2024/01/01 by Andi Schubert · 1 voice
Social Sciences · #Anthropological Studies and Insights #Global Maritime and Colonial Histories #Vietnamese History and Culture Studies
paper · pdf · doi:10.1093/hwj/dbae014
openalex publication_date 2024/01/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/30
‘I am here, remembering the killed, the disappeared, missing, & the surrendees. Their ghosts are also here, watching us & waiting for JUSTICE’ read a friend’s poster at the #GotaGoHome protests in Colombo, Sri Lanka in April 2022.1 Ghosts are perhaps one way to reflect on the ongoing struggles for justice and accountability that have marked Sri Lanka’s postcolonial history, particularly in the aftermath of a civil war that was fought on ethnic lines and ‘ended’ bloodily in 2009, as well as two violent youth uprisings in the south of the island in 1971 and in 1987–1989.2 But for those like me who work from Sri Lanka, these struggles also go hand in hand with what may in comparison seem like more quotidian ones, such as efforts to hold state and military officials accountable for their failure to prevent the 2019 Easter Bombings which killed at least 269 people and wounded at least 400 more.3 Or the more recent arrest of a Cabinet Minister who was previously the Minister of Health along with a host of Health Ministry officials for a massive scam involving the purchase of fake drugs.4 These concerns are one way to foreground the wide-ranging demands for accountability for corruption and mis-management that were such a prominent part of the 2022 #GotaGoHome aragalaya/ porattam struggle. But they also help to contextualize the spectral presences haunting the protests.5 Thinking with these ghostly beings, from the ruins of a post-war country in the throes of an economic and political crisis, my primary concern here is with how Sri Lanka’s particular experience of postcolonial conflict, violence, and seemingly bleak struggles for justice and accountability may influence an approach to historical practice. Reflecting on the work of Caribbean and Asian artists attempting to forge an artistic tradition after colonialism, the Sri Lankan novelist James Goonewardene spoke of the struggles of doing this from a space that ‘has had too much history’.6 Goonewardene’s comments point to the plethora of historical material – archaeological ruins and the question of their ‘corroboration’ with the chronicles of pre-colonial monarchies,7 a rich folk mythos about ‘historical’ events, an educated population, and a vibrant print and artistic culture – that is available for discussion and, of course, political mobilization in spaces like Sri Lanka.8 I take my cue from this comment to explore what historical writing may look like from a country that ‘has had [both] too much history’ and simultaneously, a devastating dearth of justice and accountability: what if Sri Lanka’s many hungry ‘yakku, prethayo, and holman (inappropriately called in English, demons, ghosts, and malevolent beings)’ decided to get themselves involved in an attempt to do historical work?9 What would happen if we allow the voices and demands of these ‘demonic’ figures to haunt a historian’s attempts to exude a sense of analytical control over violent historic events? My contention in response is that an attentiveness to the form of historical practice, such as the historian’s narrative voice, is crucial for doing historical work in and on contexts of excessive violence and impunity like Sri Lanka. The essay that follows is my experiment with the form of a historical narrative from the ruins of Sri Lanka.10 It is written as a ghost story using a second-person narrative voice. I am inspired by, though I attempt not to appropriate, the work of Black feminist artists and intellectuals who foreground the value of the experimental as a response to the realities of living and aching in the ruins.11 My essay is provoked in large part by Shehan Karunatilaka’s Booker Prize-winning novel The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida, which I read as a meditation on the challenge of pursuing justice and accountability in Sri Lanka. But I also owe significant debts to essays by the Sri Lankan political scientist, Jayadeva Uyangoda and the Sri Lankan literary critic, the late Qadri Ismail.12 In adopting a second-person narrative voice I am struck by how rare it is to find historical narratives written in any semblance of the second person, in particular with its use of the pronoun ‘you’ in English.13 In this narrative voice, there is often a muddying of distinctions between narrator and addressee which in turn foregrounds the question of positionality within a narrative.14 This sense of both ‘being’ and ‘not being’ in the narrative seems to me an apt choice for an attempt to reflect on the persistent presences of these demonic/ ghostly beings and their unresolved pursuits of justice in narrative form. My attentiveness to narrative voice also engages with recent reflections on the role that voice and by extension, positionality should in historical practice. there is that the recent of the voice in historical narrative a more concern for the at the perhaps of for with historical in for an in historical on reflect more on of In my essay this by adopting a second-person with its of the narrative voices that the of in to reflect on historical practice. I do not have the space here to an for the of a second-person narrative for historical practice. But I do to that my of this form is in an that the by narrative voices to an response to the violence and impunity that Sri Lankan I should also point that my experiment with form is not an of the of those historical narratives that are in and it is an to a on is an response for a historical in in the Lankan may with the civil war which in The for accountability and the demands for about what the of the war the of a persistent by at the of one of these struggles – the by of those who were by state – its In this the is more on the violence with two youth uprisings in the of the in the and uprisings were by educated and youth from more The in was marked by attempts to take control of in the it was by and the were and that as many as – people their in this The second which from to was more and and is to in as the of were in this these I it to here to to the for violence, violence, and this in it may to the for of the who are in this The essay is violent in the recent of Sri Lanka which have an in to the of violence they The here is who was a many and of Karunatilaka’s was by state on and the I were though one of the people who from their as a and from the of to that was in The was a from in the of Sri Lanka who was and on the that had involved with the by educated youth in the of the country in the of of those in my of those for were of justice for have story to on in like and in a by a from that had in my essay is to a more that in – as an for the of a who was also to the Sri Lankan – the were and their were the on the the of as a to This is perhaps the a recent attempt to these was It is here that these are not the these are of in these an experimental such is that this these for But in a impunity is and justice is on these of violence in such a may one way to a about the this violence to have on the of Sri The from which this experiment is a particular in Sri Lanka as It is a often as an though the not its as it a and as well as the on and I am also that attempting to a of is with in part they are also to this experiment to to who may not as with the contexts I I to also with to the of a the of my positionality in to these But with those on to the is the of the are like the of we writing this essay not and in not Sri Lanka’s that many had a and had in in Jayadeva Uyangoda political scientist, for the too have a like demons, have in had to the ‘yakku, and holman (inappropriately called in demons, ghosts and malevolent beings)’ in the on was the to the by Uyangoda and that hold these of any of and at But as that one of those that is to of pronoun for that how to the in the that as would have & are a and what to and to that of a who with a question have to – were what would happen to if the it with the of question that is to haunt for had this question essay and the in The question had to the part about how the voices of historical and the and of was and on it the from and the who are to This was the that to about the as were to in should here to to for should the of had in with a to find this at from the of the of the and holman were over In to get have a a to and there is on in the – people are and are and and about their to from a island in the which in their to point that the people who there take it too that would that those people are in their But that of is not to get any to about how from about to that to that were an in of a for But that to that had over how the influence writing for a But had about the history, and had that on and history, essay on about how about and ghosts may have the of to after a to about the the in that had that and work had by political violence and and had how that had reflections on the of it was the on that it also read as a on the work of the and how this work by This is what to who to and is it the themselves who their and who haunt and the living and those who their to have to for their and The those this the of the and holman in the turn to This is a to do the and holman have to the in using a that the and the way though seems like a from the me what I do to this question and second the and holman in the a as though are in a which to the in the and of and to which are in that at and to that is the of a had decided to in that would find the at with a of and a of a that is to get in Sri Lanka. if the late and there any of about which are to use to it the on a the which is the of the look at the not that had that the ghost was for is the of its and to the of and with the that of the is and It is not what we it to well and it how at the to do and to with of to But get a to this and on to a This particular an with a seemingly at a to the and the from the on the the on the two one on of the is and that are at the of of – the of also was But a as would not to too by the that may the as was as the and that the who at that had this that not at this are their way and about the on the and to the they get too to and that that Sri Lankan with and a and to find a with and the of an had and and in a voice, the are question how to this – a – this is a and living in ‘I and look to in and here to a who to with the I have a two to about I have to I should have this with the who here my and and it a novel for they the Booker and not about are I the of in an this is what we for to are waiting for to for us to are to to get what we this is to a for work in the in and to any of we that to that about us like we the novel in the way as the at the and read the read what they was my in the Sri Lankan I was a a and a and that my was not is that we are to allow that to happen for a to point that for to in the a massive between a novelist and a that a more on accountability for a But in and about accountability as though an accountability with the of the with its for violence and of people are using the to violence and that within the of for a to on the and and do the least of are about doing But a to a that by they are a not a with the But we are not in the of as a to more are not to allow to the of the and demands for justice if it many people are to too that we are are we and that that of from any for violence, are to the along in the from and we are we that like they my in that what the was Sri Lanka’s it was the they were violence and the impunity that what many and here But one about do like have to as who were and in their of and the more ones, like this have to would do this Karunatilaka’s not of I I a this me what I to I do me to read I do me to I doing it this and seems to have decided to take on for with and read and take on and But are to read it with are to about the of the But with and for the is by which that is also by may that writing as as as many voices as in a essay us the of get to But not how this as there is justice for the like we and to how many voices from which have to a to course, the as seems to of and that we should writing about it not what that the of the the the and the But doing that to with both the living and the to not by by the on which the for that is and a of and of us are here to that it is the and work of that the of the living that the and who have to how the of the should the way is written are Black and go and read and at that they have to work in their work is with the of the on their and that of writing In they of living who to about what it to a which is on the of the to about to find a way of writing that with this What to have to is that in Sri Lanka, there are way too many and holman that are for if to do history, to have to with are not the that are the it a and for a to ‘I I get what are to I any from I with the who are the I that I by and what to people like The question is not who to about a from how to a from But doing this I have to about about about voice, and how to and who to how may to the and to in have significant get of the to and to the and the and the and to about how this novelist It was and I have my But if me the and are I story I to the about what to I are in to and to sense the who this to on with a to that was rich had called to and get of the people had was in who Sri Lanka’s would have by the of the had from to of It was who had not to was to that in it and that attempt to way this to the to an too late and the to the In the of of a with a to the and the the the to and of by the by the are to to that are also as in as the to hand and to with to a are the and at as the and to a of the a and the in an from the Sri Lankan from a on the of The writing – have to on at the at the have a of prethayo, and holman who may have the is of and along with the of the of a that with a of and of on for this to The from the is on and a that seems to at from the But the of the and the way it the the it to as and in the with a and I I was for what at the me for one and here to with with a and at to to and at the and that that like a at from the my The that is the in on at the the voice of often in the and on the had this it much In any had that who to have the to turn it to protests about its to the with find in both and This is the story of The from in the south of Sri Lanka in the of the 1971 youth is about story – how had and to to have to for the to to that if to about should here and a – ghosts, and the of The seem to and the But as and to that they are from the from an a for the The from the one that are of the by the of in the the the one of the it a and it at this writing have this to a from the on the which the by the to It The was by of from the at the and the that was about in the to and in of protests and was to take to along the with over the ‘I have is how they me to to part of the which the 1971 in the My that I was not involved that seem to people that I was a choice between to go killed after this and I I would to The two with and how get and for as to on had about along the the The on the and a of on The and and and The to the one of that the was the the to go and The to the the and of on they are to this to both and this for This is a ghost story this it this these at who in who had by the to a and the not to me I was a that was how many were a ghost the of by the and it was that an and the with and was with in a on by this violence, this The of living seem to more the and holman who at to what to The of what to at with the violence that was this what like and from the violence they are and their on narratives that like these But it that way a to there any of that as a response to What do to this of it watching ‘I that to are to the point of this had on to about there were many prethayo, and holman the like who have their much in had in in in the a that had to about the of the a to here and a about and and how they to But if here to of the of it from in a find the of from the that had after at – had it one point in had much in these and in course, had that there was more one more one more that would the that would help a more historical history, that would and at the But of that seems like an in those as The about how had and it with the response to The from the is at the of the and was in of the in What do do with the that from a hungry it it to that are as as in at the But seem to to if are in a Or on The is the But as sense that there is one and two on in of the the of and seem to at a from a that find that to the in a which help with the the In of is a with and a of The and that the for a it like a to look to that in a and seem to on a are in of and a is to as look that are in one of those political that are in Sri Lanka. But of a on that they get in the way of the one more at from the to from as the of the in of and the a the in of and voice. to for this of have a this a of with us and the one and to the of that the as the to the me take a to to this and the from by a with a for the is what the But not get of with a from – – the to – to as about what are to and what are to who and how this would in the at and that not that this is a that a they like to that a with for read what as the in the from and way to the of for have with us this we to by that have had to read of the Black feminist we and reflect on experience over the if have any on a like Sri Lanka a to have this of a the to read what it much for me on here a a me by how much I the work of these and how their work is for us as us to in how historical often violence, and is not work that their work with Sri how of this a this Sri Lankan James with Caribbean artists and and a about how both Sri Lanka and the Caribbean artists are to to a sense of and after their to two seemingly – the of historical material in the Caribbean and the of in Sri I a much I we to there are and as a particularly if look at the way in which Caribbean had to with the violence and of the the of violence that us of The point I we those reflections here have to with the and that from their challenge to historical I the question for us is how do we this is a of how we do in a way that us of to of But to perhaps not a of Goonewardene this in the the of the violence on this island was to I that Sri Lanka is also not with a of also a dearth of justice for political also to that as much as have to in these to and they have also the as the not with what is on the But the there is it like the in the and the seem to to in and we to go to Goonewardene’s point and a more about and narrative a point and have how a of writing and in violent have to voice concern about the of What we are more with with with that we are to work a form of we to have an that and of this is the of do to work the in which they the in their one I also to of this as a way of in a in which there is much impunity and violence and in which the are they are for as a for accountability and for But that on have about how the are both to to and to ongoing for But and the get that the to the were not for of the have have have what to and on their But to that if writing with the a would have control over what written and that what would on the particular that had decided to with that the in the to an But of is and the on the look for to question this choice of It that in are to from the of Sri Lanka, from a with a that have choice about who how But as to about it also to that if get it on malevolent had decided to use that the of the on as the a it to that to about as with as an with the prethayo, and holman that and the of the to on the and what if it is writing the the way a and that with The over as as though are in the of and and with a the is on The is that of and in the in the I should have read the this point are have for with there are that that and that But at to a one to find had the the on the Or on by an of who allow to the of the country who were a was the point at which that to a who help this and this find in a with a of the on one and the on the in the from is a Their a the the look at on the and to for the the in one have a to about it and the way from find at in the of the that on a to the was about the do I have to in to have to in a in are to have to are to have to and holman a for people that prethayo, and holman have to more people the for the what to do for and it and to do it I help I was in that I the of my and not the people who killed me for what I have to a in I get the sense that there is here that the that at the and are But in do from me in and me using to help a to and about what this for at that a massive and like a to go and this use my sense that a and this the sense that may to to a are in of that is and from to like an to the of as to the The to on the are writing this essay not the the the of the and may to get In that and as much as The as is of to were read this essay and one between the living and the is a at the of of the of and have the the and that have in Sri Lanka over the two with in this essay in a of like this had many who have read it and me with their and I to and the in the of for to for and the with which from the in my and me to I to and the at as well as the for their in and with this Their and comments to and the of this their was not by the prethayo, and holman who and the of But I am for this to with these prethayo, and I with the that I am It is to an by and for in a of But in this I would the I about the in this to the my that the may may not as for these