The time was right for a lit fest in Colombo
The Ceylon Literary and Art Festival will take place from February 8th - 9th in Kandy and from the 10th - 12th in Colombo. Award-winning author Ashok Ferrey, curator of the festival talked to Mithahasini Ratnayake of his vision in putting it all together.
So, this is the first time the Ceylon Lit Fest is being held? What did you feel was your need to establish this as an event?
Oh yes, it’s the inaugural festival. I think mostly it’s because we hadn’t had anything here, islandwide for five years after COVID, the economic troubles and social unrest. There was actually a pent-up need for this which made it a lot easier, because we found out that everyone wanted something; we all had the need for it. It was like an organic birth.
Is there any specific reason why it’s called the ‘Ceylon’ Lit Fest?
So, as you know the Galle Lit Fest has been around for ages – I was one of the founding members of that, but we thought: why not further afield? There was an initial suggestion of
Jaffna, then Kandy, Kurunegala, Trincomalee – so what was decided was that we will, sequentially, do all those; every year be taken to a different place. Like a travelling carnival of authors.
This year we thought Colombo because I felt it was essential; Colombo has never really had a proper literary festival, apart from Colomboscope, of which I was curator. But subsequently with other curators, it’s become more of an Arts, Drama, Dance and Fine Arts festival and not exactly literary. Anyway, I then thought, why not do an outstation one too, show the authors that are being flown down from other parts of the country as well? So, we chose the city that’s always been given slightly step-motherly/brotherly/sisterly treatment – Kandy.
Tell us about the tickets and entry passes?
I’m trying to democratise the festival. So it will be completely free for any student; O’level, A’level, Undergraduate, Postgraduate – if they register and have some form of proof that they are a student. So, if the general tickets are pricey, which they usually are, it is because the students, who would benefit immensely by attending, are being subsidised.
This is the first time this is being done for a literary festival. We haven’t gotten to the stage where our literary festivals can be offered free for everyone, simply because our country cannot afford that luxury yet, but I hope we get to that stage. It’s a long way to go, so I hope we attract the right people to sponsor cultural
events like this in the future.
Basing it in Kandy and Colombo – two central cities is a good start. What are the venues?
So, the sessions in Kandy, on the 8th and the 9th will be at the Trinity College and the Hotel Suisse. Then we bring the authors to Colombo and the session will begin on the 10th at the Public Library for all three days. The library is central, easy to get to and a place of learning, which is why we chose it. Even if you can’t manage the online booking system – personally I wouldn’t be able to myself in this day and age – walk into through the gate and you can register there. Just come a little earlier before the session you’re interested in as there will be a queue. And apart from the panels, there will be lots of free events with music and film screenings – it will be quite the experience.
On the topic of panels, what should we be prepared to see?
Okay so because this is the first one, and we didn’t really have a track record like many other festivals I thought of lots of topics that I thought would interest particularly young people. Artificial Intelligence in writing, “Wokeness” and its extensiveness, Feminism – particularly South Asian Feminism and what has happened to it, these are a few of the many topics that interest me as well. And with my job as a curator, it’s also very important to match the speaker and moderator closely and precisely, so stimulating and engaging conversation that brings out the full potential of the topic could be displayed.
That sounds like a lot of intricate work. What were the other challenges you faced?
Oh yeah, of course there were – creative challenges I’d say. Financially, we’ve been extremely lucky to have support from HSBC who unhesitatingly, always sponsors these kinds of events, as well as the British Council, Goethe Institut and so many more. But as you mentioned, because it is the first event, it was initially, difficult to attract the authors, because naturally, they didn’t know what they were
coming for. But ultimately, we have managed to secure 22 international authors and 20 renowned local authors, both who will be equally represented.
What sort of impact do you think an event such as this has on young people, especially in terms of being able to engage with English Literature? What does the Ceylon Lit Festival bring to the table in that aspect?
I keep saying this – the future really is in the hands of the young people; not old codgers like me. It is so important to encourage them, not just to learn English just to pass exams and get a job – that’s fine, but the principal thing is for them to enjoy the language.
So, through Ceylon Lit Fest, I’m trying to democratise it – I’m trying to take away the mystique of literature. In schools you’re taught as if literature was some “holy” thing, something valuable, precious, and kept up there on a shelf – but no. Literature is for everyone, and everyone is for literature. It’s not for exams, it’s for you to browse. Honestly, I had to study two Shakespeare plays for my English A’ levels, and it ruined Shakespeare for me. Whereas if you picked up a Shakespeare play, God forbid, on your own in some secondhand book shop, who knows? You might love it. So, in a way when it’s institutionalised, it takes away all the joy out of it and creates a phobia. That is what I’m trying to get rid of.
And why English Literature? Well, English probably has the richest world depository of writing. There’s English writing from India, the U.S, Australia, many parts of Africa; and don’t get me wrong, we each have our very rich literature but when combining the weight of all these countries, you get this massive amount of literature. We need to have access to that.
So essentially, you’re saying English is the medium that transcends all these languages?
Yes, exactly. English is the lingua franca of the world, and we must cease to think of it as a colonial language. We must think open mindedly, that it’s the language of communication, a world language. The world’s greatest literature, in a composite sense, probably resides in the English Language and we need to tap into this world thought. That’s why I thought this was important, and that is why I think the purpose of a festival such as this is way ahead of its time and will be an investment for the future of our country.