I never begin from the title of the article, but this time the title is the keyword. Everyone can see how Polish Sri Lanka is in their own way. For some it may be spending time on a nice island, and for others simply living in another country around the world. Life of the Polish community in Sri Lanka seems to be calm and faraway from the mainstream of rat race or hasty waking up. It’s all about experiencing the world, customs and culture of the surrounding environment. On a small island – with area no bigger than one fifth of Poland, it seems that life passes far from Kaczyńskis, Gowins or Tusks. Quickly growing economy of Sri Lanka certainly makes its citizens, including Polish diaspora, observe the trends of development and their consequences on society. Repeatedly delayed or uncompleted projects are now undertaken with full speed ahead, if we may understand those terms relatively to the other parts of the world.
Polish Sri Lanka may take various forms – such as pension at the seashore or the School of English and Polish. Galle is one of the most cosmopolitan cities on the island. Tourists stroll through the streets among small establishments, nurseries, shops and restaurants. You can often find shade, thanks to the architecture, except the south, of course. Mosques are scattered among churches. Dutch Reformed Church dating back to 1755 does not have an altar, and lectern is the most important place in this building. Even the organs were rigged so its splendor wouldn’t distract the believers’ attention from the shepherd in the lectern.
Poland may also be a computer specialist – sitting at sunset on the terrace by the seashore, or simply a pianist, who is winning concerts with a piano set in the water.
Numerous movies repeatedly filmed in Sri Lanka allow a career in a sustaining cinematography or commercials… Beaches are often used for filming, so you can shine on the silver screen. Such experiences allows you to discover yet unknown places and faces of the island. Not only Poles play in the movies, but also Russians, Americans, Germans, English and even some who are not able to determine who they really are. They say that they were born in Africa and emigrated as white people to other countries every few years. It’s hard for them to identify their nationality.
Large cities like Colombo or Galle attract thousands of visitors from around the world. Sri Lanka is happy to have such high interest, but in this period it may still have an impact on the quality of service. Temporary deregulation of train schedules and lack of reliable information often cause quite a stir. However, it’s usually possible to reach the goal with an aid of appropriate technical or financial means.
Achieving of objectives in Sri Lanka, among other things, is described by Zofia Małecka in “Łza na Oceanie”.
A small meeting with the Polish diaspora about cheese was held in a beautiful park – “Viharamahadevi” in Colombo. During a conversation about cheese arose a question about its lack of availability in Colombo. It was not possible to make cheese out of UHT milk, because it does not acidify. It turned out that you could try the buffalo milk. The result exceeded expectations – it resembled the Polish hard white cheese, a little greasy, but also much softer. It was delicious with the addition of cream and chive. The cheese was our achievement – a considerable one!!! A Polish community in Sri Lanka indeed!
Polish Sri Lankan diaspora may sometimes avoid extensive contacts with the locals, or on the contrary it may create a lot of them. Also, the Polish Sri Lankan diaspora can only temporarily stay on the island and temporarily in the other countries. This community is diverse in many ways, so there is no common ground for it.
It is also unclear what exactly is Polish Sri Lankan diaspora… Whether Polish citizens born in Sri Lanka should be included to Polish Sri Lankan diaspora, or not.
The island’s Polish community may also be a great opportunity for dentists. All of them currently moved from Sri Lanka to countries where they get paid better, and here you have to wait few weeks for a visit. Filthy dental offices operate to this day, where dentist’s drill with a device propelled by an engine from floor below, with door open to the street. Paid offices appear and become closed after a dozen months – because their owners go abroad for better-paid work. Unfortunately – some of Sri Lankans will soon have to come back and fill the local vacancies. Unfortunately – because the worst of them will return. Some of those returning will not be the worst dentists, but those who feel homesick. Those may even be the outstanding specialists, as well as quite good jaw surgeons or promising orthodontists, but with this condition among Sri Lankans we may certainly find the right person for dental filling.
Poles in Sri Lanka drive cards, bicycles, trains, tuk-tuks, whatever is drivable, vans, fancy cars etc. Poles ride on elephants, in chaises pulled by oxen, sail motorboats, ordinary boats, catamarans, swim with and without equipment.
Polish islanders are playing with dog or a cat, clean the wall corners using a special “kosse” in the rainbow colours when they are bought, but dirty when worn out. But it is not easy to buy a suitable “kosse” on the island. There are many ways, but to find the easiest one you need to trouble a lot. Some Poles on the island can buy kosse just in a supermarket, then carry it home. Others prefer a “kosse boy”. Kosse boy is a kosse vendor. He walks all over the city whole day and sells a variety of kosse. He has quite an inventory, so the service is also valuable. Sometimes the “kosse boy” sells a broom for half an hour. A neighbor check hardness of the broom, then its usefulness, and then they seal the deal, but because you shouldn’t expose your money in Sri Lanka, the neighbor invites the kosse boy to her dwelling in order to make a payment. They certainly have trouble to give the change, because it lasts about 10 minutes. Another way to buy kosse is to buy it on the way in the “koss” basin. You can find something else in each of the stores – even a peculiar gift for those who await to return from the country they are currently in.
Polish community request special Masses. Masses in Hindu temples.
Polish diaspora in Sri Lanka is a mix of people, who have been here for twenty years, and two years as well. This community is formed by Polish girls who sometimes come from Poland to their local boys, and sometimes Polish boys who come to their Sri Lankan girlfriends.
Polish diaspora in Sri Lanka also include entrepreneurs. They buy desiccated coconuts (supposedly the best in the world), build hotels. Tea is one of the greatest treasures of Sri Lanka, so it is also in the in the area of interest of Polish businessmen.
Polish diaspora in Sri Lanka is also the clergy. Priest Mariusz is one example of working days, although the founder of the seminary in the nineteenth century in Kandy was Indian archbishop Zaleski – a Pole.
A so called oblate of Mary Most Holy Virgin of Sucha Wola, Andrzej Cierpka was the founder of Talupadu village north of Colombo. His life-size statue stands at the entrance to the village, which he had founded.
Photo © Mariusz Soltanifar