nirekha de silva, phd candidate, griffith law school, queensland, australia
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Ananda Coomaraswamy Memorial Conference on Asian Art and Culture, University of Kelaniya The Role of Ananda Coomaraswamy in Reviving Oriental Traditional Knowledge in Arts and Crafts . Nirekha De Silva, PhD Candidate, Griffith Law School, Queensland, Australia. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
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Ananda Coomaraswamy Memorial Conference on Asian Art and Culture, University of Kelaniya
The Role of Ananda Coomaraswamy in Reviving Oriental Traditional Knowledge in Arts and Crafts
Nirekha De Silva, PhD Candidate, Griffith Law School, Queensland, Australia
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Coomaraswamy’s family background. The socializing experiences in his formative
period. The psychological implications of the
perception of self. The socio-political background in the Orient.
Coomaraswmy’s Interest in Revival of Arts and Crafts in the Orient
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Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy was born in Ceylon
in 1877 The only child, to a Tamil father and an English
mother.
Coomaraswamy’s Childhood
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Educated at Wycliffe College and at London
University.
Doctoral work – ‘Scientific Survey of the Mineralogy of Ceylon.’
Coomaraswamy’s Education
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Roots in Ceylon Carefully studied Ceylon culture. Insider Vs. Outside status Negotiating relations with the Occident and the Orient.
Coomaraswamy’s Interest in Ceylon
His pioneering efforts in safeguarding culture was enriched by –• The influence of Western socialization • Keen interest in studying culture and traditional
knowledge of India and Sri Lanka
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The corrosive effects and
negative impact of
British Colonialism in
India and Sri Lanka.
Distressed about the Colonial Influence
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Introduced Western way of life. Disoriented the colonized from their art of living. Had the Impact of destroying the traditional art
of living.
Colonization
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‘The highest ideal of nationality is service;
and it is because this service is impossible for us as long as we are politically and spiritually
dominated by any Western civilisation, that we are bound to achieve our freedom.
It is in this spirit that we must say to Englishmen, that we will achieve this freedom,
if they will, with their consent and with their help;
and if they will not, then without their consent
and in spite of their resistance.’ (Coomaraswamy, A. K. 1909: Essays in National Idealism. P. ix)
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A way of introducing English way of life and
English value system. The colonial education oriented the young
generations, to the colonial language, to western religions to the western perspective of history.
Introduction of Western Education
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The aim of such education system is to form a class of persons “Indian in colour, but
English in taste, in opinion, in morals and intellect.”
(Coomaraswamy, A. K. 1946: Indian Culture and English Influence: An Address to Indian Students and Their Friends, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, January
1944, P. 31)
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‘I have no idea how many
years it might take to outgrow a missionary college education, or to recover from
a course of lectures on Comparative Religion offered
by a Calvinist.’ (Coomaraswamy, A. K. East and West: 10)
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The Introduction of Capitalist Mode of Production
“An acquisitive society, materialistic
in its interests, unhealthy in its
pleasures, disillusioned in its ideals and moving
blindly towards disaster”
- Professor Foerster, of Princeton University)
“A murderous machine with no conscience
and no ideals.” - Professor La Piana of
Harvard University
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Any established institution is governed by the
values the given society.
Most foreigners who attack and reject the existing institutions, do so without understanding the morale basis of the established institution.
Introducing new institutions without understanding the moral basis of a society results in not been able to fulfil moral intentions. (Coomaraswamy, A. K. East and West: 15)
Breakdown of Value System
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Breakdown of Traditional Legal
System
In the pre-colonial era, the law was based on the religious and belief system
of the community. the law promoted and safeguarded traditional arts and
crafts
Roman Dutch Law was alien to the community in Sri Lanka.
The new legal system had the effect in changing values, customs and social practices.
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Cultural Alienation
One can “become a queer mixture of
East and West, out of place everywhere,
at home nowhere”
(Coomaraswamy, A. K. East and West: 11)
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Artists and poets
play the most crucial role in crafting the identity of a
nation. (Coomaraswamy, A. K. 1909.
Essays in National Idealism: p. ii)
The Role of Traditional Arts and Crafts in Safeguarding Cultural Identity of a Community
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‘Art contains in itself the deepest principals of life,
the truest guide to the greatest art, the Art of Living.
The true life, the ideal of Indian culture, is itself a unity and an art,
because of its inspirations by one ruling passion,
the desire to realise a spiritual inheritance.’ (Coomaraswamy, A. K. 1909:Essays in National Idealism p.ii)
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Coomaraswamy’s Efforts in Reviving Traditional
Arts and Crafts
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Ananda Kentish Coomaraswamy’ s multifaceted writings deal primarily with, visual art, aesthetics, literature and language, folklore, mythology, religion, metaphysics.
Documented
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Purpose of traditional art :
preserve and transmit moral values and spiritual teachings derived from the tradition in which it appeared, and
towards the satisfaction of present needs.
Defending Indigenous art and architecture in India and Sri Lanka
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Provides an ideological base to interpret and understand different cultures, arts and crafts.
He is a pioneer interpreter of Sri Lankan and Indian culture to the west.
He introduces the religious meaning of art.
Interpreting Cultures, Arts and Crafts
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The practical value of the traditional theory
of kingship for the 20th century promoted in – ‘Spiritual Authority
and Temporal Power’
Promoting Traditional Form of Government
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The two essentials of nationality
Geographical unity A common historic evolution or
culture (Coomaraswamy A. K. 1909: 7)
Developing National Consciousness
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Cultural nationalism meant, a national identity shaped by cultural
traditions and by language
Promoting Cultural Nationalism
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Ananda Coomaraswamy is
the founder ,the inaugural President and
the moving force, of the Ceylon Social Reform Society (1906).
Ceylon Social Reform Society
The objective was to preserve and revive the traditional arts and crafts as well as the social values and customs which had helped to shape them.
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Advocated for 'cultural nationalism.‘ The Honorary National President of the National
Committee for Indian freedom formed in Washington, USA, in 1914.
Contribution towards Swadeshi Movement
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Promoting Indigenous Education
“In order to safeguard the traditional education system, every Government
and missionary college and school during the colonial period to be replaced by native colleges and
schools, where young men and women are taught to be true nationalists.”
(Coomaraswamy, A. K. 1909: Essays in National Idealism. P. iii)
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The Impact of Coomaraswamy’s Efforts
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A pioneer in introducing Indian and Sri
Lankan civilization and its arts and crafts based on eastern religious philosophies.
International Recognition for Asian Art
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Through,
Ideologies
Research
Documentation
Political Mobilisation
Reviving, Internationalizing and Safeguarding Cultural
Identity
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Following Institutions were influenced by Coomaraswamy’s ideologies-
Sri Lanka Institute of Traditional Studies
The Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts
The Foundation for Traditional Studies in the U.S.
Think-Tanks to Promote and Preserve Traditional Culture
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Ananda Coomaraswamy was,one of the most erudite scholars of 20th Century; who
advocated the wisdom of tradition; andrevived the cultural identity of India and Sri Lanka,
through arts and crafts…
Thank you!
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Dr. Asoka Sinharaja Wijetunga Tammita-DelgodaExternal Supervisor
Special Thanks to My Supervisors
Prof. Fiona Kumari Campbell Principal SupervisorDeputy Head of School (Learning and Teaching Scholarship), Griffith Law School, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia.Dr. Jay SandersonAssociate SupervisorLecturer, Griffith Law School, Griffith University, Queensland, Australia