Book to set children off on a voyage of discovery

Maureen Seneviratne’s prolific pen has made a foray into unexpected territory, inspired by the musings of a 6-year-old grandnephew.

‘Letters Mathew’, a slim and attractively packaged volume of 102 pages, contains an ambitious attempt to encapsulate for the young, The Story of Life- Man on Planet Earth’ (Wimal Enterprises – Rs. 500).

The known `Creation myths’ are given, alongside much later facts dug up by scientists after long and involved probing into the formation and structure of the earth and the slow, gradual evolution of the human species.

Maureen doesn’t try to go back to the single cells from which it all began, but uses as her springboard that “great day” when the first hominoid – “a little ape-like creature barely 3 feet in height, with a prominent lower jaw and a hairy body”, left his tree and came down to the ground and, for the first time in its life, stood erect on two legs. He took a tentative step forward and then another and another. Surely a step even more momentous than Neil Armstrong’s first step on to the moon and undoubtedly the first huge leap forward in the evolutionary process.

Maureen captures the excitement of that historic moment in our pre-history.

Part 1 of the fascinating story that Maureen tells, touches on the first beginnings, early man’s discovery of fire, the shaping of rough tools and crude implements, humankind’s very gradual ascent from the primitive to the development of small communities, the “river valley” civilizations of Egypt & Mesopotamia (Iraq), the Indus Valley and China, the spread of civilization from the Middle East to Europe and the flowering of the Classical Age of Greece.

Part 2, comprising Letters 6 – 8, deals somewhat more exhaustively with the Environment – ecology, the problems posed by rapidly increasing human populations, the need to conserve and use with care Nature’s bounty in the way of natural resources. Maureen doesn’t talk down to the child, but uses language that is within easy comprehension.

She strikes a practical note when she asks: “…..why do people only expect “the Authorities” (the Government), to do everything to keep the cities and towns and villages clean? What is the role of the individual citizen?

Does he and she not have a responsibility?” She encourages the child to think about such aspects, while giving clear indications as to how the concerted efforts of individuals can make a difference to the environment.

In this section, the writer brings in the devastation caused by the explosion of the Atom Bomb over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945. She explains what an atom is and tells how atomic energy can be used positively for our benefit, or can be misused to destroy life. In succeeding Letters, Maureen briefly writes about “The Rich Diversity Of Life on Earth” in fauna and flora and human beings, the multitude of languages, the indescribable varieties of food, the many distinctive cultures and religious beliefs, customs and rituals, modes of dress.

She also points to the similarities and to our common humanity that, sadly, is all-too-easily lost sight of.

In the opening letter of Part 4, entitled “Culture & Civilisation”, the purpose and the importance of polite interaction between people are explained. “Courtesy, given and received, marks the cultured human from the uncultured,” she observes. She touches on the difference between the educated mind and a mind that is uninformed or ill-educated.

In the final section, Parts 5 & 6, Maureen admirably gives the young reader the basic information he needs about Government & Politics and Civic Rights & Duties. In writing about elections and the vote, she sounds a necessary warning: “It is important to realize that we have a very important duty to be alert, to criticize, to keep the laws ourselves, to do as much as we can for our country, to vote for the best possible candidate and, above all, be aware of what politicians are doing when they are in power.” Finally, Maureen tells of the “Universal Declaration of Human Rights”, delineating some of the salient “rights” enshrined therein.

As one who was a pioneer in exposing child abuse in this country, Maureen goes on, naturally, to write about the `Convention on the Rights of the Child’. She also balances `duties’ with `rights’ and stresses the equal importance of both. As Maureen says in her Introduction, this book doesn’t claim to cover the whole story of humankind’s journey on earth. “If it leads those who read it to set out on their own voyages of discovery, I would feel what I have achieved is to simply open a golden door for you all.” Maureen has certainly opened a door to exciting vistas and I can think of no better gift than this book to kindle the interest and imagination of the young reader.

It should have a place on the shelves of our school libraries and if it can be made available in Sinhala and Tamil translations, so much the better.