thought there could be a whitewash. Well, perhaps the spirit of rugger and the odd shape of Eden Gardens assisted the Lankan guys and they snatched a well-deserved victory in this encounter. The insertion of Kusal Perera and Mahesh Theekshana seems to have helped; while Wanindu Hasaranga hits the straps at last. The absence of Lahiru Kumara was perhaps a plus: always smiling, his capricious spirit and inconsistent pace bowling is, more oftern than not, a gift to any opponents. I sometimes wonder what he has between the ears. ...

Apr 3, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Dhananjaya De Silva, Dilshan Madushanka, Mahesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga

In Appreciation of Malcolm Jansze: A Genealogist from the Top Drawer-by Michael Roberts Dr. Malcolm Jansze with his adopted family in Horana, Sri Lanka Source:Thuppahis Sri Lanka Burgher Family Genealogy – Research and data collection done by Dr. Malcolm Jansze in Sri Lanka His Story: I was interested in genealogy at about age 8 years when my grandmother chatted to me about hers and grandpas large families. From then I drew up charts and went to the church to confirm my grandparents births and dates etc. By age 14 years I was drawing up charts for our families. At 18 years when I went to uni at Colombo, I went to the DBU and copied out all their genealogies. This led to cross references and more genealogies. Then at 24 years when I started working I was able to visit more churches and get more info. My father who was ...

Apr 2, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Dr. Malcolm Jansze, Fazli Sameer, Sri Lanka Burgher Family Genealogy

Cricket & Galle in Rothman’s ‘Potted’ History of Sri Lanka-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Sri Lanka’s civil war was one of the longest running in modern history. The conflict between the Sinhalese and the island’s Tamils was brutal and terrifying, yet its origins were surprisingly recent. This video examines the forces of populism and population that grew into the horrifying experience that still scars Sri Lanka today. Sources: -A History of Sri Lanka, K. M. Silva de -Elephant Complex; Travels in Sri Lanka, John Gimlette -The Cage: The Fight for Sri Lanka and the Last Days of the Tamil Tigers, Gordon Weiss -The Ocean of Churn: How the Indian Ocean Shaped Human History, Sanjeev Sanyal -This Divided Island: Stories from the Sri Lankan War, Samanth Subramanian + Various news sources, especially The Economist 00:00 Intro 01:17 Buddhism under the British 01:40 Henry Steel Olcott and Spiritualism 03:10 Dharmapala 04:00 Hindu-Buddhist history 05:02 Other contributing factors 07:18 Cricket in Galle 13:24 Sunday evening in Galle 15:19 Sri Lanka since independence 17:49 1956 Official Language Act 19:22 Was it inevitable? 20:27 Going east 22:19 ...

Apr 2, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged John Gimlette, Samanth Subramanian

The Origins of Burgher & Malay Surnames in Colonial Ceylon-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Author Unknown … sent to Thuppahi by Kodi Kodituwakku of Chandos St, Fort, Galle The Ceylon Burgher Community is the finest exponent of this European onoma-tology in Sri Lanka, as the members of the community carry some of the world’s rarest surnames which at present verge on extinction. The ancestors of the Dutch Burghers were not necessaril.y Dutch by ethnic origin as the Dutch East India Company [recruited] hundreds of mercenaries from all parts of Europe who later reached the shores of Lanka to strengthen the Dutch garrisons on the Island. These Europeans later espoused local women and paved the way for the Lankan Eurasian Community, which later came to be known as ‘Dutch Burghers’ meaning ‘Town Dwellers’. The Dutch surnames can be recognised by the ‘tussenvoegsel‘ referring to the words positioned between the forename and last name similar to ...

Apr 1, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Dr. T.B. Jayah, Kodi Kodituwakku

Confronting Charlie Ponnadurai: Clarifying the Context of Disparaging Ethnic Epithets in Sri Lanka over the last 180 years – By Michael Roberts Charlie and I go back a long way – to Ramanathan Hall at Peradeniya University where we were freshers together in 1957 and thus were ragged together.[1] Charlie was known then as Charlies Ponnadurai, but he is now a “Sarvan” and resides in Germany with his German wife after years of work in Zambia and the Middle East. He has done me a singular honour in basing an essay on “Para Dhemalā” purely on my work. The reference is to “Pejorative Phases: the Anti-Colonial Response and Sinhala Perceptions of the Self through Images of the Burghers.” Readers may have been misled into thinking this was either a book or an independent article. Not so. The title is that of a chapter, “Pejorative Phrases….,” which is the first chapter ...

Mar 27, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Para Dhemalā, Sarvodaya Book Publishing Services, Sri Lanka

The Yahapaalana Legacy and Three Major International Events/Processes driving Sri Lanka to Bankruptcy-by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis I sent Mr TRUTHSEEKER Two Questions, prefaced by a general statement: namely: “I am no good in economic assessments Q-11 = I have no doubt that some or all of the Rajapaksas have accumulated monies …. AND that corruption at many levels of government had some draining impact, BUT has all that been a major factor? Q 22 … Has’nt the USA induced IMF programme dating from 2009 or so –as payback for Sri Lanka’s temerity in rejecting Hilary Clinton’s programme** — been a MAJOR FACTOR in the present situation [after the pro-US Sirisena govt fell from power]? …. with Lanka’s China-leanings being a further inducement towards this payback pressure? Michael TRUTHSEEKER responded thus, 26 April 2022 Q11 = No corruption involved in this instance. The figures speak for themselves. There is no way any govt would have been able ...

Mar 26, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged Imran Khan, Major International Events

The Royal-Thomian Cricket Match: Its History–by Michael Roberts Source:Thuppahis Uthpala Wijesuriya, in The Island, 17 March 2023,where the title presented is “The Earth’s Greatest Rivalry” … while the highlighting in this presentation has been imposed by a Thuppahiyaaaaaaaaa. The Royal-Thomian or the Battle of the Blues, the world’s second oldest uninterrupted cricket battle, will unveil for the 144th consecutive year this week. The encounter pits the boys bearing the crests of the Elephant and Palm Tree against those bearing the Cross and Dove. The Royal-Thomian is in many ways greater and more epic than the three matches that can be most favorably compared to it: St Peters–Prince Alfred in Australia, Eton–Harrow in Britain, and the Ashes. This is particularly so in the annals of schoolboy cricket in Sri Lanka. Indeed, the history of Sri Lankan cricket cannot be written without the Battle of the Blues. Chandana Panditharathna once observed, “The magic of the match ...

Mar 25, 2023 Posted by eLanka admin In Articles, Michael Roberts Tagged J.R. Jayewardene, Royal College, St.Peter's College, Uthpala Wijesuriya