Appreciations
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I could not bid her goodbye! However, this will not haunt me nor does it bring a lump to my throat. In a way I am glad that it was this way - I want to celebrate the good things in her life and what she lived for. These sentiments I echo on that Grand Dame and materfamilias of the Miskin clan of Horetuduwa who bade a final farewell and crossed the great divide on March 24, just one month before her 91st birthday. Born on April 22, 1915, my mother-in-law Sareena Miskin was the third in a family of three boys and two girls. She was genetically predisposed towards music, with her late father being a bandsman of repute in the then Ceylon Police. She would be equally at ease playing the harmonica or the piano accordion and had this uncanny ability to exercise her vocal chords with similar fluency. Married to the late Inspector M.J.T. Miskin who was a sportsman par excellence in the Ceylon Police, she produced 11 children (seven girls and four boys) - a veritable cricket team! With a government servant's meagre salary brought home by her husband, it certainly was not easy to bring up a family of such numbers. But she handled this challenging task with prudence and brought up her offspring in the best Malay traditions inculcating in them the tenets of a frugal, but enjoyable life. It is to her credit that all her eleven children were wedded within the Malay community with me marrying the sixth among the girls who was number nine in the family. I vividly remember my first encounter with her when I visited their Horetuduwa home in 1973, where after scrutiny, I received my future mother-in-law's nod of approval. From thence began a close relationship between us, born out of a sense of mutual respect and fondness for one another, which prevailed for more than 33 years until she breathed her last in March this year. It was only last year that she celebrated her 90th birthday at her residence which we endearingly term the Mahagedera. She got her children to arrange a dinner which was funded entirely by her, refusing any financial assistance from her progeny. And what a grand affair it was. Besides her, the gathering that day comprised her children, sons/daughters-in-law, grandchildren/spouses and great grand-children - four generations in all totalling 42! Besides, present on the occasion was her only sister and a few wellwishers, swelling the numbers to a full-house of over sixty. After dedicating the birthday song to her to the accompaniment of a 3-piece band, she summoned for her harmonica and played a few old time favourites with her children singing along in harmony. She was able to play only three songs…..that was as far as her lungs would permit. As if that was not enough, after a brief rest, she broke into song with that classic of yester-year, "I…. want to be a Go…viya". Certainly a most amazing effort for a ninety-year-old! She loved cricket and was a great supporter of the Sri Lanka team. Whenever a cricket match was shown live on television, she would be glued to the TV. However, in later years, as her sight began failing her, she would indulge in listening to radio commentaries of the game. She was a cheerful lady and it was a sheer joy to see her playing "three cards", which was a weekly ritual with the children joining their mother and having a whale of a time. However, with the passage of time, the frequency of these games would decrease and with failing eyesight, she would get one of her daughters to see her hand after which she would instruct her pattern of play. During the past few months, the effects of old age were catching up on her until she finally answered the call of the Almighty. Goodbye, sweet lady! May Allah grant you the bliss of Jinnathul Firdouse. SAREENA
Marjorie Peiris nee Ekanayake
Affectionately known as 'Chutta' by her family and 'Marjie' to almost everyone she knew, my sisters, Beatrice, Geraldine and I were privileged to know and love her. We were blessed with wonderful unselfish understanding and considerate parents who nurtured the close bond which we shared throughout our childhood years and which sustained us when put to the test as adults in times of stress. From an early age, she indulged in reading Shakespeare and Dickens available to her at home. She was literary minded and won several prizes in newspaper competitions. However, studies did not prevent her and the bunch of intelligent classmates from engaging in mischevious pursuits which got them into constant trouble. Her sense of fun and gift of mimicry are legendary and she had us in stitches for hours on end with her performances - a gift which, thankfully, she never lost and which we all miss. English was her forte together with English Literature and History. She produced many a drama in school; the most memorable for me was during the 1948 Independence celebrations when as Senior Captain of Langdon House she wrote a piece called ' ‘The Commonwealth of Nations' which she produced and directed to much acclaim. History was another of her strengths and one night sharing a room with her in London she gave me a history lesson on the Queens and Kings of England. Such was her command of the subject. She read English, History and Economics at the University of Colombo and on completion of the BA degree in 1950 she joined the staff of her alma mater, Girls’ High School to teach English and History. All her ex-pupils extol her virtues as a teacher and are unanimous in saying that she was the 'best' teacher they ever had. She gained a merit for the Diploma in Education from the University of Ceylon which was followed by ane MA degree in 1965. A
scholarship to the Institute of Education in Oxford in 1969 gave
her the opportunity to study Psychology and English Language Teaching
as a second language and earned her the Diploma in Teacher Education
Oxford. She joined in the activities of Oxford University even travelling
in the Oxford boat for the Oxford/Cambridge boat race missing a
dunking in the river Thames due to over enthusiastic cheering!! Her other academic activities were in the Open University Centre in Kandy. She taught professional English to employees of the Tobacco Company, Kandy. In 1990 she worked as a supply teacher in a comprehensive school in London teaching English as a second language to children of refugees and asylum seekers and she said this was the biggest eye-opener in all her teaching career. In 1992 she was a visiting lecturer for the B.Ed course at the National Institute of Education in Maharagama travelling at odd hours from Kandy by bus and train to be there on time. She lectured at the Teacher Training Centre "Estopex" in Kandy and until 1995 at the Open University Centre, Polgolla in professional English for the Science course. She was a module writer on a Distance Education Programme for teachers of English organised by the National Institute of Education. Her final contribution was to tutor pupils of all ages in English even professionals like doctors and teachers charging them a pittance, sometimes even without charge, because all she wanted was their success. Her culinary skills were as accomplished as her teaching skills. We were subjected to many an experiment all of them delicious. Mishaps did happen of course! Her marzipan angels on horse back on the merry-go-round cake collapsed during the night which prompted our mother to give a graphic demonstration of their fate much to our mirth and Marjorie's chagrin. There were other times when the family made fun of her creations but she mostly took them in good faith. Her interests were varied. As President of the SLFUW in Kandy in the 70s she revitalized their sagging fortunes and set up vocational training programmes for unemployed girls. She enjoyed her time as President of the YWCA Kandy from 1992- 1995 and 2000 to 2002. She worked tirelessly to get the building plans and funding to erect the impressive new building which was completed in 2004. In her role embracing multi-faith values she worked with the 6 "Y"s, i.e the Muslim, Buddhist and Christian Men's and Women's Organisations. She was the Director of the Vocational Training School at Talwatte. Its closure was a great disappointment to her. Illness was an inconvenience to her and she treated it as something to be endured. When leaving for the airport bound for Rome after her time in Oxford, she slipped on the last few stairs out of my flat and sprained an ankle badly. She made me bandage it and proceeded to Rome where the nuns she was scheduled to stay with treated her so that she continued her sightseeing 'in agony' as she later admitted but with satisfaction. In 1994, she amazed us all when at my invitation, after a very major operation she and Geraldine travelled to London. Still on medication we travelled together all over England and Scotland once more visiting Oxford and then by plane to the Netherlands and Belgium and then by Eu-Rail through Germany and Austria to Lausanne in Switzerland returning by plane from Geneva to London. We were pretty tired but Marjorie loved it all. Only her blood family and those close to her knew that she was unwell for a couple of years and that her cheerful demeanour and determination to continue as normally as possible convinced friends and students that she was OK. In Vernon she found a soul-mate for over thirty years. They had similar enjoyment in socializing, entertaining, music, travel etc. Both of them had a solid Christian foundation embracing both Roman Catholic and Anglican traditions and Marjorie was a favourite with clergy and Bishops of both faiths. The quote by Bishop Lakdasa, "The reward for good work is more work' sums Marjorie's philosophy. Happy memories are everywhere of her love of life and people, humorous fascinating character free of jealousy and maliciousness, dynamic personality, amazing intellect, always faithful to her upbringing and background, sympathetic humanity, versatility and all her special abilities which she shared with all. As Christians we remember with joy all the good she did in this life, in the full knowledge that she and all our loved ones will be there to welcome us when it is our turn to go to a happier place, 'Safe in the arms of Jesus’. Nalini
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Copyright © 2001 Wijeya
Newspapers Ltd. All rights reserved. |
My
sister, Marjorie's first death anniversary was on March 26 this
year. The quote of Emily Mathews, 'Some people make a difference
just by being who they are, their inner light shines bright and,
touches lives both near and far,' aptly describes Marjorie's influence
on the many thousands of men, women and children she encountered
throughout her colourful and distinguished life and career as a
teacher, counsellor and socialite to name but a few of her attributes.
